Parliamentary questions

Animal Welfare

Bríd Smith

1169. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the legislation under which persons can obtain a licence to run a dog kennel. [19186/19]

Animal Welfare

Bríd Smith

1170. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the checks carried out on dog kennels to ensure a minimum standard of care for animals; and the checks carried out to ensure that animals are not being neglected or treated cruelly. [19187/19]

Fish Farming

Bríd Smith

1189. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the stocking, losses, escapes, diseases, mortalities and harvested fish by number of fish and weight at a farm (details supplied) in 2018 and to date in 2019. [19629/19]

Taxi Regulations

Bríd Smith

1279. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the advertising or public information available to make persons using taxis aware of an application (details supplied). [18729/19]

Nursing Home Accommodation Provision

Bríd Smith

191. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the reason for the continued closure of a newly built ward in a nursing home (details supplied); the cost to build and refurbish the ward; the cost of the continued closure; the number of beds on the ward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18198/19]

Gaelscoil Issues

Bríd Smith

117. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the financial resources and other supports that can be provided to new independent Gaelscoileanna in the Dublin 10 and 12 areas (details supplied). [17871/19]

Childcare Education and Training Support Programme

Bríd Smith

506. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of persons receiving childcare subsidies through either training and education or childcare subvention; and the number of the recipients that are lone parents. [17605/19]

Childcare Education and Training Support Programme

Bríd Smith

507. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there has been an impact analysis on the loss of training and education or childcare subvention for vulnerable groups; and if so, the outcome of same. [17606/19]

Childcare Education and Training Support Programme

Bríd Smith

508. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 34 of 14 December 2016, if she has addressed the matter with the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection; and if so, the position in this regard (details supplied). [17607/19]

Childcare Education and Training Support Programme

Bríd Smith

509. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if in a two-parent family only one parent must engage with the jobseeker activation measures by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (details supplied) and the second parent is allowed to fulfil the caring role; and her plans to introduce a childcare scheme that will specifically address this dual role. [17608/19]

Insurance Coverage

Bríd Smith

50. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance his plans to introduce legislation to protect consumers in dealing with insurance companies specifically in cases in which the companies are refusing businesses insurance cover without adequate explanation or refusing to explain the reason for refusals especially in situations in which the business has been a customer for many years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16990/19]

Workplace Relations Services

Bríd Smith

97. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the number of actions taken by the WRC enforcement section on foot of the refusal by an employer to fulfil an award made to an employee after a WRC hearing or an adjudication in each of the years 2016 to 2018. [16993/19]

Workplace Relations Services

Bríd Smith

98. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the reason the WRC has decided not to take action to enforce its own findings in a case in which an employer claims they did not receive documentation regarding a hearing; if such defences by employers are routinely accepted by the WRC as a defence when an employer has lost a hearing adjudication decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16994/19]

Industrial Relations

Bríd Smith

99. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to grant access to An Garda Síochána and other representative groups in the Defence Forces or those that represent retired employees access to the industrial relations machinery of the State under the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16989/19]

Cancer Services Provision

Bríd Smith

138. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the provision of breast clinic services in St. James's Hospital is being cut back; the steps he will take in relation to same; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that carriers of genetic braca 1 and 2 are having repeat visits and check-ups extended from once every six months to once every 12 months, that family history clinics are being closed and those attending are referred back to their general practitioners; his views on these cuts to the services; and the reason the services are being cut. [17094/19]

Public Sector Staff Retirements

Bríd Smith

66. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the measures and age extension in the Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act 2018 will apply to semi-State workers going forward, specifically to employees at RTÉ; if there are proposals to extend the measure to other workers in other sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16966/19]

School Patronage

Bríd Smith

68. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans in respect of access to a new school (details supplied); and if he will meet a representative group of parents from the Dublin 8 and 12 areas. [16794/19]

Health Services Reports

Bríd Smith

130. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) will be allowed to give evidence to the vaginal mesh review team in the interest of transparency and fairness in view of the fact that another person gave evidence. [16866/19]

Traveller Community

Bríd Smith

196. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to establish a Traveller specific employment strategy to support the training and employment objectives in the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 in view of the 80% unemployment in the community. [16795/19]

Traveller Data

Bríd Smith

197. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the level of Traveller participation in activation programmes; and the specific targeted measures used to increase Traveller involvement. [16796/19]

Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times

Bríd Smith

4. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason for the backlog and delays in issuing social welfare payments; and the further reason for the delay of six months in relation to appeals. [15690/19]

Employment Rights

Bríd Smith

6. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to deal with bogus self-employment practices; and when legislation will come before Dáil Éireann on the matter. [15656/19]

JobPath Programme

Bríd Smith

19. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the contracts with JobPath providers will expire; when a decision on the future of the scheme will be made; if the recent Dáil Éireann motion on the issue will be taken into account; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15655/19]

Telephone Support Allowance

Bríd Smith

32. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of full restoration of the telephone allowance including to those who may qualify but do not live alone; and her plans to address the issue in the next period. [15657/19]

Illness Benefit Appeals

Bríd Smith

40. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will commission a review to ascertain the number of workers per year affected by the six-day waiting period while sick from work; and the estimated cost of restoring the waiting period to three days. [15658/19]

Pension Provisions

Bríd Smith

69. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will examine the possibility of widening the applicability of the home care credit in the calculation of pension entitlements for retired workers, specifically workers in semi-State organisations and bodies such as the Central Bank, who may have no entitlement to State contributory pensions and whose workplace pensions are disadvantaged by the refusal of the semi-State employers to give credit to workers for years out of the workforce raising families; if the legislation can be amended to cover such workers and ensure all women who raise families are given home care credits in calculating their final pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15848/19]

Pension Provisions

Bríd Smith

72. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if legislation governing the pension entitlements of workers (details supplied) can be amended to allow women who raised families and took leave from their workplaces for those periods to avail of home care credits similar to those recently amended under the contributory pension scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15854/19]

Literacy Programmes

Bríd Smith

75. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for future funding of a society (details supplied); the amount of funding that will help develop and support Irish sign language and specifically the programmes run by the society such as deaf adult literacy services and the Irish sign language academy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15855/19]

Literacy Programmes

Bríd Smith

82. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for the future funding of a society (details supplied); the way in which the funding will help develop and support Irish sign language and specifically the programmes run by the society such as deaf adult literacy services and an academy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15766/19]

Back to Education Allowance Appeals

Bríd Smith

320. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a response will issue in the case of a back to education allowance for a person (details supplied). [15691/19]

Approved Housing Bodies

Bríd Smith

225. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to tenancy contracts by approved housing bodies such as a body (details supplied) which informs tenants that their tenancy can be ended if the body plans to sell the premises within three months, refurbish the premises, change the use of the premises or if it is deemed no longer suitable for the tenant; if this tenancy agreement is approved by his Department for persons housed by such bodies from the social housing waiting list; his views on AHBs potentially using such grounds for eviction in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15849/19]

Public Transport Fares

Bríd Smith

17. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to lower fares to encourage uptake of public transport in relation to BusConnects plans; if he has reviewed the increase in fares across public transport since 2011; his views on whether the present fare structures may be discouraging uptake; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15153/19]

Railway Stations

Bríd Smith

55. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties caused to persons with disabilities by the failure of lifts at DART and rail stations across the city and that these failures are ongoing and constant and make accessing public transport impossible for many persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15152/19]

Direct Provision System

Bríd Smith

210. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the practice of direct provision centres encouraging residents to volunteer to undertake duties which could be paid employment jobs; if such practices are widespread; if his Department is consulted by providers before such volunteering is organised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14940/19]

Exploration Licences Applications

Bríd Smith

57. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if plans by a company (details supplied) to commence exploratory drilling off the south coast in June 2019 for oil or gas will aid plans to make Ireland a world leader on climate change and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14168/19]

Exploration Licences Approvals

Bríd Smith

58. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the issuing of further licences for exploration will be halted in view of the worsening climate crisis evidenced by the catastrophic monsoon in south-western Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14194/19]

National Broadband Plan Data

Bríd Smith

68. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when details of the decision by the broadband procurement team on the remaining bidder tender will be announced; the costs to date of the broadband procurement process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14169/19]

Exploration Licences

Bríd Smith

71. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he or his officials have held discussions with representatives of a company (details supplied) prior to its plans to drill off the south coast in June 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14195/19]

National Broadband Plan Data

Bríd Smith

73. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans for the roll-out of rural broadband nationally in the event the procurement team does not give the tender for rural broadband to the one remaining bidder; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14196/19]

Data Protection

Bríd Smith

226. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if concerns regarding data protection will be reviewed in terms of proposals to transfer data from waste collection companies. [12010/19]

Wards of Court

Bríd Smith

527. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason for delays within the Office of Wards of Court which are impacting on the purchases of properties. [13422/19]

Primary Care Centres Provision

Bríd Smith

892. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the details of the planned primary health care centre in Drimnagh, Dublin 12; the proposed opening date of the facility; the reason for the delay on this project; if the current cost overrun at the national children’s hospital has an impact on the provision and opening of the centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13879/19]

Preschool Services

Bríd Smith

1202. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if it is possible for parents to sign a legal disclaimer to protect their child's place in a crèche that is being instructed by Tusla to reduce its numbers due to small floor size. [13416/19]

Children in Care

Bríd Smith

1211. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if children in the care of Tusla are accommodated in emergency situations at locations provided for adult homeless services; if so, the safeguards taken at these locations; if the policy is approved by her; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13877/19]

State Pension (Contributory)

Bríd Smith

1269. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on the processing of reassessment of pensions; the reason some persons receive increases a few days after they apply online and others wait weeks; the way in which they are assessed; and the length of time it should take. [13421/19]

Social and Affordable Housing

Bríd Smith

1364. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if an organisation (details supplied) informed Dublin City Council 28 days prior to 7 March 2018 that the site on which the organisation is building 72 homes would not be completed on time. [12870/19]

Social and Affordable Housing

Bríd Smith

1365. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government in the event that an organisation (details supplied) received an extension of one year to complete works on a site, whether it informed Dublin City Council that the work would not be completed. [12871/19]

Social and Affordable Housing

Bríd Smith

1366. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if a site (details supplied) is legally owned by an organisation. [12872/19]

Social and Affordable Housing

Bríd Smith

1367. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the reason Dublin City Council has not complied with the conditions of the Land Registry deeds will be investigated. [12873/19]

Social and Affordable Housing

Bríd Smith

1368. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the land allocated for a linear park at a location (details supplied) will be returned. [12874/19]