Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Oireachtas Committees

Bríd Smith

52. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he plans to act upon the recommendations of the recent report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport on decarbonisation and public transport; if the process of examining the provision of free public transport will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32212/21]

Bus Services

Bríd Smith

75. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to proposed changes to routes operating out of Clontarf garage as part of the proposed BusConnects plans and that the proposed rostered and schedules connected with this first phase of BusConnects represents a severe diminution of drivers existing rosters and schedules; if it is not the intention of Government or the NTA to use the BusConnects plans to introduce changes to drivers' existing rights or conditions without prior agreement; if he has or plans to meet with workers’ representatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32211/21]

Departmental Policies

Bríd Smith

116. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he plans to engage with trade union representatives advocating a four-day working week; if he will consider such a proposal for the civil and public sectors; if he has examined similar proposals in other jurisdictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32214/21]

Public Sector Staff

Bríd Smith

145. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position in relation to remote working arrangements for civil servants and other public sector workers; if the results of the recent survey among civil servants in relation to remote working will be taken on board by his Department in the months ahead; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32213/21]

Departmental Contracts

Bríd Smith

195. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport the process under which sea air rescue services are intended to be procured in 2023; if there is a review into the operation of the previous contracts; if the Defence Forces will have a role in its future operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25106/21]

School Equipment

Bríd Smith

328. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the report on the compulsory use of electronic devices at a school (details supplied); if the findings of the report will inform her policy on the use of electronic devises at secondary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32662/21]

School Equipment

Bríd Smith

329. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education the full budget allocated by her Department in each year since 2010, to secondary schools for the purchase and use of devices by students such as a device (details supplied) and tablets, laptops and so on or other forms of devices in tabular form. [32663/21]

School Equipment

Bríd Smith

330. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if her Department has a policy or plans to adopt any proposal on the usage of electronic devices in secondary schools; her views on the issue of which device should be preferred for junior certificate students; if a uniform approach will be implemented across all schools; and if a uniform platform such as the use of applications (details supplied) will be adopted by her Department; if not, if such choices will be left to individual schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32664/21]

School Equipment

Bríd Smith

331. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will introduce a grant aid scheme for parents in schools that enforce a compulsory use of device policy (details supplied) especially in schools in deprived areas and with low income households; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32665/21]

School Equipment

Bríd Smith

332. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she has examined a study (details supplied); if the study and other studies will inform her policy on the advance use of electronic devices in schools especially given concerns regarding their use in aiding and hindering study and life skills; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32666/21]

European Council

Bríd Smith

11. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the most recent European Council meeting. [31403/21]

Cabinet Committees

Bríd Smith

17. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Investment last met. [31404/21]

EU Directives

Bríd Smith

38. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the duties the EU directives in relation to the transfer of undertakings imposes on all employers in Ireland involved in such a transfer; the rights currently conferred on all employees as a result of this directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32215/21]

Public Sector Pay

Bríd Smith

98. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to reverse the FEMPI cuts to the fees of barristers contracted by the State to defend and prosecute criminal law matters; the reason such fees have not reversed while other FEMPI cuts have been addressed; if he plans to meet barristers’ representatives; his views on the impact of these cuts on the operation of the State’s legal services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32474/21]

Pension Provisions

Bríd Smith

165. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if representatives of retired staff can be excluded from discussions around the resolution of actuarial deficits and the governance structure of their schemes in relation to the operation of minimum funding standards in occupational pensions schemes and the functioning of the Pension Authority; if retired staff associations can make submissions to her or the Pensions Authority in relation to minimum funding standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32216/21]

Pension Provisions

Bríd Smith

166. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to changes made to the selection process for members of the ESB pension scheme board of trustees and specifically that this new process now acts to exclude retired staff members who are active members of their own representative associations; if such an attempt to exclude potential trustees is in line with current legislation; if she will request the Pensions Authority to investigate this process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32217/21]

Legal Services Regulation

Bríd Smith

226. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if she met with representatives of barristers contracted by the State in criminal law cases over the fees paid to their members; if these fees remain the same as were paid in 2002 given that cuts introduced by the State as a result of FEMPI have not been reversed in relation to barristers but have been reversed in relation to fees paid to State solicitors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32473/21]

Departmental Strategies

Bríd Smith

8. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the statement of strategy of his Department. [29786/21]

Banking Sector

Bríd Smith

87. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if married couples are facing added difficulties in applying for mortgages from the main pillar banks as a result of the criteria used to calculate couples income; if such criteria are the bank’s own or derives from the Central Bank guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31804/21]

Banking Sector

Bríd Smith

125. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance his plans to ensure that lending institutions take account of existing tenants' ability to meet current rental costs when assessing their mortgage applications given that couples are being denied mortgage applications for sums whose monthly repayments work out much lower than their current rents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31805/21]

Transfer of Undertakings

Bríd Smith

145. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the transfer of undertakings obligation on employers will apply to the proposed closure and transfer of business by a bank (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30805/21]

Litter Pollution

Bríd Smith

447. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if bins located in St. Stephen’s Green and Iveagh Gardens are solar compactors; his views on reports that they are currently full in advance of a busy bank holiday weekend; if there are plans to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31426/21]

Passport Services

Bríd Smith

654. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current timeframe for all backlogged applications for passports to be cleared; the emergency procedures in place for persons who must undertake travel to other countries but are affected by the current delays in passport applications processing and also delays in the registration of births as a result of the cyber-attack; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30856/21]

Passport Services

Bríd Smith

668. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the way persons (details supplied) can acquire a passport in order to travel for essential reasons with their newly born child given the current situation in relation to registering births and delays in accessing passport and so on; the course of action the couple can take in relation to the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31468/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Bríd Smith

672. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position of an Irish resident who must travel to the UK for an essential purpose and who is fully vaccinated; if such a person must have a PCR test prior to travel and return; if such a person will be required to quarantine in a hotel or at home; if so, the period of time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31715/21]

School Staff

Bríd Smith

799. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if her Department will adhere strictly to the staffing ratios announced for DEIS schools given the extra difficulties faced by such schools during recent Covid-19 crisis; if a school (details supplied) will face the loss of a teacher in the new term; the grounds for appeal and deadlines for receipt of such appeals to the relevant authorities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31625/21]

Departmental Schemes

Bríd Smith

921. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the arrangements her Department has made to facilitate and enable parents of newborn children access children’s allowance payments given that the recent cyber attack has meant parents cannot register child births; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31892/21]

Trade Agreements

Bríd Smith

43. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will conduct a review of the possible climate impact and specifically the impact on global greenhouse gas emissions and on Ireland's targets for emission reductions nationally of the State endorsing all aspects of the CETA agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13298/21]

Trade Agreements

Bríd Smith

64. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will conduct a review of the implications for the climate goal of Ireland especially targets committed to in the Paris Treaty including the impact on global emissions of GHGs as a result of Ireland endorsing the CETA trade deal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1481/21]

Inquiry into the Death of Mr. Shane O'Farrell

Bríd Smith

139. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice the progress made to date in relation to the scoping inquiry into the killing of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30216/21]

Public Sector Pensions

Bríd Smith

252. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the full savings to the State from changes made to public sector pensions since 2009 to date including the savings from the public service pension reduction on pensioners and the pension related deduction and additional superannuation contribution on serving staff; and the full savings to the State in each year from contributions sought from other occupational schemes since 2009 to date as a result of the financial crisis or as a part of the FEMPI legislation in tabular form. [30328/21]

State Pensions

Bríd Smith

307. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the full savings to the State of changes to the contributory and non-contributory pension entitlements, for example, as a result of changes in bands for contributory pensions, the ending of the transition pension and other changes which resulted in State savings in each year since 2009, in tabular form. [30329/21]

Departmental Functions

Bríd Smith

12. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the EU and international division of his Department. [26508/21]

Departmental Projects

Bríd Smith

3. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the resource efficiency action plan for 2021 of his Department. [26510/21]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Bríd Smith

15. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his most recent engagements with the social partners. [29785/21]

Vaccination Programme

Bríd Smith

138. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if there is a protocol or instruction to employers to facilitate employees with time off in order to attend for Covid-19 vaccination; his views on reports of some employers insisting that employees must make the vaccine appointments at their own expense and that in some cases this is proving to act as a deterrent against getting vaccinated; his views on whether this is a dangerous practice; the steps he will take to ensure a proper protocol for employers in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29150/21]

Period Poverty

Bríd Smith

416. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the important work on the issue of period poverty carried out by the youth advisory panel with the Ombudsman for Children; if she will acknowledge the indignity experienced by young persons who cannot afford appropriate period products every month and the statement made by the UN Committee on Rights of the Child’s General comment No. 20 (2016) on implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence; if she will take steps to ensure that all public buildings including schools are equipped to provide free period products; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29577/21]

Animal Breeding

Bríd Smith

544. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will clarify the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 65 of 20 May 2021 (details supplied); the way in which the average figure of six pups per litter has been arrived at in the absence of an exact figure for the number of pups born; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29490/21]

Childcare Services

Bríd Smith

2. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to deal with the increased fees charged by private crèches and early childhood care providers in light of the fact that some providers (details supplied) increased fees by 20% recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28749/21]

Child and Family Agency

Bríd Smith

50. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way he plans to deal with the increase in the length of waiting lists for Tusla services over the past 12 months; the way he plans to increase investment and resources to deal with these lengthened waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28751/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Bríd Smith

63. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will meet or intervene with HSE officials to discuss the situation of healthcare workers currently in direct provision who are being accommodated in alternative accommodation during the Covid-19 crisis and who are receiving contradictory information from the HSE in relation to the security of their current accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28753/21]

Childcare Services

Bríd Smith

73. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to deal with early childhood care providers who are opting out of the national childcare scheme and therefore leaving parents who are reliant on their services to foot the full costs of their services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28750/21]

Cybersecurity Policy

Bríd Smith

77. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the impact of the recent cyber-breach on Tusla services; if any data has been compromised; the budget for data security in the agency in each year since 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28752/21]

Cabinet Committees

Bríd Smith

13. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee which addresses matters relating to equality will next meet. [26509/21]

Trade Unions

Bríd Smith

62. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the timeline for his proposed actions and policy on collective bargaining and the right to trade union recognition; if he will consider ensuring that future Government and public spending are not given to companies that refuse to grant union recognition to their employees; if he will meet with union representatives (details supplied) to discuss the actions of companies in refusing to recognise the union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28551/21]

Departmental Advertising

Bríd Smith

67. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the spending by his Department on advertising with companies (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28549/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Bríd Smith

103. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if companies (details supplied) have availed of the temporary wage subsidy scheme and the employment wage subsidy scheme; if access to the scheme will be re-examined in view of the refusal to recognise the rights of its employees to have their union recognised by the companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28550/21]

Pension Provisions

Bríd Smith

101. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if the 1951 superannuation pension scheme for CIÉ workers is in compliance with minimum funding standard rules; if he plans to meet with CIÉ representatives to discuss this crisis in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27589/21]

Pension Provisions

Bríd Smith

102. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport the reason CIÉ excluded the non-union members from a vote on LCR22297 when it confirmed that would not be the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27590/21]

Pension Provisions

Bríd Smith

137. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if his Department will investigate the reason CIÉ has failed to honour the 1994 agreement in relation to retired members who have had not had an increase since 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27909/21]