Parliamentary questions

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]

Bord na Móna

Bríd Smith

86. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will undertake to immediately halt the sale of the former Bord na Móna briquette factory and its 44.5 acre site in Derrinlough, County Offaly, in the interests of allowing time for a public consultation with all local and national stakeholders about how the site’s potential to deliver a Just Transition towards a low-carbon future in the midlands can be best realised; if he will undertake to launch such a public consultation process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37618/23]

Bord na Móna

Bríd Smith

87. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will undertake to purchase the former Bord na Móna briquette factory and its 44.5 acre site in Derrinlough, County Offaly, in the interests of ensuring that both building and site remain in public ownership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37619/23]

Bord na Móna

Bríd Smith

88. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to detail his precise plans to ensure that the Government honours its commitment to deliver a Just Transition for the former employees of the Bord na Móna briquette factory in Derrinlough, County Offaly; the timescale for the delivery of this Just Transition plan; the budget allocated to its implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37620/23]

Bord na Móna

Bríd Smith

90. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is in agreement with calls to immediately halt the sale of the former Bord na Móna briquette factory and its 44.5 acre site in Derrinlough, County Offaly, in the interests of allowing time for a public consultation with all local and national stakeholders about how the distinct social, economic and cultural significance of this key site in Ireland’s industrial heritage and economic history can best be honoured and safeguarded for the future, and how the site’s potential to deliver a Just Transition towards a low-carbon future in the midlands can best be realised; if he will undertake to launch such a public consultation process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37652/23]

Employment Rights

Bríd Smith

556. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if, in recognition of the significant delays with the security ERO and the recent lifting of the High Court injunction, he will commit to getting the new ERO signed off as soon as possible; if he will provide an indication of when this will be done; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37576/23]

Heritage Sites

Bríd Smith

856. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he and/or the NPWS is considering purchasing the Conor Pass site (details supplied) for the purposes of transforming it into a national park, which would be held in public ownership for the benefit of all; the precise status of plans to acquire the Conor Pass site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37695/23]

Local Authorities

Bríd Smith

890. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide the number of applicants who have been removed from all local authority housing lists in the past 12 months; the number that were removed from all local authority housing lists because they began a HAP tenancy; the number that were removed without being added to the transfer list; how housing waiting list applicants are informed that they need to request the addition of their names to the transfer list following the acceptance of a HAP tenancy in order to remain on the housing list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37884/23]

Social Welfare Schemes

Bríd Smith

992. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has any plans to alter the provisions governing the free travel scheme as it applies to the provision of free travel passes to parents who are acting as joint carers for children with special needs; if she has any specific plans to introduce a shared travel pass scheme which would allow parents acting as joint carers to share the use of that travel pass in light of the day-to-day exigencies of their shared care responsibilities and the significant financial hardship that carers are already grappling with; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37568/23]

State Pensions

Bríd Smith

1029. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she can clarify her plans in relation to the proposed introduction of the total contributions approach (TCA) method of assessment for the State pension (contributory) as the only method of assessing an individual for the State pension (contributory); if she will consider retaining indefinitely the use of both the average assessment method and the TCA to assess D class (PRSI) public service workers for the State pension (contributory) in the interests of not disincentivising the valuable contribution which retired D class public service workers can make to the Irish economy and society as part-time workers in other sectors up to the age of 66; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38370/23]

Humanitarian Access

Bríd Smith

1197. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if she has responded to a plea for compassionate and humanitarian support addressed to her from a Sudanese refugee who is now an Irish citizen (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38636/23]

Cannabis for Medicinal Use

Bríd Smith

1644. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify following the roll-out of the pilot medical cannabis access programme the number of patients who have gained access to medical cannabis through the programme; the number who have been reimbursed; the number who have been prescribed Epidyolex; the number who have gained access to medical cannabis during the same period via the ministerial licence route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37885/23]

Energy Conservation

Bríd Smith

137. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will clarify matters in relation to the SEAI fully-funded energy upgrades formerly the warmer homes scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36975/23]

Exploration Industry

Bríd Smith

138. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number and type of applications received by his Department under the Petroleum And Other Minerals Development Act 1960 for authorisations from existing licence holders for retention or renewal or the next stage progression of their licence in relation to petroleum exploration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36976/23]

Bus Services

Bríd Smith

202. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will detail the steps to be taken by the NTA to address the serious failures of bus route 60 to provide a reliable or sufficient bus service through lower Ballyfermot; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35866/23]

Bus Services

Bríd Smith

203. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide details and timelines for BusConnects plans for Kildare Road, Dublin 12; if there are plans to liaise with local residents; if an opportunity to meet with concerned residents will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35885/23]

Employment Rights

Bríd Smith

374. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will detail his proposals in relation to the rights of retired workers' representatives to have greater access to the WRC or similar State arbitration bodies in the event of disputes relating to their occupational pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35865/23]

Departmental Data

Bríd Smith

441. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education the number of places in secondary schools currently located in the Dublin 8 area; if she has plans to increase the current number of secondary school places in the area; the number of children resident in the area projected to progress from primary to secondary schools in 2023, 2024 and 2025; her plans to cater for all children unable to find a secondary school place in the area; her position on what constitutes an acceptable commuting distance and commuting time for school children obliged to travel outside Dublin 8 to attend secondary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36017/23]

School Textbooks

Bríd Smith

499. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if the free primary schoolbook scheme grant given to schools covers the costs of all schoolbooks; if parents can be asked to donate or pay any additional fee towards the costs of their child's schoolbooks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36977/23]

Departmental Funding

Bríd Smith

910. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to detail any funding or grant aid provided to the Dairy Council of Ireland since 2015 to date from his Department or the Government; the amounts spent by his Department or the Government in support of the processing and marketing of agricultural products, such as capital investment schemes since 2015; the amount of funding provided to Bord Bia since 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35864/23]

Departmental Funding

Bríd Smith

926. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will detail the funding to the Dairy Council since 2015, in tabular form; to outline under the specific headings that this funding was dispersed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36345/23]

Departmental Policies

Bríd Smith

937. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine how he intends to interpret the text of Amendment 74 as adopted by the European Parliament on 12 July 2023 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on nature restoration; if Amendment 74’s references to making the best use of market-based instruments and green budgeting tools will result in the approval of further sitka spruce plantations and the granting of further dairy subsidies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36531/23]

Childcare Services

Bríd Smith

992. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the list of successful applicants for the most recent strand B of the building blocks grant will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35888/23]

Disability Services

Bríd Smith

1045. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will take steps to ensure that funding is released to provide full-time residential placement for a person with disabilities (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36538/23]

Milk Supply

Bríd Smith

2. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether his Department has funded campaigns by the National Dairy Council and Bord Bia about the supposed "sustainability" of Irish milk (details supplied); and whether he has concerns around these campaigns regarding climate disinformation or greenwashing, given the state of the climate and biodiversity crises. [35135/23]

Bord Bia

Bríd Smith

14. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether Bord Bia should be funding climate disinformation about the supposed 'sustainability' of Irish milk, given the state of the climate and biodiversity crises (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34761/23]

Hare Coursing

Bríd Smith

16. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether he will support a ban on coursing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34760/23]

Climate Change Policy

Bríd Smith

23. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what action is being taken by Government to reduce emissions and prevent even further biodiversity loss in the context of extreme sea temperatures that have been seen this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34758/23]

Water Quality

Bríd Smith

26. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what action is being taken by Government to tackle the continued extreme deterioration of our water quality driven by increased nitrates and our industrial agriculture model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34757/23]

Asylum Seekers

Bríd Smith

532. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if there are plans to scrap the detaining of asylum seekers in Cloverhill Prison, or any prison, prior to deportation as soon as possible given that they have not committed a crime; her views on the criticism of this practice by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) and on two occasions by the UN Committee against Torture which found that a prison is by definition not a suitable place in which to detain someone who is neither suspected nor convicted of a criminal offence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34839/23]

Greyhound Industry

Bríd Smith

574. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds who were microchipped and registered in the Irish Stud Book whose year of birth was 2021, reminding him that Rásaiocht Con Éireann has the power to request this information from the lrish Coursing Club under Section 26 (1) of the Greyhound lndustry Act 1958; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35284/23]

European Council

Bríd Smith

15. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach for a report on his attendance at the European Council on 29 and 30 June 2023. [34014/23]

Public Inquiries

Bríd Smith

23. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach to report on the progress of the public inquiry into nursing home deaths during Covid 19, which he promised in January 2023. [32555/23]

Legislative Measures

Bríd Smith

170. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if she will clarify if there are plans to amend section 19A of the Criminal Evidence Act 1992 as amended by section 39 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 so that a sexually abused child or adult will not have their private counselling or therapy records made available to the accused abuser; if she will clarify the rationale for this section of the Act and outline the implications for victims; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34453/23]

Nursing Homes

Bríd Smith

280. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he intends to undertake a review of the fair deal scheme; if he will detail the precise terms of reference that would underwrite such a review; if he intends either within the context of such a review or independently of such a review to establish the level of charges that nursing home residents are incurring from their disposable income for daily service charges, medical services, transport to medical appointments, prescription fees and other daily incidentals; if he agrees that the depletion of the 20% of the assessable income retained by nursing homes residents after paying 80% of their assessable income for their nursing home care in this manner is placing an insupportable financial burden on nursing home residents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34729/23]

Ukraine War

Bríd Smith

80. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice the number of applicants for international protection who have applied from Ukraine since the Russian invasion; if applicants who were not in Ukraine at the time of the invasion are accepted into the temporary protection to persons fleeing the war in Ukraine programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25934/23]

Housing Schemes

Bríd Smith

363. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to clarify if an older couple with medical issues (details supplied) who have rented a three-bedroom property for the past ten years which the landlord has offered to Dublin City Council to purchase under the tenant in situ scheme can be approved for this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33661/23]

Housing Schemes

Bríd Smith

373. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will clarify whether the tenant in situ scheme includes properties in which tenants are considered overaccommodated (details supplied); if not, if he will provide details of the number of properties local authorities have refused to purchase on this basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33674/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bríd Smith

433. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person has been receiving jobseekers' allowance for 18 months then applies for disability allowance, whether their jobseekers' allowance payment cease immediately; if not, if it continues until a decision regarding the disability allowance is issued; if there is a requirement for the person to apply for supplementary welfare allowance in the interim; if the disability allowance application is unsuccessful, the payment that the person reverts back to; if a person is awarded disability allowance and transitions from jobseekers' allowance, if this changes their eligibility for the Christmas bonus associated with long-term social welfare payments; if a person receiving disability allowance is permitted to participate in a part-time Springboard course or other ETB training options; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33575/23]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Bríd Smith

660. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) has been approved for the €1,000 pandemic payment; when they will receive same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33481/23]

Emergency Accommodation

Bríd Smith

78. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he can detail the number of people currently in emergency accommodation; the numbers who have been there for over 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33038/23]

Housing Schemes

Bríd Smith

90. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he can detail the number of purchases of properties by local authorities and approved housing bodies under the tenant-in-situ scheme to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33068/23]

School Meals Programme

Bríd Smith

130. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of children who will receive a hot school meal in the new school term from September; and the number planned for the following year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31600/23]

Traveller Accommodation

Bríd Smith

249. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason there is such a delay in providing Dublin City Council with the funds to complete the upgrade work that is so urgently needed in the Labre Park halting site; the reason there is a delay in providing the funds required to commence the regeneration of the Labre Park halting site; the cause of the delays in providing Dublin City Council with outstanding funds for work already carried out in respect of Traveller accommodation by Dublin City Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33356/23]