John Gormley

125. Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has intentions of abolishing the limitation rule which applies when two adults have eligibility for social assistance in their own right. [23004/06]
   Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mr. Brennan): Where both members of a couple are claiming social welfare payments and one or both of the claimants is in receipt of unemployment assistance, farm assist or pre-retirement allowance their combined payments cannot exceed the amount which would be payable if only one person was being paid with an increase for a qualified adult dependant, where appropriate.  In this situation one or both of the payments would be limited to ensure that the relevant household rate of payment would not be exceeded. (more…)

104. Mr. Gormley:  asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will expand upon the visionary initiatives which he recently referred to at the launch of the information booklet Working for Work, in the context of social welfare, if the State is to adequately meet the scale of emerging employment requirements.
   Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mr. Brennan): I propose to take questions 92 and 104 together.
Proposals for an innovative programme to promote participation through activation measures aimed people of working age are under discussion in the context of the preparation of the National Development Plan. Under these proposals my Department would seek to provide a single transparent system with a primary focus on the customer and a route map starting with the first point of engagement with the customer. (more…)

266. Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if it is intended to allow Irish fishing boats to fish in the waters of Western Sahara following the agreement between the EU and Morocco despite the fact that the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara has been found to be illegal by the International Court of Justice. [23588/06] (more…)

 337. Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his Department has carried out studies regarding the impact of immigration on the role of the Garda and the legal system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21771/06]
 

   Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell): I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has not conducted any studies regarding the impact of immigration on the role of the Gardaí and the legal system nor are there plans to undertake such studies in the near future.  The Deputy will be aware of the amendments made to the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 1988-2004 to facilitate the recruitment to An Garda Síochána of members from different ethnic communities living in Ireland.  I am of the view that such recruitment is desirable in principle so that membership of the Force reflects as far as possible the composition of Irish society today.

John Gormley tackled the Taoiseach in the Dáil today on the cost of his “make-up services”. The extract from the Dáil record makes amusing reading. Read on for the full exchanges. (more…)

102. Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Finance if he intends to address the concerns raised in the report Outsourcing Government Public Bodies and Accountability published by TASC, in particular the call for ensuring that accountability legislation is applied fully to all bodies responsible for public functions and that exceptions are in accordance with clear criteria agreed in an open, transparent and accountable manner. [19211/06]
   Minister for Finance (Mr. Cowen):  I have always been willing to consider matters relevant to my Ministerial responsibilities which have been raised in this House or elsewhere and where appropriate to take steps to allay any concerns which prove to be soundly based.  I understand that the report to which the Deputy refers was published only last week and is relatively wide-ranging.  I will have it examined and its conclusions considered in so far as they concern matters for which I have responsibility.  The question of what, if any, steps might be appropriate can then be addressed.

151. Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Finance if he intends to introduce a lower rate of VAT on district heating in view of the decision of the Council of Ministers to allow for a reduced VAT rate of as little as 5.5%, taking into consideration the environmental benefits that such projects can provide compared with conventional heating systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19210/06]
   Minister for Finance (Mr. Cowen): The Deputy is referring to the amendment to Article 12 of the Sixth VAT Directive, which allows Member States to apply the reduced VAT rate to supplies of natural gas, electricity and district heating provided that no risk of a distortion of competition exists.  However, the position is that under Irish law the supplies of fuel used to create heat or light are already subject to the reduced rate of VAT of 13.5 per cent. Under Article 28 (2)(e) of the Sixth VAT Directive the supply of fuel is subject to the reduced VAT rate.  This Article allows Member States, which at 1 January 1991 applied a reduced rate to supplies of goods and services other than those specified in Annex H of the Sixth VAT Directive, to apply a reduced rate provided for in Article 12(3) to such supplies.  Under EU law Member States can continue to apply reduced rates in such cases provided the rate is not below 12%.  Such a reduction in the reduced VAT rate, while having a significant Exchequer cost, would have little or no impact on the retail price of such products.
  It should also be noted that the Council decision referred to by the Deputy would not have any impact on the rate of VAT applicable to alternative energy systems which are subject to the standard rate of VAT.  In Ireland the standard rate of VAT is 21%.

448. Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason the visa applications of the world-recognised Bosnian artists (details supplied) who were due to attend and exhibit at an art exhibition held by the Bosnian Community Development Project in Temple Bar in April 2006, were rejected, thus leading to the cancellation of the Exhibition; if this was a violation of protocol, in view of the fact that this Art Exhibition was part of the 2006 annual funding given by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19669/06] (more…)

54. Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the action she will take to stop the fraudulent sale of vegetable and animal produce with labels claiming it is Irish when in fact it has been imported and merely washed or packed or minimally processed here; and if further to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland report which found that 42 per cent of premises visited had labelled meat that did not comply with labelling legislation and in every farmer’s and consumer’s interest she will take action to stop this dangerous fraud. [18759/06] (more…)