Parliamentary questions

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

9. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the working of the shared island unit in his Department. [20374/23]

Departmental Schemes

Brendan Smith

59. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will outline the schemes of grants and eligibility conditions for improving energy efficiency in private homes, including upgrading work such as insulation and installation or replacement of boilers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20698/23]

Departmental Schemes

Brendan Smith

60. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if persons who need to carry out energy efficiency works in their private homes can avail of grant aid under existing schemes where some years ago small-scale grant aid was availed of by homeowners to carry out improvement works and further additional improvement works are now needed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20699/23]

Electric Vehicles

Brendan Smith

98. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport when additional electric vehicle charging points will be provided in counties Cavan and Monaghan; the locations that will have such charging points provided in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20557/23]

School Funding

Brendan Smith

184. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education the grant aid available for primary schools to develop play areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20787/23]

Health Services

Brendan Smith

460. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that appropriate treatment is made available for children suffering with ailments (details supplied) as is provided in other countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20653/23]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

42. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has had recent discussions with the British government in relation to the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill; if he has outlined again that it is unacceptable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19776/23]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

59. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has had any recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and with the political parties in Northern Ireland in relation to the need to have the Assembly, Northern Ireland Executive and the North-South Ministerial Council restored without further delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19777/23]

North-South Interconnector

Brendan Smith

83. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications in view of the inadequacy of the review of the proposed North-South interconnector carried out in 2018, given that it did not take into account the concerns of householders, farmers and communities in relation to a number of aspects of this proposed project, if he will ensure that the concerns of local communities will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19846/23]

North-South Interconnector

Brendan Smith

114. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications in view of the total opposition of communities in counties Cavan, Monaghan and Meath to the present proposals regarding the proposed North-South Interconnector, with particular reference to the concerns about transmission cables being put overground, if he will ensure that if the project proceeds, the transmission cables are put underground, as proposed for other major energy projects in the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19845/23]

Housing Provision

Brendan Smith

213. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance the number of housing developments approved for funding by Home Building Finance Ireland to date in each county; the number of such developments that have ten units or less; the number of such developments with 20 units or less; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20107/23]

School Transport

Brendan Smith

245. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if provision will be made to enable persons aged 70 years and over, subject to appropriate medical checks, to drive public service vehicles and vehicles employed on State contracts as difficulties are arising in many areas, such as school transport with shortage of qualified drivers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20124/23]

Schools Building Projects

Brendan Smith

273. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education when a building project (details supplied) will proceed to the next stage; if she will ensure that this project progresses as quickly as possible in view of the urgent need to provide additional accommodation at this school for the next school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20203/23]

Nursing Homes

Brendan Smith

372. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health when subvention payments will be increased for nursing homes, particularly for smaller-scale nursing homes, in view of the substantial increase in costs over recent years in providing nursing-home care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20196/23]

Departmental Strategies

Brendan Smith

6. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the current situation in regard to the development of a national security strategy. [19256/23]

Care Services

Brendan Smith

481. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason the allowance paid in respect of children taken into care is different for a relative and a non-relative of the child; if he will agree that the preference is to keep a child within the family unit if at all possible; if he accepts that the costs for providing care by a family member or non-family member will be similar and in low-income families these costs could be a barrier to such care being provided by a family relative; if he proposes to change the present arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19355/23]

Health Services Staff

Brendan Smith

142. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the measures that are being implemented to eliminate the unacceptable delays experienced by persons who qualified in Northern Ireland or in Britain in having their qualifications recognised in Ireland in areas such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18425/23]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Brendan Smith

6. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the President of the United States. [15168/23]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Brendan Smith

37. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if it is proposed to introduce a grant scheme to assist in the provision of large-scale pre-school accommodation and the upgrading of existing accommodation, as existing grant levels will not be sufficient to ensure adequate childcare accommodation in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15755/23]

Childcare Services

Brendan Smith

50. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the level of capital funding available to his Department this year for the upgrading of existing childcare facilities and the provision of new childcare accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15754/23]