Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Visa Applications

Bríd Smith

242. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if there are plans to employ more staff or take additional steps to deal with the significant backlog of applications for visas, renewals and extensions that are taking a long time to process (details supplied); the steps her Department will take to reduce the unacceptable waiting times; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18477/24]

Disabilities Assessments

Bríd Smith

552. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide advice to the mother of a young child (details supplied) who has been on the waiting list for an assessment of need for almost eight months with no indication of when they will be assessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17745/24]

Health Services

Bríd Smith

620. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he is aware that Ireland currently screens newborn babies for fewer diseases than 75% of EU member states; if he is aware that only one new test has been delivered in the intervening years since the establishment of the Newborn Screening Advisory Committee in 2019; if he will agree to a comprehensive newborn screening programme that is adequately resourced and ensures that babies born in Ireland are screened for the EU average of 18 conditions at a minimum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17638/24]

Local Elections

Bríd Smith

648. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if a HSE worker who is currently employed at the grade of general dental surgeon: 1597, is eligible to run for local election; if there is a list of specific grades which are ‘designated by order of the Minister for Health and Children’; if so, to outline what they are; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17857/24]

Employment Rights

Bríd Smith

93. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment how he is ensuring that workers in the technology sector facing redundancies are protected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17048/24]

Employment Rights

Bríd Smith

115. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to improve job quality and pay in the childcare sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17046/24]

Legislative Process

Bríd Smith

122. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will ensure the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021 will progress through Committee Stage; if not, how he will ensure the rights of retired workers are protected when their pensions are being altered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17047/24]

Fire Safety

Bríd Smith

67. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide, in tabular form, the apartment blocks and duplexes in Dublin South-Central currently eligible for the interim remediation scheme for the funding of emergency fire safety defect works; when the legislation to support the remediation of defects in apartments and duplexes will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16786/24]

Cabinet Committees

Bríd Smith

9. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on environment and climate change will meet next. [15185/24]

Cabinet Committees

Bríd Smith

18. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on the economy and investment will next meet. [15186/24]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Bríd Smith

26. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the recent Munich Security Conference. [15187/24]

Tax Exemptions

Bríd Smith

236. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he plans to provide a pre-registration VAT exempt status for qualified and accredited members of an organisation (details supplied) and seek to rectify the inequities arising from the delay in establishing the statutory register; if he accepts that this proposal aligns with established practices and ensures that fair treatment prevails in the interim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16688/24]

Employment Rights

Bríd Smith

266. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide an update on the next ERO pay increase for security officers who remain the lowest paid sector and who have had just one incremental pay increase in almost five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16758/24]

Pensions Reform

Bríd Smith

457. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024 (No.22 of 2024) has ignored the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands' pre-legislative scrutiny recommendation number 15, which states that the investment funds be prohibited from investing in fossil fuels or the arms industry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16047/24]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Bríd Smith

484. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person who is self-employed and has made sufficient contributions to qualify for a State pension (contributory) when reaching 66 years of age, could retire from their occupation at 65 years and claim jobseeker's benefit for the year before reaching 66 years in the same way as other workers can under present legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16539/24]

Greyhound Industry

Bríd Smith

548. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current status of the 4,822 non-coursing greyhounds who were registered on Rásaíocht Con Éireann's RCETS at microchipping stage, but who have never been raced on an RCE-licensed track (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16181/24]

Student Unions

Bríd Smith

757. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware that a students’ union (details supplied) recently launched a petition calling for the Government to provide free period products in all higher education institutions, which has now almost 3,000 signatures; if he will commit to increasing funding in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16323/24]

Vacant Properties

Bríd Smith

74. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will use compulsory purchase vacant and derelict properties to address the worsening homelessness crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15713/24]

School Staff

Bríd Smith

449. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of the significant delays in processing teachers’ service papers from abroad and the impact on teachers who have returned to teach in Ireland; if she will acknowledge the welcome return of much-needed teachers but concede to the fact that the higher cost of living and exorbitant rents, especially in Dublin and other cities, puts huge financial pressure on teachers who are placed on step 1 of the pay scale while they wait for their prior service papers to be processed; if there are any plans to speed up the process and/or if there are ways in which to expedite particular cases (details supplied), especially in areas that urgently need teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14208/24]

Social Welfare Payments

Bríd Smith

768. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to increase the current grant of €3,000 to cover costs such as flooring and white goods to help families moving out of homeless accommodation into new-build social homes which are often completely bare, in light of the increases in costs around the provision and installation of flooring, white goods etc.; if she will acknowledge that this amount is no longer adequate to provide the necessary items for families often leaving homelessness with nothing; if she will consider raising this grant substantially; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14402/24]