Parliamentary questions

Cabinet Committees

Bríd Smith

3. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with the circular economy will next meet. [19918/23]

Cabinet Committees

Bríd Smith

18. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will next meet. [21536/23]

Departmental Policies

Bríd Smith

12. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the social policy and public service reform division of his Department. [21534/23]

Cabinet Committees

Bríd Smith

21. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on European Union and international affairs will next meet. [21535/23]

Schools Building Projects

Bríd Smith

262. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will urgently complete the stage 3 tender review currently with her Department (details supplied) and allow the school to progress the building programme as soon as possible; if she will acknowledge concerns about rising building costs affecting tenders meaning further delays for schools if tenders are not responded to quickly; if she will take into consideration that the disrepair of the prefabs in question is worsening daily including asbestos issues; when a decision will be forthcoming; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21058/23]

Childcare Services

Bríd Smith

532. 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. [21145/23]

Childcare Services

Bríd Smith

533. 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 not to increase child care fees under the core funding model; if the attempt by the company to charge parents for after-school fees while the child is out of school term represents a back-door way to increase fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21146/23]

Cycling Facilities

Bríd Smith

26. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he can detail any plans to provide funding for the installation of bike bunkers in urban areas; the funding that might be allocated to such schemes; if there are any plans to roll out such projects; if the recent withdrawal of plans by Dublin City Council can be reversed by Department policies aimed to encourage active travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20794/23]

Public Transport

Bríd Smith

32. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport his views on whether a report (details supplied) on free public transport is correct in its estimate of the impact of free public transport; the reason similar fare-free public transport schemes in other cities and regions have had a significantly greater impact than that suggested by the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20793/23]

Bus Services

Bríd Smith

79. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he can detail the position in relation to public transport companies hiring bus drivers; if shortages in staff are being addressed; the current number of staff shortages affecting Bus Éireann, Go Ahead and Dublin Bus; if he or his officials have had any discussion with these companies on plans to attract and retain staff, specifically in relation to improvements in pay and conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20796/23]

Bus Services

Bríd Smith

82. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware that the ongoing collapse of bus services in the lower Ballyfermot area, specifically the Number 60 route, is driving people away from public transport options and undermining confidence in public transport; if he is further aware of the refusal of the NTA to revise its failed plans; the issues that have arisen with BusConnects in relation to similar withdrawn or reduced services in other areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20795/23]

Disability Services

Bríd Smith

260. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the reason that the community neuro-rehabilitation team in CHO7 has not progressed, despite funding being made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20937/23]

Legislative Reviews

Bríd Smith

285. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if the review (details supplied) of the effects of the Part 4 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2020 has been published and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas; if not, if he will clarify what the delay was, given that he has replied several times that the review was imminent; if he will now clarify the date for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20425/23]

Legislative Reviews

Bríd Smith

297. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if he has plans to amend Article 19A of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, which allows for the provision of counselling therapy records of a victim of sexual abuse to be made available to the accused abuser; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20609/23]

Greyhound Industry

Bríd Smith

325. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 474 of 8 February 2023, if an exclusion order against a named person (details supplied) remains in place; if it was in effect on 3 February 2023 when the person was photographed at Shelbourne Park Stadium with a representative of Greyhound Racing Ireland after their greyhound finished first in a race; if this constituted a breach of the exclusion order which prohibits the excluded individual from being on any greyhound track; if so, the action that will be taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20757/23]

Legislative Measures

Bríd Smith

461. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he has plans to introduce legislation in the area of safeguarding for vulnerable adults; the status of the legislation; when it will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20654/23]

Middle East

Bríd Smith

53. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will call in the Israeli ambassador to Ireland to establish the steps that are being taken in relation to the escalating violence by Israel on Palestinians; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19618/23]

Energy Policy

Bríd Smith

71. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he can clarify the position in respect of proposals to build a liquefied natural gas, LNG, terminal in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20127/23]

Energy Policy

Bríd Smith

84. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will clarify reports on the Government support for LNG of some sort in the State and specifically how such a proposal is compatible with the State's climate obligations and targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19782/23]

Electric Vehicles

Bríd Smith

89. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if current Government policy which sees large tracts of the State licensed for mining for rare elements and minerals in order primarily to facilitate the electrification of the private car fleet is sustainable or environmentally sound; if any reappraisal of the one million EV targets would result in a changed policy with regard to licensing mining operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19785/23]

Energy Policy

Bríd Smith

137. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he can detail proposals to increase the staff numbers and expertise working in the Commission for Regulation of Utilities specifically in order to deal with the administration of a proposed windfall energy tax on profits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19786/23]

Energy Conservation

Bríd Smith

142. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if recent statistics released by the SEAI on retro fitting programmes are compatible with the targets for deep retro fitting previously announced by the Government; if he has any concerns on the nature of most of the work that has been carried out; if such work will result in any substantial or verifiable reduction in CO2 emissions from energy use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19784/23]

Environmental Policy

Bríd Smith

143. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will explain the rationale for granting ten prospecting licences to an Australian mining corporation in east Mayo in view of the potential negative impacts this could have on water quality in the area. [19783/23]

Job Losses

Bríd Smith

241. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his Department has been notified about proposed layoffs at a company (details supplied) in Dublin; if he will meet with representatives of the company in relation to these layoffs; the supports available for the workers facing redundancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20145/23]

Legislative Measures

Bríd Smith

299. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made on proposed new legislation which would give workers who have been laid off a higher rate of jobseeker's allowance depending on their previous income in the period following their loss of employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20146/23]

Citizenship Applications

Bríd Smith

314. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 1097 of 21 March 2023, if the e-vetting of applicants for 2023 is being processed ahead of applicants for 2021 and 2022; the reason this is happening; the length of time the e-vetting process will take for 2021 and 2022 applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20111/23]

Childcare Services

Bríd Smith

340. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he can clarify the reason an application for the building blocks grant from (details supplied) was rejected; if such service providers have any right to appeal such decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20132/23]

Childcare Services

Bríd Smith

341. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he can detail in relation to the building blocks grant scheme, the total number of applicants who applied for these supports; the number of applicants who failed to receive the grant; the number of successful applicants, in tabular form, per county council area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20133/23]

Child Poverty

Bríd Smith

11. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the proposed child poverty unit in his Department. [19377/23]

Departmental Strategies

Bríd Smith

4. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will outline the current situation in regard to the development of a national security strategy. [18283/23]

Cabinet Committees

Bríd Smith

16. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on the economy and investment will meet next. [18284/23]

European Council

Bríd Smith

26. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the recent meeting of the European Council. [18285/23]

Traveller Accommodation

Bríd Smith

317. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that a park (details supplied) has been promised regeneration since the first Traveller Accommodation Plan was introduced 23 years ago in 1999; the status of a funding application for the regeneration of the park which was made by Dublin City Council to his Department on 3 December 2022; if a response to DCC is imminent given that it is over 19 weeks since the application was submitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19061/23]

Legislative Reviews

Bríd Smith

18. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he can report on the review of the legislation on the Termination of Pregnancy Act; if he will bring proposals to Cabinet on foot of the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17654/23]

Health Services Staff

Bríd Smith

33. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he can detail the position in relation to public health teams; if the number of public health doctors have been increased; the plans to ensure same are resourced to deal with any future public health crisis such as a pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17655/23]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Bríd Smith

4. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the President of the United States. [15158/23]

Cabinet Committees

Bríd Smith

16. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach how often every Cabinet committee meets, with particular reference to the committees on health, housing and education. [15434/23]

Immigration Policy

Bríd Smith

41. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if he can clarify, in cases where a Border Management Unit decides to refuse permission to an intending visitor to this State, and the visitor has all the appropriate documentation for such a visit, what rights to appeal or to question such decisions exists; how such refusals are recorded and documented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17653/23]

Immigration Policy

Bríd Smith

59. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if he can clarify the procedure in relation to decisions by the Border Management Unit to refuse permission to board for visitors intending to come into the State, specifically if the Garda National Immigration Bureau keeps a record of such refusals; the reason for such refusals; and if he will detail the number of such refusals in the last year. [17652/23]

Energy Conservation

Bríd Smith

167. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the total number of homes that had retrofit work undertaken supported by SEAI grants under the various schemes operated, in each of the years 2015 to 2022, and to date in 2023; the number of homes that as result of SEAI support reached a B2 BER in this period, in relation to recent figures which show over 27,000 homes retrofitted in 2022; and the energy rating achieved in those homes which did not reach the B2 rating, in tabular form. [16082/23]

Employment Rights

Bríd Smith

480. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in relation to transfer of undertakings protection offered to workers who are changing employer as a result of such transfers, if current legislation guarantees that such workers being transferred to a new employer shall suffer no diminution of their pay or conditions in the first year after such a transfer takes place; if he can further clarify if TUPE legislation has any implications in situations where a company has won a State tender/contract and is now transferring its work to a new company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16719/23]

Employment Rights

Bríd Smith

481. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a worker who has opted out of a company pension and receives an increase in salary instead is entitled to retain the same salary with a new employer under TUPE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16908/23]

Private Security Authority

Bríd Smith

485. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason the regulations issued by the PSA have been altered to remove the previous clause in relation to adherence to EROs; if he will clarify his Departments legal strategy in relation to the current court case and legal action that has blocked the ERO in the security sector; if the State will, and is actively contesting the case by certain security companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17197/23]

Schools Building Projects

Bríd Smith

526. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she can clarify whether a school (details supplied) is among the schools affected by the stalled school building programme; if the approval letter from her Department for the proposed works at the school will be issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17135/23]

School Facilities

Bríd Smith

632. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of the impact of her Department’s decision to stall a much-needed second prefab block installation at Riverview ETNS; if she will acknowledge that children with additional needs are being particularly impacted as a result of building delays with the ability to provide small group teaching and other necessary interventions being severely curtailed (details supplied); if she will reconsider the stalling of the second prefab block installation and take steps to deliver what was sanctioned as a matter of priority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16383/23]

Defective Building Materials

Bríd Smith

791. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position in relation to the proposed scheme for defective apartments and remediation works needed; the timescale for implementation of this scheme; if residents of such apartments who face immediate demands for levies from management companies to fund needed safety works will be fully compensated for any outlay they face in the coming weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17196/23]

Housing Policy

Bríd Smith

823. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when assessing income from earnings for access to a local authority social housing waiting list, if local authorities have the discretion to disregard one-off overtime earnings in any given year; if not, if such thresholds have no flexibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17648/23]

Housing Policy

Bríd Smith

824. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will clarify current income thresholds from earnings in relation to social housing waiting lists; when these thresholds became operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17649/23]

An Garda Síochána

Bríd Smith

998. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that gardaí are informing victims of racist abuse and attacks that An Garda Síochána cannot deal with such crime because of the lack of hate-speech laws in the State; if he can clarify that the Garda is aware and trained in current legislation when dealing with attacks on people that are compounded by racist motivation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17675/23]

Health Services

Bríd Smith

1439. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if there will be any State-funded fertility treatment programme available in the State in the coming period; if his Department has plans in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16721/23]