Parliamentary questions

Employment Rights

Bríd Smith

256. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is aware of the case of four workers (details supplied) who have been dismissed by a company for trade union activity; if he will meet with these workers and their representatives; if he has plans to introduce legislation to protect workers in these situations and strengthen the right to collective bargaining and trade union representation within the lifetime of the current Dáil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32185/23]

Industrial Relations

Bríd Smith

28. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will detail any proposals or plans to deal with the issues regarding the representative rights of retired workers; if he will support the passage to Committee stage of the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31601/23]

Employment Rights

Bríd Smith

54. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will bring forward or support new legislation in view of events at a company (details supplied) recently that will protect workers; his views on whether current legislation is sufficient to prevent abuses of workers in cases of examinership and so on; if his Department is investigating the actions of management at the company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31602/23]

School Equipment

Bríd Smith

118. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will provide additional supports for parents who must purchase devices such as a tablets and so on, for the new school year; if her Department has plans to purchase centrally such devises on behalf of schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31599/23]

Departmental Funding

Bríd Smith

161. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he can detail the funding streams under the remit of his Department that can be used or are available to local authorities for the retrofitting of social housing stock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31734/23]

Departmental Funding

Bríd Smith

162. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to detail the funding from his Department for the retrofitting of local authority housing units in each of the years since 2016; and the number of units affected, in tabular form. [31735/23]

Bus Services

Bríd Smith

179. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport the number of journeys lost / failed to operate on the 150 Dublin Bus service as a result of driver shortages, failure to show or other reasons over the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31830/23]

Departmental Funding

Bríd Smith

300. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to detail the funding granted to local authorities from his Department for the retrofitting of local authority housing in each of the years since 2016; and the number of units affected, in tabular form. [31736/23]

Regeneration Projects

Bríd Smith

301. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of funding given by his Department to Dublin City Council for stage 1 capital appraisal approval for the regeneration of Oliver Bond House; the total amount of funding made available to DCC for this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31737/23]

Regeneration Projects

Bríd Smith

302. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if funding from his Department for the regeneration of Oliver Bond House can be used to take intermediate measures to deal with damp and mould issues, including the replacement of single glazing in units there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31738/23]

Gender Recognition

Bríd Smith

319. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware that the 2018 review of the Gender Recognition Act 2015 made several recommendations around the development of non-binary legal recognition; if she is further aware that in her report on the review, dated 26 November 2019, then-Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (details supplied) stated that her Department had carried out an initial scoping exercise on the implications of non-binary recognition, that an interdepartmental group had been established to progress this issue, and that the group was due to complete its work by the end of 2020; if she will provide an update on the work of her Department towards non-binary legal recognition, or on the work of this interdepartmental group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31753/23]

Workplace Discrimination

Bríd Smith

57. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of cases taken under disability grounds for discrimination under the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 to the Workplace Relations Commission in each of the years since 2015, in tabular form; the number of these cases that were adjudicated in favour of the complainant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31462/23]

Workplace Discrimination

Bríd Smith

58. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if complainants taking cases under the grounds of discrimination in the workplace have access to any additional resources or supports in these cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31464/23]

Workplace Discrimination

Bríd Smith

125. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he intends to hold any review of the workings of the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 or the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015, specifically in relation to the rights of people with disabilities to take cases relating to workplace discrimination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31465/23]

Passport Services

Bríd Smith

95. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if there are plans to change the system in relation to the witnessing of signatures on passport applications by a member of An Garda Síochána at local Garda stations; if he is aware that the process includes the recording of witnessing gardaí’s details in a log, which is then called upon by the Passport Office for verification; if he is also aware that it is not uncommon for an omission or a mistake to happen at this point, resulting in an often significant delay for the passport applicant through no fault of their own; if he will acknowledge the archaic and inconsistent nature of this step in the process; if he will provide details of the number of passport applications that are held up as a result of omissions or mistakes in witnessing signatures by members of An Garda Síochána; if he will outline any plans to update and/or streamline the signature witness process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30817/23]

Schools Building Projects

Bríd Smith

305. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the status of the new school build for a school (details supplied) works for which you indicated in a previous Parliamentary Question reply to commence at the end of June 2023; the date for the commencement of this new build and the completion timeframe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30946/23]

Data Protection

Bríd Smith

450. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person participating in the JobPath programme who declines to sign a consent form allowing Seetec to make contact with employers of perspective employers on their behalf, will be sanctioned or penalised in any way; how programme participants' personal data is stored, processed and shared; how this complies with Irish and EU data protection laws; if their data will be transferred out of Ireland to servers or software located in the UK or any other third-party entities; the safeguards that are in place to protect participants' data; what a participant is agreeing to when asked to sign the induction booklet; if this is mandatory under legislation; if it constitutes any form of a contract with Seetec that may affect their rights; if the participant will be sanctioned or penalised for refusing to sign; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31298/23]

Prison Service

Bríd Smith

484. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice when a prisoner is due for a release under the community return scheme as a result of a Ministerial order; if such an order can be delayed or stopped by the intervention of a third party as appears to have happened in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31154/23]

Greyhound Industry

Bríd Smith

520. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds named on the RCETS to date who were born in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31370/23]

Greyhound Industry

Bríd Smith

521. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of non-coursing greyhounds born in 2021 who were exported un-named to the UK or elsewhere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31371/23]

Greyhound Industry

Bríd Smith

522. 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; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31372/23]

Grant Payments

Bríd Smith

600. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the names and addresses of all successful and unsuccessful applicants, respectively in relation to the operation of the building block grant strand B for childcare providers; the number of unsuccessful applicants within Dublin broken down into postal code areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31146/23]

Dublin Airport Authority

Bríd Smith

36. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of and supports plans by the DAA to extend its operations; if his Department has had any discussion with the DAA about planned expansions and increases in aviation travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30117/23]

Bus Services

Bríd Smith

45. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he can detail the average number of passengers who have travelled on the new BusConnects route 60 since its introduction, per week or month; the passenger numbers for route 79 in the past three months of its operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30121/23]

Transport Policy

Bríd Smith

62. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if his Department has examined any proposals around the use and possible banning of SUV private vehicles in city and urban areas; if he would support such a move; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30120/23]

Rail Network

Bríd Smith

72. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he can clarify the position of the Government in relation to investment in the western rail corridor; if he supports further investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30119/23]

Childcare Services

Bríd Smith

287. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the successful applicants from childcare facilities for the blocks grant strand B, by company name and geographical area, that is, either country or Dublin postal code, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30252/23]

Climate Action Plan

Bríd Smith

6. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the first progress report for the first quarter of 2023 of the climate action plan. [29546/23]

Cabinet Committees

Bríd Smith

18. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on economy and investment will next meet. [29547/23]

Official Engagements

Bríd Smith

30. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the meeting of the European Political Community on 1 June 2023. [29548/23]

Public Sector Pensions

Bríd Smith

50. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he can detail what progress has been made on signing off on the promised pension increase for An Post workers; if he can further clarify the timeframe for same, given the length of time retired workers have been waiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30007/23]

Employment Rights

Bríd Smith

81. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he can detail the position in relation to the implementation of the security sector ERO, specifically, when the case will be heard in the High Court; the State's position on the current injunction against the ERO by some employers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30008/23]

Employment Rights

Bríd Smith

82. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he can clarify whether his officials will attend the next hearing of the High Court into the injunction taken by employers against the security sector ERO; if he has discussed this issue with his officials or legal team; if he has sought the advice of the Attorney General; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30124/23]

Abortion Services

Bríd Smith

177. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of protesters currently outside Limerick maternity hospital that are causing distress to people going to medical appointments, workers, local residents and so on; if he will clarify when exactly the safe access zone legislation will be in place; if he will respond immediately to the urgent need expressed by people trying to access healthcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29913/23]

Cabinet Committees

Bríd Smith

5. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Brexit and Northern Ireland will next meet [29537/23]

Departmental Data

Bríd Smith

15. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the well-being framework for Ireland, overseen by his Department [29538/23]

Equality Issues

Bríd Smith

26. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his Department’s public sector duty equality and human rights assessment. [29539/23]

Social Welfare Code

Bríd Smith

420. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify if a social welfare claimant selected for participation in a programme (details supplied) is obliged to sign a PPP; if they do not, if there can be any sanctions applied by her Department; if the claimant has the right to appeal such sanctions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29640/23]

Social Welfare Schemes

Bríd Smith

422. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she can clarify if Seetec have been awarded the contract for operating the JobPath programme; the costs of this award; the length of time the company will operate it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29665/23]

Grant Payments

Bríd Smith

554. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if Pobal will provide details on the reasons a grant application was refused for a child care facility (details supplied) in Dublin 10; if an application for this grant can be made again or when it can be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29739/23]

Climate Action Plan

Bríd Smith

85. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he can detail the actions that the Climate Action Plan for 2024 will take that will address the projected overshoot in the first carbon budget identified in the Environmental Protection Agency projections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28757/23]

Energy Prices

Bríd Smith

90. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has plans to ensure the Commission for Regulation of Utilities will regulate the prices charged to consumers on district heating systems; if he has plans to change the current charging system that apply to district heating systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28759/23]

Legislative Measures

Bríd Smith

103. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will clarify when his Department will issue a money message or a reasoned response for the Petroleum and other Minerals Development (Climate Emergency) Amendment Bill; if he can clarify why this has taken his Department this length of time to issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28758/23]

Disability Services

Bríd Smith

253. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will investigate the reason that an autistic person's home support hours have been reduced by an autism support service (details supplied); what process to appeal this reduction is open to the person affected; if this person's care plan can be unilaterally changed like this; if the HSE will ensure that their hours are reinstated with appropriate and necessary home support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28933/23]

Cabinet Committees

Bríd Smith

19. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Health is next due to meet. [28609/23]

Council of Europe

Bríd Smith

8. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent attendance at the Council of Europe. [26170/23]

Cross-Border Co-operation

Bríd Smith

25. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the Shared Island Dialogue all-island women's forum civic initiative. [28610/23]

Overseas Development Aid

Bríd Smith

159. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will detail the progress made on reaching SDGs and on international aid; what the target is; and where we are at specifically in relation to, a Voluntary National Review on the SDGs, reaching 0.7% ODA/GNI with high-quality, poverty-focused overseas aid and climate financing; if the Government will address Irish civil society's five key recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28114/23]

Insurance Coverage

Bríd Smith

339. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if his Department is aware of insurers writing to consumers on the issue of the danger of having homes underinsured, and so on; if the companies are now using the issue of potential underinsurance as a mechanism to reduce potential pay-outs to tenants for certain claims; if any regulatory authority under his Department has received any complaints or notification of this practice [27081/23]

Tax Code

Bríd Smith

379. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he can clarify (details supplied) in relation to the residential zoned land tax. [27918/23]