Parliamentary questions

Fuel Poverty

Bríd Smith

316. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to extend the fuel allowance to jobs initiative scheme participants in Budget 2024, given their very low income and struggles with spiralling cost of living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43468/23]

Departmental Funding

Bríd Smith

459. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will review an application for funding under the Cross Border Directive and-or HSE reimbursement scheme (details supplied) with a view to granting the costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43470/23]

General Practitioner Services

Bríd Smith

553. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he, his Department and the HSE are aware of proposals to change the tax treatment of GMS income for GP partnerships (details supplied); if he or his Department was consulted on these proposed changes; if the HSE has examined the potential impact of these changes to the provision of GP care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43974/23]

Waterways Issues

Bríd Smith

131. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of houseboats currently moored on the Grand Canal, Royal Canal and Barrow navigation; if, in the event the revisions currently proposed to the canals by-laws by Waterways Ireland are adopted, he will outline the projected number of houseboats that will be permitted to moor on these canals; the projected number of current houseboat residents who will lose their homes; the contingency plans that have been made to provide housing for any existing houseboat residents rendered homeless under the new canal by-laws; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42858/23]

Waterways Issues

Bríd Smith

132. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current mooring fees levied on houseboats moored on the Grand Canal, Royal Canal and Barrow navigation under the existing canals by-laws; if he will outline, in the event that the revisions currently proposed to the canals by-laws by Waterways Ireland are adopted, the mooring or houseboat permit fees that will be levied on houseboats; the percentage increase which this represents in mooring fees for individual houseboats; the justification for the introduction of such an unprecedented increase in fees under the new canal by-laws; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42859/23]

Waterways Issues

Bríd Smith

133. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider commissioning a new consultation process in line with the Government’s Guide for Inclusive Community Engagement in Local Planning and Decision Making regarding Waterway Ireland’s proposed revisions to the canals by-laws, in light of the profound and highly disruptive changes which these revisions will effect to the housing security of existing houseboat dwellers, ranging from exponential increases in mooring and-or houseboat permit fees to eviction and homelessness on the Grand Canal, Royal Canal and Barrow navigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42860/23]

Social Welfare Code

Bríd Smith

147. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will commit to increasing the carer’s allowance income disregard from €750 to €1,000 for couples and from €350 to €500 for single carers, with subsequent increases in the following years. [42872/23]

Social Welfare Code

Bríd Smith

150. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will clarify if there are plans to provide an additional payment to those diagnosed with coeliac disease who have to follow a strict gluten free diet as prescribed by their doctor, and the substantial extra costs that entails when in receipt of a social welfare payment; if she will provide advice as to what those on State benefits/low incomes should do in these situations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43170/23]

National Treatment Purchase Fund

Bríd Smith

193. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will allocate funding in budget 2024 to extend the national treatment purchase fund to include timely assessment for both child and adult psychological services, as committed to in the programme for Government, and extend it to include occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and physiotherapy until backlogs are cleared; if he will fully fund the carer’s guarantee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42872/23]

Departmental Projects

Bríd Smith

314. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will provide details of how the €500,000 funding that was made available in 2009 for a memorial to honour all survivors of all State-run industrial schools is to be used; if she will outline details of the proposed memorial; to provide a timescale for when it will be in place; if she will acknowledge that survivors are eager to see the plans for a memorial brought to fruition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42459/23]

Childcare Services

Bríd Smith

549. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a company (details supplied) has signed up to the core funding model for childcare, and in doing so, agreed to freeze fees at 2021 levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42571/23]

Childcare Services

Bríd Smith

550. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if recent moves by a childcare provider (details supplied) are a breach of any undertaking given not to increase child care fees under the core funding model; if the attempt by the company to increase childcare fees for 2023/2024 by designating the previous year's (2022/2023) fees as an introductory fee represents a back-door way to increase fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42572/23]

Offshore Exploration

Bríd Smith

100. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he or his officials in his Department have held any meetings with a company (details supplied) or any other individuals or companies representing another company in relation to the prospect off Corrib, also referred to as the Inishkea gas prospect since January 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38747/23]

Bus Services

Bríd Smith

146. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he can clarify what changes are proposed for the bus services in Crumlin, specifically routes 83, 17 and 18, and when they will be implemented; if he can detail the proposed replacement routes that the NTA is currently planning to introduce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41446/23]

Tax Data

Bríd Smith

162. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance to provide details of the costs to the Exchequer each year, in tabular form for the diesel rebate scheme since its inception in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41141/23]

Financial Services

Bríd Smith

185. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if there are any current schemes or plans to introduce schemes to help people who, due to serious medical illness and history of same, have failed to obtain mortgages from banks and other lending institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41326/23]

Courts Service

Bríd Smith

404. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 1391 of 27 July 2021, if she will provide an update on the parental alienation research mentioned; if she will clarify how far advanced the research is; when the results will be published, given the urgency and number of families affected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41133/23]

Medical Cards

Bríd Smith

571. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will agree to the automatic provision of medical cards to people with a spinal cord injury based on certified medical needs, rather than means; if he will extend the review cycle for medical card holders with a spinal cord injury to ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41385/23]

Foreign Birth Registration

Bríd Smith

19. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that there does not appear to be a way for Members of the Oireachtas to contact the foreign births register section to make queries on behalf of their constituents; the contact phone number is for general queries but does not allow for specific application queries; if he is aware that there are applications submitted in early 2021 that still have not been dealt with fully; if he will provide an update on one such application (details supplied) and ensure that a pathway for public representatives to receive updates for constituents is provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37392/23]

Bord na Móna

Bríd Smith

85. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will pursue the purchase by the State of the former briquette factory at Derrinlough and to allow for a full consultation with all stakeholders as to the future of the site, especially the Bord na Móna workers who were promised a just transition following the ending of production at this plant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37591/23]