Parliamentary questions

Planning Issues

Bríd Smith

91. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to his Department`s circular (Housing 09/2023 - PL 01/2023) to all local authorities regarding his mandatory moratorium on Part 8 planning approvals, if he will clarify what monitoring procedures his Department has put in place to ensure that this moratorium and its circular will be treated as mandatory by local authorities; how many Traveller-specific developments are being pursued under the terms of the circular; if he will provide a breakdown, per local authority, on the Traveller developments pursued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50053/23]

Disability Services

Bríd Smith

410. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will clarify why there is currently only one part-time social worker at the children’s disability network team on Armagh Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12; if he is aware that this situation is causing a serious backlog for children with special needs requiring services; if he will clarify what the staffing level should be and when this will be met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49312/23]

Child and Family Agency

Bríd Smith

440. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on progress in the extraction of information on St. Gerard's home from the larger Saint Patrick's Guild file received by Tusla in 2017 following a statement in January 2021 that St Gerard's records were 'not fully processed' at that time; if he confirm if the extraction of records relating to St. Gerard's is still ongoing; what proportion of the larger St Patrick's Guild file has now been processed; what has been discovered to date; what the projected timeframe is for completion of this work, when a full disclosure of the results of this work is expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49655/23]

Mental Health Services

Bríd Smith

578. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health to outline what is currently being done to address discrimination against autistic children in mental health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49855/23]

Mental Health Services

Bríd Smith

579. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm if the current approach to launching the CAMHS hubs pilot be amended so that autistic children with a moderate to severe mental health issue will also have access on a par with their neurotypical peers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49856/23]

Mental Health Services

Bríd Smith

580. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will commit to the implementation of the Mental Health Commission’s 49 recommendations and take immediate action to address the discrimination against neurodivergent children and lack of service for children with intellectual disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49857/23]

Wildlife Protection

Bríd Smith

119. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what action is being taken by Government to combat the mass decline of insects and wildlife in Ireland; and how the Government plans to prevent their extinction. [34759/23]

Military Aircraft

Bríd Smith

243. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport the number permits his Department has issued to the US for transport of weapons via the Irish State in the years 2019 to 2023 inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47996/23]

Insurance Coverage

Bríd Smith

295. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider establishing a national insurance company to cover the costs of flooding damage and other associated costs, especially when so many are currently unable to obtain insurance to protect against flooding damage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47431/23]

Flood Risk Management

Bríd Smith

342. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will outline all policies and plans currently in train to deal with the inevitable and increasing impacts of flooding as a result of climate change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47436/23]

School Funding

Bríd Smith

475. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will clarify when schools can expect to receive the schedule of grant payments; if she is aware that some schools are struggling to cover regular outgoings currently and are awaiting grant payments to do so; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47679/23]

Further and Higher Education

Bríd Smith

1377. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he agrees that adult education tutors do the same work as their permanent colleagues in the Further Education and Training Sector and should therefore have the same terms and conditions; if he will clarify when his Department will award a contract that offers adult education tutors parity with their permanent co-workers to reflect the importance of the work they do in communities across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47274/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bríd Smith

208. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for a disability allowance, which was submitted at the end of June 2023; if she will consider that the applicant cannot get a GP appointment or avail of services until the application is approved, and will ensure that a decision is delivered at the earliest; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47079/23]

Greyhound Industry

Bríd Smith

222. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine how many of the 12,483 non-coursing greyhounds born and registered with the Irish Coursing Club between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2021 were registered to owners normally resident in the Republic of Ireland only (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47059/23]

Greyhound Industry

Bríd Smith

223. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine how many of the 11,698 non-coursing greyhounds born and registered with the Irish Coursing Club between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2022 were registered to owners normally resident in the Republic of Ireland only (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47060/23]

Departmental Functions

Bríd Smith

224. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason responsibility for the horse and greyhound racing industries transferred from the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, as provided for by Section 6(1) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939 and Statutory Instrument No. 179 of 2010 - Horse and Greyhound Racing (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2010 - Statutory Instrument (S I) 179 of 2010 which came into operation on 1 May 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47061/23]

Greyhound Industry

Bríd Smith

225. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to explain the discrepancy in figures given by Rásaíocht Con Éireann in relation to the number of non-coursing greyhounds registered at microchipping stage on the RCETS whose year of birth was 2022 (details supplied), bearing in mind that under existing legislation, all non-coursing greyhounds must be microchipped upon reaching 12 weeks of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47062/23]

Energy Usage

Bríd Smith

131. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide the total amount of gas supplied to data centres for 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46216/23]

Teaching Qualifications

Bríd Smith

242. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will clarify whether the Teaching Council and the Department of Education have decided upon an alternative degree programme to substitute the BA in Montessori education from St. Nicholas Montessori College that currently enables teachers who do not have Irish to register under route 4 and take up permanent positions as special class and special education teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46697/23]

Teaching Qualifications

Bríd Smith

305. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will clarify the reason that the Teaching Council of Ireland will no longer recognise BA Honours graduates from St. Nicholas Montessori, prohibiting them from registering under route 4 of the Teaching Council from December 2023 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46696/23]

Disability Services

Bríd Smith

471. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of a person (details supplied) with a disability who had been placed in a nursing home for a convalescent short-term stay, but who remains there 14-weeks later due to the lack of funding at their original residence to provide for a necessary member of night staff; if he will acknowledge that placing people in inappropriate settings at which their needs are not and cannot be met is in contravention of Article 19 of the UNCRPD; if he will commit to authorising the necessary funding in order that the person can return to their original community setting appropriate to their needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46202/23]

Disability Services

Bríd Smith

494. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when a child (details supplied) with developmental delays and speech and language difficulties will be seen at a particular clinic, given the urgency of their needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46722/23]

Education Policy

Bríd Smith

640. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when the decision was made to stop Leaving Certificate programmes in VTOS centres throughout Ireland; the reason for the decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46296/23]

Housing Schemes

Bríd Smith

163. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance the reason the purchase of second-hand homes by first-time buyers was not included in the help to buy scheme in Budget 2024; if he will commit to re-examining this position with a view to widening first-time buyers' opportunities to own their own home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45002/23]

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

Bríd Smith

589. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if, in light of the shortage of nurses, if the granting of NMBI nursing registration will be considered, after the successful completion of adaptation training or RCSI aptitude test, to those healthcare assistants with a nursing degree/diploma from their home country and who have been working in Ireland for at least two years; if he will acknowledge that most of those working as carers will qualify for Irish nursing registration if the NMBI accepts the English language qualifications prescribed by the UK's Nursing Authority for foreign nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45164/23]

Legislative Process

Bríd Smith

5. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason he has referred the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021 to the Department of Social Protection, despite it being within his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44424/23]

Legislative Measures

Bríd Smith

32. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on the lack of progress to date on the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021, and the lack of alternative wording from his Department that would support the progression of the proposed Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44422/23]

Legislative Measures

Bríd Smith

48. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason he has referred the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021 to the Department of Social Protection; the particular areas he is seeking clarification on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44425/23]

Legislative Measures

Bríd Smith

64. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will expedite progression of the proposed the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44423/23]

Primary Care Centres

Bríd Smith

194. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that due to a lack of staff that the Limekiln Lane Health Centre in Dublin 12 has cancelled all two-year-old developmental checks; if he will acknowledge the upset and distress this has caused to parents (details supplied); the steps that are being taken to restore these checks; the timeframe for their resumption; if he will provide an alternative option for parents to access these important developmental checks during this time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44627/23]

Health Services

Bríd Smith

207. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if there are any plans to trial the use of curved paddles (details supplied) in the carrying out of mammograms given the high number of women who report pain and/or discomfort during breast screening; if he will consider that this may help improve the numbers returning for subsequent mammograms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44251/23]

Tax Code

Bríd Smith

124. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he can detail the consultations his Department has had with GP representative groups regarding proposed changes to the tax treatment of GMS income, specifically the proposal to have this income declared as income by individual GPs who at present are in partnerships or have such income mandated to employers; if he can detail any research on the possible impact of this proposal in terms of tax revenue and impact on GP partnerships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43975/23]

Tax Code

Bríd Smith

125. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if his Department has a proposal to change the tax treatment of GP partnerships and their income from the GMS scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43976/23]

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]