Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Defence Forces

Brendan Smith

7. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Defence when he expects the numbers in the Defence Forces to reach the approved threshold of 9,500; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24899/21]

Defence Forces

Brendan Smith

36. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Defence if he has met with the representative organisations from the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24900/21]

Educational Disadvantage

Brendan Smith

121. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education the timeline for the completion of the consultation process in relation to the DEIS programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25109/21]

Educational Disadvantage

Brendan Smith

131. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education when additional schools will be included in the DEIS programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25108/21]

Enterprise Support Services

Brendan Smith

179. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if further financial assistance will be provided for micro and small enterprises to develop an online presence in view of the serious difficulties facing sectors such as traditional retail; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25487/21]

Driver Test

Brendan Smith

187. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if additional measures will be implemented as a matter of urgency to deal with the major backlog in applicants awaiting theory tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25174/21]

Good Friday Agreement

Brendan Smith

273. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has conveyed to the British Government the absolute need to honour the commitments made in the Good Friday Agreement and in successor agreements taking into consideration recent commentary in Great Britain that persons involved in very serious crimes in Northern Ireland would be given an amnesty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25492/21]

Education Policy

Brendan Smith

168. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if further consideration will be given to the provision of new supports for students at primary and second-level (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25126/21]

Vaccination Programme

Brendan Smith

267. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health when community pharmacists will be engaged in the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccination programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24958/21]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

58. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the outcome of discussions he had with members of the Northern Ireland Executive and the UK Government on the need to implement the Stormont House and the Fresh Start agreements in full. [1573/21]

Brexit Issues

Brendan Smith

95. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the outcome of the most recent discussions he had with his UK counterpart in relation to the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland. [13243/21]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

381. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the discussions he had with members of the Northern Ireland Executive and with members of the UK Government in relation to the need to address legacy issues as provided for in the Stormont House Agreement. [1574/21]

Animal Diseases

Brendan Smith

950. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will establish a compensation scheme for a sector (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23741/21]

Local Improvement Scheme

Brendan Smith

44. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will introduce a specific funding programme for the local improvement scheme due to the delay in having such roads repaired as discussed in Dáil Éireann (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23562/21]

Vaccination Programme

Brendan Smith

239. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if the recruitment of vaccinators will be streamlined and unnecessary delays eliminated in the case of applicants such as recently retired general practitioners and other health professionals that are still registered with their professional body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23584/21]

Common Agricultural Policy

Brendan Smith

261. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 261 of 25 March 2021, if there have been recent discussions with the European Commission in relation to the issues raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23565/21]

Forestry Sector

Brendan Smith

263. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures he will implement to reduce the delays in processing and approving tree felling and tree planting licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23590/21]

Community Development Projects

Brendan Smith

276. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when decisions will be made on the 2021 community development pilot programme applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23593/21]

Social and Affordable Housing

Brendan Smith

64. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to improve income eligibility limits for social housing in counties Cavan and Monaghan given that the existing limits are much too low at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22857/21]

Social and Affordable Housing

Brendan Smith

66. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when income eligibility limits for social housing will be increased in counties Cavan and Monaghan in which existing limits are far too low at present and unrealistic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22856/21]

Home Loan Scheme

Brendan Smith

287. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to reduce the 10% deposit requirement for the Rebuilding Ireland home loan given that this is causing serious difficulty for potential applicants who have high rental costs at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22793/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Brendan Smith

673. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if grant aid will be made available for small scale poultry businesses which were totally dependent on selling their product to the hospitality sector pre-Covid-19 and have lost such market for the past 14 months; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that such enterprises are unable to avail of Covid-19 business supports due to the fact they are not rateable; if he will ensure that appropriate grant aid is put in place as a matter of urgency to ensure that such businesses remain operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21009/21]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Brendan Smith

156. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if additional capacity will be provided without further delay at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh in view of delays in persons being assessed and having orthopaedic procedures carried out; if his attention has been drawn to the long waiting times for paediatric orthopaedics resulting in children not receiving interventions in a timely manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22551/21]

Hospital Waiting Lists

Brendan Smith

157. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if additional capacity will be provided to reduce waiting lists for treatment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22552/21]

Tourism Project Funding

Brendan Smith

57. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when a tourism project (details supplied) will be given further consideration for funding under Fáilte Ireland’s Platforms for Growth programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21934/21]

Tourism Project Funding

Brendan Smith

60. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the level of funding provided for Fáilte Ireland’s Platform for Growth Programme in 2021; the indicative allocations for subsequent years; when the next projects will be approved under this programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21933/21]

Electric Vehicles

Brendan Smith

193. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport when additional electrical vehicle charging points will be installed in Monaghan town (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22417/21]

Garda Stations

Brendan Smith

319. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the projected timeline for the commencement and completion of refurbishment and upgrading of Bawnboy Garda station, County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21894/21]

Irish Language

Brendan Smith

378. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her plans to engage with local authorities to increase the promotion of the Irish language; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21805/21]

Tourism Policy

Brendan Smith

379. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of the commitment in the Programme for Government to develop a sustainable tourism policy document and in advance of this an interim action plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21806/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Brendan Smith

988. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if persons travelling home to Ireland that have been fully vaccinated with a vaccine other than those approved to date in the European Union and have clear tests pre-departure and on arrival in Ireland will be exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21688/21]

Help-To-Buy Scheme

Brendan Smith

23. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if the timeframe for applicants to meet the conditions for the help-to-buy scheme will be extended by the number of weeks that construction was closed down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21071/21]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

67. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to strengthen North-South and British-Irish political institutions following the commitments made in the New Decade, New Approach agreement and following Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21029/21]

Oireachtas Joint Committee Reports

Brendan Smith

119. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 751 of 28 July 2020, if the recommendations of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality report on reform of the family law system have been given further consideration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21043/21]

Oireachtas Joint Committee Reports

Brendan Smith

120. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice if she has given further consideration to the implementation of recommendations 9, 11 and 36 of the Report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality on Reform of the Family Law System; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21044/21]

Addiction Treatment Services

Brendan Smith

138. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health when a new health service will be established in counties Cavan and Monaghan (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20926/21]

Drug and Alcohol Task Forces

Brendan Smith

182. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if additional funding will be provided for drug task forces in view of the increasing demands on such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21081/21]

Cross-Border Co-operation

Brendan Smith

67. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the proposals to intensify co-operation with the relevant Departments and agencies in Northern Ireland to deal with flooding problems such as those caused by the River Erne system in counties Cavan and Fermanagh; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20105/21]

Flood Risk Management

Brendan Smith

106. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the proposals to amend the Arterial Drainage Act 1945 to include additional waterways including the River Erne system in County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20104/21]

British-Irish Co-operation

Brendan Smith

899. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the arrangements for the next meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20824/21]

British-Irish Co-operation

Brendan Smith

900. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the outcome of his recent discussions with members of the UK Government in relation to Northern Ireland with particular reference to recent violence and disturbances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20825/21]

Ministerial Communications

Brendan Smith

901. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the outcome of the recent discussions he had with members of the UK Government pertaining to the Ireland-Northern Ireland protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20826/21]

British-Irish Co-operation

Brendan Smith

902. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has had discussions with members of the Northern Ireland Executive and or with political parties in Northern Ireland regarding the recent violence and disturbances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20827/21]

School Transport

Brendan Smith

1094. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education the progress to date in increasing school bus capacity due to the additional seating requirements arising from Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20831/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Brendan Smith

2316. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if the mandatory hotel quarantine requirement will be lifted in respect of persons travelling from designated countries who are fully Covid-19 vaccinated and have negative tests both in respect of their departure from the foreign destination and arrival in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20567/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Brendan Smith

8. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the concerns of the retail industry will be taken into consideration (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17848/21]

Enterprise Support Services

Brendan Smith

13. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the financial assistance and other supports available to local authorities and community groups to develop digital hubs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17953/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Brendan Smith

16. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if urgent consideration will be given to the reintroduction of click-and-collect services for small and medium enterprises in the retail sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18017/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Brendan Smith

17. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will amend the conditions of the small business assistance scheme for Covid, SBASC, to enable small enterprises that are in receipt of support under the Covid restrictions support scheme, CRSS, to transfer to the new scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18060/21]

Local Authority Funding

Brendan Smith

111. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if additional funding will be provided to Cavan County Council in 2021 for flood alleviation measures in view of increasing problems with flooding due to heavy rainfall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17927/21]