Parliamentary questions

Energy Policy

Bríd Smith

18. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his proposals to swiftly situate Ireland as a carbon dioxide-free energy user; the steps he will take to ensure Ireland no longer relies on imports of fossil fuels, on the future extraction of energy sources or on hydraulic fracturing in Ireland that would contribute to carbon dioxide levels rising, given that carbon dioxide levels have surpassed 400 parts per million and that the rate of increase is greater than at any previous time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16179/16]

Low Pay

Bríd Smith

55. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she is concerned at a recent report that shows that young persons and women are hardest hit by the growth of low wages; and if the phenomenal increase in the low wage sector undermines any claim this or the previous Government made regarding economic success. [15832/16]

Joint Labour Committees

Bríd Smith

57. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the action she proposes to take to encourage the joint labour committees to sit, formulate and impose employment regulation orders where the JLCs have not met; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15831/16]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Bríd Smith

5. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the next meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Construction 2020, Housing, Planning and Mortgage Arrears will take place. [14506/16]

National Transport Authority Administration

Bríd Smith

69. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the tendering process for public bus routes will take account of the record of a company in upholding labour law, in its obligations to its workforce and in conducting negotiations with its workforce on pay and conditions, prior to the awarding of any contracts (details supplied); and if he will ensure that the National Transport Authority or any other agency responsible for awarding these contracts is seen to acknowledge the importance of any company tendering for State contracts upholding labour law and the standards of the State. [15605/16]

After-School Support Services

Bríd Smith

4. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her plan in the programme for Government to tender school facilities to community groups and private providers is to use public schools for private child care; if she will offer publicly provided and funded after-school care in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14719/16]

Programme for Government Initiatives

Bríd Smith

9. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach his plans for implementing the programme for Government and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14505/16]

Fishing Industry

Bríd Smith

68. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has seen the new documentary, Atlantic, and his views on the conclusions it draws for the fishing industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14496/16]

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund

Bríd Smith

83. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when she will announce funding calls for and the duration of the new grant round under the new asylum migration and integration fund which the European Commission signed in 2015. [14269/16]

School Enrolments

Bríd Smith

190. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware that enrolments in a school (details supplied) are being blocked by the school; if he is complicit in the campaign to close the biggest school in the area at a time when number of primary school age children is predicted by the CSO to rise by 20%; and his plans for a new school in the area to cope with the increasing numbers. [14553/16]

Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility

Bríd Smith

290. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection why a person (details supplied) has lost entitlement to rent allowance upon being placed on a low paid temporary work scheme by a local Intreo office; why it is not possible for the person to receive support from the local community welfare officer, given that this loss has resulted in an accumulation of rent arrears; and why, if the person and the person's partner were 26 years of age plus, and both in receipt of social protection payments and rent allowance, they would have a greater income than what they have been left with, following the person's placement on this temporary work incentive scheme. [14267/16]

Environmental Policy

Bríd Smith

589. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views that climate change is the single most pressing issue for humanity, which will impact on every single aspect of our society and economy; that it is a major mis-step at this time to have effectively abolished the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in the new Administration and that, notwithstanding recent reassurances, this suggests to the public that environmental issues will be downgraded; that if he is genuine about joined-up thinking he must reorganise Departments with a view to setting up a Department of environment, climate change and natural heritage, which would have a remit to deal effectively with pressing environmental issues, such as loss of biodiversity and with water quality and supply; and if he will give a commitment that the correct urgency will be attached to the priorities of his Ministers concerned with environmental matters, and that they will not be seen as an add on or be relegated in the pursuit of corporate or business interests. [14525/16]

Emergency Departments

Bríd Smith

76. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of patients per month who register at emergency departments for treatment but who leave before being discharged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13768/16]

Pharmacy Services

Bríd Smith

104. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the potential cost savings and benefits to health of introducing a national pharmaceuticals policy which ensures that persons receive quality drugs at the lowest possible price and that doctors prescribe the minimum of required drugs to treat the patient's illness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13767/16]

Public Sector Pay

Bríd Smith

113. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the amount saved by having a lower level of pay for new recruits to the public service in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13012/16]

Citizens Assembly

Bríd Smith

3. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the citizens' assembly will report to Dáil Éireann on the eighth amendment of the Constitution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13014/16]

Public Sector Staff Remuneration

Bríd Smith

43. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the cost of repealing the financial emergency measures in the public interest legislation and public service pay reverting to 2009 levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13013/16]

Public Sector Reform Implementation

Bríd Smith

68. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount saved by having a lower level of pay for new recruits to the Civil Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13012/16]

Third Level Charges

Bríd Smith

343. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding university fees. [13511/16]

International Agreements

Bríd Smith

22. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he examined the agreement on refugees between the European Union and Turkey prior to signing up to it; if it infringes the European Union Convention on Human Rights with regard to the forced movement of persons in any way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12129/16]

Diplomatic Representation

Bríd Smith

23. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the Government will review its relationship with Egypt considering the brutal crackdown of the Egyptian security services on civil society, non-governmental organisations, trade union activists and other actions which endanger not just Egyptian citizens but European citizens such as persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12127/16]

One-Parent Family Payment

Bríd Smith

35. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection when he will publish the report his Department commissioned and which was prepared by a person (details supplied), given that it was due to be published by August 2015; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11752/16]

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

Bríd Smith

221. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his position regarding Members of the European Parliament not being allowed to access documentation on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12215/16]

Waste Disposal

Bríd Smith

53. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to immediately revise the statutory instrument that introduced payment for green bin charges and ensure that, in the interests of the environment, all recycling is incentivised by remaining free of charge by local authorities at bring centres and by waste management companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11599/16]

Garda Vetting Applications

Bríd Smith

87. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to investigate and expedite a Garda Síochána clearance query (details supplied). [11699/16]

Constitutional Amendments

Bríd Smith

34. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality given the Constitution only recognises the family unit as a married family, when unmarried couples and single-parent families, in particular, will receive the same recognition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10138/16]

Missing Persons

Bríd Smith

44. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to open an investigation into the disappearance and death of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10139/16]

Refugee Resettlement Programme

Bríd Smith

120. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to request the office for promotion of migrant integration to enable access by the Amal Group of the Dublin Islamic Foundation of Ireland to the 23 families who are here under the resettlement and relocation programme, in order to provide religious and culturally appropriate support and assistance (details supplied). [10038/16]

Departmental Funding

Bríd Smith

522. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection to resource the community employment scheme in order that it can be implemented, such as by using the €10 million European Social Fund funding for the programme for employment inclusion and learning to develop programmes that cross departmental remits. [10123/16]

Youth Guarantee

Bríd Smith

523. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection to cancel the decision to exclude persons with disabilities from the Youth Guarantee and the promise of a quality offer of a job placement or training and further education course within four months. [10124/16]

Labour Activation Measures

Bríd Smith

524. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection why Ireland is the only country in Europe to exclude persons with disabilities from mainstream activation programmes. [10125/16]

Industrial Disputes

Bríd Smith

107. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if, In view of the serious moves and threats recently made by Irish Rail to seek an court injunction against both NBRU and SIPTU over the introduction of new rosters and schedules he or his officials were aware prior to this threat being issued that Irish Rail would proceed in this manner; if he or his officials met with or discussed this threatened legal action with Irish Rail management; if he is aware that this move is viewed most seriously by a wide spectrum of the trade union movement as a fundamental breach with normal industrial relations procedures which has the potential to lead to a very serious dispute and is seen as another attempt to use the courts to discipline workers engaged in legitimate and legal action; and if he will assure Dáil Éireann that he has neither encouraged Irish Rail in this drastic action nor supports moves which seek to criminalise or hamper the workings of trade unions in rightfully seeking to represent their members interests. [8521/16]

Debt Restructuring

Bríd Smith

109. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance to seek clarification from a bank (details supplied) as to the way in which it intends to conduct a sale of credit card debt of small and medium enterprises in County Dublin in the near future; to whom invitations are issued to partake in this sale; the discount the bank is offering for the purchase of the debt portfolios; and if he will consider purchasing these portfolios in order to alleviate the negative impact that this sale could have on local businesses and jobs. [8368/16]

Primary Care Centres Data

Bríd Smith

332. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of primary care centres that are fully operational; the number that are under construction or nearing completion; and the number that are planned but have not yet commenced construction. [8403/16]

Primary Care Centres

Bríd Smith

333. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of primary care networks currently operational; and the annual cost of operating a primary care network. [8404/16]

Broadband Service Provision

Bríd Smith

464. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to encourage broadband providers in County Dublin to urgently deal with the lack of adequate broadband provision in the Drimnagh and Inchicore areas and to establish when provision will come on stream. [8271/16]

Visa Applications

Bríd Smith

247. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of an application for a visa extension for persons (details supplied). [7795/16]

Patient Transport

Bríd Smith

364. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the financial supports or subsidies available to outpatients who are in receipt of social protection benefit and are unable to access bus, train or other public transport services to attend hospital appointments and are therefore forced to use taxi services and incur considerable expenses; if there was a support system in place in the past; if that system was deferred and if and when there are plans to reinstate a system of financial support; and if patients can claim back payment for taxis to outpatients appointments. [7790/16]

Consular Services Provision

Bríd Smith

375. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of a person (details supplied) including the person's condition and health. [7791/16]

Homeless Accommodation Provision

Bríd Smith

490. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government for an explanation for the doubling of the cost of providing temporary homes, modular homes and rapid build homes for those in hotel accommodation. [7792/16]

Homeless Accommodation Provision

Bríd Smith

491. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the strategy for moving families from rapid build housing to permanent accommodation, given that there are no plans to build any significant amount of social housing to allow families move on. [7793/16]

Industrial Disputes

Bríd Smith

527. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has or will meet with officials of Transport Infrastructure Ireland, given the seriousness of the Luas dispute. [7796/16]

Industrial Disputes

Bríd Smith

528. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport given that Transdev Ireland has repatriated almost €10 million in profits back to the parent company in France from the Luas operation since 2009, and considering that Transport Infrastructure Ireland and its predecessor, the Railway Procurement Agency, have boasted of the success of Luas and its role in helping the agencies post profits, if this does not highlight the need for Transport Infrastructure Ireland to immediately negotiate with Transdev Ireland with a view to insuring that Luas workers achieve a just settlement of their dispute. [7797/16]

Industrial Disputes

Bríd Smith

529. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware of plans by Transdev to issue protective notice to Luas workers, given the ongoing dispute, and that in a letter from the company, the employment of the workers was drawn into question if they continued to engage in strike action; his views that the right to strike and collective bargaining are effectively being challenged in this correspondence from Transdev. [7798/16]

Industrial Disputes

Bríd Smith

530. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his role and that of Transport Infrastructure Ireland regarding Transdev's actions and if Transport Infrastructure Ireland was made aware of Transdev's stance with regard to workers prior to its public announcement. [7799/16]

Industrial Disputes

Bríd Smith

531. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware that one of main stumbling blocks to the acceptance of the Workplace Relations Commission proposals in the Transdev dispute was the clause to significantly worsen the pay and conditions for new drivers; his views regarding this proposal, given that current workers' starting salaries are below the average industrial wage and that such workers would have trouble renting homes or taking out mortgages in the Dublin area. [7800/16]

Industrial Disputes

Bríd Smith

532. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport why the current contract between Transdev Ireland and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, previously Railway Procurement Agency, did not contain any provision for a new wage agreement with the Luas workforce; if he and Transport Infrastructure Ireland were aware at the time of the awarding of this contract that Luas workers like most of the country’s workers had not had a wage increase in many years and had in fact being seeking negotiations with Transdev over pay and conditions. [7801/16]

Industrial Disputes

Bríd Smith

533. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware or concerned that while Transdev ignored the attempts of their workers to negotiate such a claim, that the State's agencies, both Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the National Transport Authority, were deciding to award the Luas contract to Transdev; given this, his views that claims by him and the agencies that they have no role in this dispute are spurious and that the awarding of this contract was premised on effectively freezing out the workers who operate the system and excluding them for advancing legitimate attempts to improve their pay and conditions. [7802/16]