Questions and answers published after July 2012 can be viewed here. Viewing by Government Department is possible by term or specific dates from March 2016 onwards. Written answers are published as received from departments. To see parliamentary questions published before July 2012, search in Dáil debates.
Questions and answers for all sittings
Page 9 of 168
Mon, 11 Sep 2023
written
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]
Mon, 11 Sep 2023
written
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]
Mon, 11 Sep 2023
written
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]
Mon, 11 Sep 2023
written
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]
Tue, 25 Jul 2023
written
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]
Tue, 25 Jul 2023
written
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]
Tue, 25 Jul 2023
written
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]
Tue, 25 Jul 2023
written
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]
Tue, 25 Jul 2023
written
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]
Tue, 25 Jul 2023
written
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]
Tue, 25 Jul 2023
written
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]
Tue, 25 Jul 2023
written
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]
Tue, 25 Jul 2023
written
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]
Tue, 25 Jul 2023
written
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]
Tue, 25 Jul 2023
written
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]
Tue, 25 Jul 2023
written
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]
Thu, 13 Jul 2023
oral
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]
Thu, 13 Jul 2023
written
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]
Thu, 13 Jul 2023
written
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]
Thu, 13 Jul 2023
written
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]