Parliamentary questions

Defence Forces

Brendan Smith

218. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if in view of the lack of an Army barracks in the central border area if further consideration will be given to the re-opening of Dún Uí Néill, Cavan, as an Army barracks and, in the interim, as a forward operating base as that area has a long land border with a neighbouring jurisdiction, and taking into account that the presence locally of Army personnel played a very important role in the security of this State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35268/23]

Road Network

Brendan Smith

244. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport his views on the commitment in the Programme for Government to maintain the existing road network to a high standard and fund safety improvements; if he will ensure that much needed additional funding will be provided for the non-national road network in 2023, taking in to account the urgent requirement for additional investment due to the very substantial increase in costs that have arisen over the past two years in road maintenance products and construction work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34956/23]

Taxi Licences

Brendan Smith

245. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if consideration will be given to the provision of support for hackney services in rural communities where it is not feasible to have a bus service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34957/23]

Construction Industry

Brendan Smith

306. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he will give detailed consideration to the issues raised in a report (details supplied) which outlines the difficulties that will arise for a sector with the introduction of a levy on products; if he is aware that such levy imposition will adversely affect this sector, particularly in the Border region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35294/23]

Renewable Energy Generation

Brendan Smith

577. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the incentives available for farmers and agri-food businesses to install solar panels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35454/23]

Further and Higher Education

Brendan Smith

868. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will ensure that an adequate number of courses are provided in colleges of further education throughout the country in relation to different professions providing healthcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35390/23]

Further and Higher Education

Brendan Smith

869. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when a building project (details supplied) will proceed to the next stage; the timescale for the delivery of this new accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35424/23]

Rural Schemes

Brendan Smith

876. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the review of areas eligible for inclusion in the CLÁR Programme will be finalised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35348/23]

Electric Vehicles

Brendan Smith

79. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport what his Department is doing to tackle the issue of e-scooters being dangerously parked on footpaths. [34603/23]

Legislative Programme

Brendan Smith

80. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport when the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 will come into force. [34604/23]

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Brendan Smith

239. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will detail the health infrastructure projects currently underway in CHO 1; the projects completed since June 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34454/23]

Departmental Bodies

Brendan Smith

8. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the social dialogue co-ordination unit of his Department. [32834/23]

Inquiry into the Death of Mr. Shane O'Farrell

Brendan Smith

82. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice the status of the recent report into the death of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33996/23]

Gangland Crime

Brendan Smith

87. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice when additional measures will be introduced to deal with the scourge and damage being inflicted on families and communities throughout this country by persons involved in major drug trafficking and gangland criminality; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33997/23]

Tax Code

Brendan Smith

215. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he will have detailed consideration given to issues outlined by a national representative organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34322/23]

EU Programmes

Brendan Smith

229. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the total funding available for the new PEACE Plus Programme; the level of funding available for each measure under this Programme; the allocations decided to date for government Departments and statutory agencies; when these allocations were decided and notified to such agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33684/23]

Flood Risk Management

Brendan Smith

238. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will give detailed consideration to the request of a local authority (details supplied) [34186/23]

An Garda Síochána

Brendan Smith

509. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice the youth diversion projects in place in counties Cavan and Monaghan at present; the proposals she has to approve additional projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34057/23]

National Economic and Social Council

Brendan Smith

19. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council, a statutory agency operating under the aegis of his Department. [32833/23]

Cross-Border Co-operation

Brendan Smith

236. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on the Shared Island cross-border funding to expand Ulster University’s Derry campus announced on 20 June 2023. [32835/23]

Childcare Services

Brendan Smith

66. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will put in place at an early date an adequate grant aid scheme to support the provision of new and substantial community childcare facilities where such needs exist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32443/23]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Brendan Smith

121. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline the proposals, if any, he has to increase substantially the level of grant-aid available under building blocks - capacity grant for the provision of new and upgraded childcare accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32442/23]

An Garda Síochána

Brendan Smith

342. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice the progress to date in upgrading accommodation to facilitate the restoration of services as announced by Government in 2017 (details supplied); if she will ensure that these works are completed at an early date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31790/23]

Maternity Leave

Brendan Smith

398. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the proposals, if any, he has to amend the Maternity Protection Act 2004 to enable women postpone maternity leave who are diagnosed with cancer or any other serious illness during pregnancy (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31908/23]

Childcare Services

Brendan Smith

399. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will give urgent consideration to the issues outlined in a national representative organisation concerning childcare funding (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31916/23]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

1. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach for a report on the shared island dialogue on education systems and connecting communities. [30080/23]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

23. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has had recent contact with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in relation to the need to provide an exemption to the electronic travel authorisation scheme for tourists travelling to Northern Ireland via this State, taking into account that the island of Ireland is marketed as one tourist destination and the need to avoid barriers to free travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31616/23]

Brexit Supports

Brendan Smith

51. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if the criteria pertaining to the Brexit Adjustment Reserve will be changed to allow draw-down of funding beyond the end of 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31482/23]

Schools Building Projects

Brendan Smith

75. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if payment will issue without further delay in respect of a project completed some time ago (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31516/23]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

82. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she has had recent contact with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and with the Tourism Authorities in Northern Ireland in relation to the need to provide an exemption to the electronic travel authorisation scheme for tourists travelling to Northern Ireland via this State taking into account that the island of Ireland is marketed as one tourist destination and the need to avoid barriers to free travel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31611/23]

Wildlife Protection

Brendan Smith

90. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ensure that the views outlined at the seminar last February in relation to the Open Seasons Order, and at subsequent stakeholder engagement meetings will be taken into account in devising the best way to address the issues concerning any species deemed vulnerable and listed on the Open Seasons Order; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31628/23]

Wildlife Protection

Brendan Smith

91. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he will implement in conjunction with all relevant stakeholders to put in place adequate measures to enhance habitat, protect breeding grounds and properly fund research concerning any species deemed vulnerable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31629/23]

Wildlife Protection

Brendan Smith

92. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of the concerns of stakeholders who attended the April meeting to review the Open Seasons Order that relevant data was not disclosed to them at that time which subsequently came into the public domain, and if he will ensure that in such discussions all relevant data is provided in a timely and transparent manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31630/23]

Brexit Supports

Brendan Smith

121. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure that funding is allocated from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve for primary farm producers, in view of the challenges posed by Brexit for the farming sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31481/23]

British-Irish Co-operation

Brendan Smith

14. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach for a report on his attendance at the British-Irish Council summit in Jersey. [30081/23]

British-Irish Co-operation

Brendan Smith

17. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach to report on any recent discussions he has had with the British Prime Minister. [30942/23]

National Development Plan

Brendan Smith

245. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the estimated cumulative value of the investments to be made in counties Cavan, Monaghan, Sligo, Leitrim, Louth and Donegal, respectively under the timeframe of the National Development Plan 2021-2030; the estimated funding drawdown to date in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30807/23]

School Funding

Brendan Smith

317. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education when ICT grants will be paid to primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31163/23]

Road Network

Brendan Smith

28. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if, in view of the very substantial increase in road maintenance and road construction costs, he will ensure additional funding is provided for the non-national roads programme for 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30090/23]

Road Network

Brendan Smith

58. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if, in view of the importance of regional and local roads for rural communities and the substantial increase in costs for road maintenance and road construction over the past two years, he will ensure substantial additional funding is provided to Cavan and Monaghan local authorities for the non-national road works programme in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30091/23]

Tax Credits

Brendan Smith

132. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he will ensure tax relief for parents in respect of accommodation costs for students attending further or higher education colleges is applicable in respect of all students, whether studying in this jurisdiction or elsewhere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30144/23]

Tax Credits

Brendan Smith

155. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he will amend the conditions applicable to eligibility for the rental tax credit for parents of students in relation to accommodation costs while attending further or higher education college to include students studying outside of this jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30145/23]

Health Services

Brendan Smith

302. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if urgent consideration will be given to the concerns of a national organisation (details supplied) regarding the proposed reduction in the existing level of services; if he will ensure that adequate services are provided for this region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30285/23]

Local Authorities

Brendan Smith

104. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the proposals, if any, there are to exempt early education services premises from local authority rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29980/23]

National Parks and Wildlife Service

Brendan Smith

105. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the nature advisory committee will be established, as recommended in the review of the National Parks and Wildlife Service in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29982/23]

Health Services

Brendan Smith

209. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will give detailed consideration to the issues raised by a representative organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30056/23]

Student Accommodation

Brendan Smith

230. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will ensure students are not displaced from their accommodation in purpose-built student accommodation; if he is aware of the concerns in relation to the possible change of use of such facilities (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30183/23]

Cabinet Committees

Brendan Smith

7. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Brexit and Northern Ireland will next meet. [29758/23]

Sports Funding

Brendan Smith

344. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when details of the 2023 Sports Capital Programme will be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29291/23]

Pharmacy Services

Brendan Smith

682. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will give urgent and detailed consideration to a number of healthcare issues raised by a national representative organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29456/23]