Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

International Protection

Bríd Smith

1368. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a list of all funding given to private and voluntary agencies and bodies for services provided for his Department in connection to accommodation and other services for persons seeking international protection, for the years from 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, or for relevant years under his Department’s responsibility in tabular form. [40690/22]

International Protection

Bríd Smith

1369. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will provide a list and the figures for funding to all private and voluntary bodies for services such as accommodation and so on for persons seeking international protection under his Department's area of responsibility for the years from 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, or relevant years of his Department's responsibility in tabular form. [40691/22]

Family Reunification

Bríd Smith

1509. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if she will examine and review the family reunification issuing of visa process, especially in the case of Nigerian and Ghanaian nurses who are working in Ireland and hold critical skills employment permits who are waiting extremely long periods of time to obtain visas for family members to join them resulting in a negative impact on their mental health; the steps that she will take to improve the time it is taking to issue these visas to family members; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39865/22]

Assisted Human Reproduction

Bríd Smith

1886. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022 will include leave entitlements equivalent to maternity leave entitlements for all couples who have children through surrogacy; the help and support that will be available to those who have children through surrogacy given the extensive costs involved; if there are plans to help those who would like to have children through surrogacy but cannot because of the cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41006/22]

Agriculture Industry

Bríd Smith

15. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether food production policy in Ireland needs to be revised given the recent report by an organisation (details supplied) on the state of food security and nutrition in the world; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38602/22]

Employment Schemes

Bríd Smith

105. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the meetings that she or her officials have had or plan to have with representatives and workers in Local Employment Services who have had or are in danger of having their jobs replaced as a result of the current policy of tendering out these positions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38522/22]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Bríd Smith

108. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of the fuel allowance who have been removed from access to the allowance for exceeding the income thresholds in 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38521/22]

Employment Schemes

Bríd Smith

138. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the companies that have won new contracts for the provision of local employment services; the amount of funding involved in each case; and the duration of the contact; the current providers of Local Employment Services that have lost their contracts for public employment services a as result of his tendering out process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38524/22]

Employment Schemes

Bríd Smith

143. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to research (details supplied) which suggests that procuring public employment services through performance-based contacting will result in community sector organisations losing out to larger cash-rich firms with detrimental impacts on the unemployed who rely on the services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38523/22]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Bríd Smith

149. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applicants who were refused the fuel allowance in 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38520/22]

Employment Schemes

Bríd Smith

521. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will meet with representatives of workers affected by the loss of contacts for local employment scheme services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34913/22]

Employment Support Services

Bríd Smith

522. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to research that suggests changing the local employment scheme services from their current model to a target and profit driven model as currently envisioned by her Department will and has in other jurisdictions have profoundly negative effects on the unemployed and the services provided generally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34914/22]

Employment Support Services

Bríd Smith

523. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will commission an independent inquiry (details supplied) into the record, outcomes and overall impact of contracting out employment services to agencies such as Seetec and Turas Nua; if so, if the inquiry will include a survey of the experiences of those unemployed who have passed through the system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34915/22]

Social Welfare Schemes

Bríd Smith

524. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to bring any proposals to Cabinet ahead of the October 2022 budget to change the current rates of household benefit package that relate to gas and electricity costs; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that these rates have not altered in many years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34916/22]

Disability Services

Bríd Smith

525. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the protocols that are in place to assist hearing impaired customers who are unable or inhibited by Covid restrictions and concerns from personally attending social protection offices; if staff have specialised training in the way to deal and respond to such impaired customers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34917/22]

Social Welfare Payments

Bríd Smith

335. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that it would appear that deciding officers and Intreo offices are not familiar with the changes in fuel allowance legislation given that this is resulting in refusal of entitlement for families who are actually eligible following the changes, plunging them further into fuel poverty; the reason that some fuel allowance applicants are having to chase up and question their eligibility; the reason that waiting times to establish eligibility are particularly long when the impact is so devastating for families who are experiencing real poverty especially with the spiralling cost of living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38223/22]

Assisted Human Reproduction

Bríd Smith

548. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will accept the recommendations of the recently presented Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022 surrogacy Oireachtas Committee report and include them in the Bill to ensure that it is an inclusive, non-discriminatory piece of legislation; if he will take steps to ensure that LGBTQ+ families, especially parental rights for the second father not genetically linked to the child who they are raising as their own are not excluded in any way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38485/22]

Assisted Human Reproduction

Bríd Smith

549. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022 will include leave entitlements equivalent to maternity leave entitlements for all couples who have children through surrogacy; the help and support that will be available to those who have children through surrogacy given the extensive costs involved; if there are plans to help those who would like to have children through surrogacy but cannot because of the cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38485/22]

Departmental Functions

Bríd Smith

4. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the economic policy unit of his Department. [27832/22]

Health Services Staff

Bríd Smith

92. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made in talks with laboratory workers who are members of an organisation (details supplied) to resolve their dispute; if he will be seeking additional funding to deal with historic issues of pay and conditions amongst these workers; the current number of vacancies among these grades in the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37685/22]

Legislative Reviews

Bríd Smith

149. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will detail the progress that has been made on the review of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018; when he will report to Dáil Éireann on same; the estimated timeline for its finalisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37684/22]

Disability Services

Bríd Smith

843. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will guarantee the immediate publication of the Action Plan for the Disability Capacity Review and its inclusion in the budgetary plan for 2023 to ensure that another year does not pass with families and persons left without any indication of when or the way that the urgent needs that they are experiencing will be met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37338/22]

Disability Services

Bríd Smith

844. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure an accessible budgetary announcement for disability in order that persons with disabilities and their supporters can understand the number of existing and new residential supports, day places and respite supports that will be provided for in Budget 2023; the way that this relates to the needs outlined in the capacity review;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37337/22]

Health Services

Bríd Smith

963. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a research report published on 29 June 2022 by family carers Ireland found that 71% of respondents reported they feel left out of society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36733/22]

Childcare Services

Bríd Smith

88. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will clarify matters in relation to the 9,000-plus childcare places in Dublin where the provider is refusing to accept the State subsidy; if parents who have no alternative to these places can be supported in some way; if he has plans to support them in the coming period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36736/22]

Direct Provision System

Bríd Smith

109. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the fact that, almost 18 months after publication of the White Paper on Ending Direct Provision, a record 11,689 people, including nearly 2,800 children are currently living in direct provision, an increase of more than 40 per cent on the same time in 2021; the actions he will take to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36734/22]

Disability Services

Bríd Smith

117. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a research report published on 29 June 2022 by family carers Ireland found that 70% of respondents experienced difficulty accessing services for at least one of the people they care for; the actions he will take in response to this finding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36732/22]

Childcare Services

Bríd Smith

128. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will meet with small childcare providers to discuss the impact of recent changes on their provision of care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36735/22]

Rail Network

Bríd Smith

25. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will clarify the proposed changes to the DART servicing Howth under DART+ Coastal North plans; if he will outline the impact to DART services at Howth, Sutton and Bayside; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36458/22]

Educational Disadvantage

Bríd Smith

130. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education the reason that a school (details supplied) has been refused DEIS status; the way that other schools in the same area and the same building have successfully received DEIS status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36552/22]

Educational Disadvantage

Bríd Smith

131. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education the avenue that is open to a school (details supplied) which has failed in an appeal over its DEIS status; if there is any other forum or appeal mechanism left open to this school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36553/22]

Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence

Bríd Smith

16. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if the Government plans on domestic violence policy will see the 490 refuge spaces suggested under the Istanbul Convention being provided in the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35991/22]

Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence

Bríd Smith

42. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if the new policy on domestic violence will ensure each county in the State will have a fully staffed and resourced refuge for victims of domestic violence; if overall numbers of spaces provided will be compliant with the Istanbul Convention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35990/22]

Passport Services

Bríd Smith

302. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps that a person can take in circumstances (details supplied) to obtain a passport; if the requirement to have used their surname for two years and or documents proving the new name usage is reasonable in cases in which an Irish citizen wants to travel in the interim; the options for this person who needs a passport to open a bank account in advance of attending college this autumn given the difficulties that they are now experiencing as a result of the name change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36073/22]

Social Welfare Eligibility

Bríd Smith

384. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has any discretion in relation to income threshold qualification limits for eligibility for the fuel allowance; if the case of a person (details supplied) will be reconsidered for access to the scheme given the circumstances of their refusal, their age and circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35265/22]

Medicinal Products

Bríd Smith

823. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will meet with the parents of children excluded from access to the cystic fibrosis drug Kaftrio as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36089/22]

Greyhound Industry

Bríd Smith

907. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of greyhounds in the racing dog pool as recorded on the race management system for each of the years from 2015 to date in 2022. [36145/22]

Greyhound Industry

Bríd Smith

908. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of racing greyhounds exported to the United Kingdom for each of the years 2010 to date in 2022; the number of racing greyhounds exported to the UK that were registered on the race management system in Ireland; and the value in euros of these exports. [36146/22]

Greyhound Industry

Bríd Smith

909. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the provisions in place to track dogs that fail to produce a qualifying time and are therefore not presented for racing on the traceability system operated by Rásaíocht Con Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36147/22]

Greyhound Industry

Bríd Smith

910. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if only racing greyhounds with at least one race record in Ireland will be tracked by the new traceability system operated by Rásaíocht Con Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36148/22]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bríd Smith

212. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will detail the full costs of a doubling of the electricity or gas allowance component of the household benefit package for a full year for those not in receipt of the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31245/22]

Widow's Pension

Bríd Smith

118. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider carrying out a review of the requirements including documentation expected of those applying for a widow and widowers' pension (details supplied); if her Department will consider providing assistance in the procurement of certain documentation for those who are very often struggling to manage as a result of their loss; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34706/22]

Church-State Relations

Bríd Smith

21. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent engagements with church leaders. [27831/22]

Military Neutrality

Bríd Smith

440. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views in relation to an incident in Cork harbour recently and the arrival of a foreign warship to the harbour; if he will confirm that all laws and procedures were adhered to in relation to the arrival of such vessels in Ireland's territorial waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33944/22]

Housing Provision

Bríd Smith

9. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has plans to examine the income limits for social housing; if they will be increased and whether those who have been removed from the list over the last period will be reinstated to their position on the lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32965/22]

Rental Sector

Bríd Smith

34. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the rising number of evictions; his plans to deal with these; if he will consider a reintroduction of an outright ban as an emergency measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32966/22]

Foreign Policy

Bríd Smith

142. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on Poland's abortion ban; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33169/22]

Human Rights

Bríd Smith

146. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland will use its place on the UN security council or call in the Israeli ambassador to raise the use of administrative detention by the Israeli state, and if it can specifically raise the hunger strike of two detainees (details supplied) who have been held in administrative detention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32969/22]

Bus Services

Bríd Smith

184. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if a company (details supplied) and Dublin Bus are unable to provide their full scheduled bus services in Dublin as a result of staff shortages; the reason that in the absence of the company having its required staffing numbers the National Transport Authority has proceeded to expand services with new routes such as the N6 and N4; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33422/22]

Housing Schemes

Bríd Smith

217. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will clarify exactly when housing assistance payment rates will be increased; if he will acknowledge that an increase will help some tenants to remain in properties in which rents have risen and will also provide for others waiting to be housed to access more dwellings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33330/22]