Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Schools Building Projects

Brendan Smith

31. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education when approval will issue in respect of a building project for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40010/20]

Emigrant Support Services

Brendan Smith

33. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the total financial allocation for the emigrant support programme in 2020; the funding to be allocated for 2021; if this allocation will enable additional programmes to be supported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38292/20]

Undocumented Irish in the USA

Brendan Smith

56. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding proposed immigration reform in the United States with particular reference to the difficulties facing the undocumented Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38291/20]

Banking Sector

Brendan Smith

129. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he will convey again to a bank (details supplied) the need to retain its business network which is important for many rural communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39167/20]

Banking Sector

Brendan Smith

144. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance the outcome of his discussions with a bank (details supplied) in relation to the need to retain a bank, its network of branches and the protection of employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39166/20]

North-South Interconnector

Brendan Smith

168. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason procurement is proceeding by the ESB in relation to the proposed North-South interconnector before a project agreement is in place with EirGrid as specified in the European Union infrastructure agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39520/20]

Community Banking

Brendan Smith

58. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance his plans to advance proposals for community banking, with particular reference to the role of the post office network in the further development of financial services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39253/20]

Emergency Departments

Brendan Smith

265. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health when a project (details supplied) at a healthcare facility will proceed to the next stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39177/20]

Local Authority Housing

Brendan Smith

64. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ensure that the review of income eligibility limits for social housing is finalised and published without further delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38279/20]

Social and Affordable Housing

Brendan Smith

109. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will improve income eligibility limits for social housing for areas such as Cavan and Monaghan where the existing limits are low at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38280/20]

Post Office Network

Brendan Smith

178. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he plans to put in place a five year plan for the post office network to ensure its sustainability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38824/20]

Post Office Network

Brendan Smith

202. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans to implement a sustainability plan for the post office network with particular reference to the provision of new products, additional Government services for the network and capital investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38823/20]

Rural Recreation Policy

Brendan Smith

336. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if further consideration will be given to a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37853/20]

Departmental Funding

Brendan Smith

24. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the capital funding provided for 2021 for the development of heritage and cultural attractions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37342/20]

Tourism Funding

Brendan Smith

59. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the capital funding provided for 2021 for the further development of the tourism product throughout the country; the specific sectors, if any, identified for further development in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37341/20]

Domestic Violence Services

Brendan Smith

263. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will ensure a substantial increase in funding for domestic violence services for 2021 in view of the increase in domestic violence since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and taking into account the report by an organisation from (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37725/20]

Domestic Violence Services

Brendan Smith

264. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total funding provided in 2020 for domestic violence services; the planned allocation for such services in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37726/20]

Domestic Violence Services

Brendan Smith

265. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress to date in developing a national services development plan to deal with domestic abuse and coercive control; if it is planned to have such plan commenced in 2020; the role of an organisation (details supplied) and its 38 frontline member services in developing a comprehensive national response to domestic abuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37727/20]

Cross-Border Health Initiatives

Brendan Smith

327. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the measures being taken to ensure that the EU cross-border directive on health-care remains in place post-Brexit with particular reference to Northern Ireland and the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37698/20]

Cross-Border Health Initiatives

Brendan Smith

328. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the outcome of discussions if any that have been held with the Departments of Health in Northern Ireland and the UK on the EU cross-border directive on health-care post-Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37699/20]

Hospital Facilities

Brendan Smith

335. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the proposed capital investment at a hospital (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37735/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Brendan Smith

340. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in implementing measures on an all-island basis to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic following the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the Departments of Health, North and South; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37744/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Brendan Smith

341. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the measures agreed at the North-South Ministerial Council meeting on health in October 2020 to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic on an all-island basis; the progress to date in implementing such measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37745/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Brendan Smith

342. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health his plans to utilise the co-operation and working together framework to intensify co-operation on a cross-Border basis in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37746/20]

Personal Public Service Numbers

Brendan Smith

124. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures she will implement to reduce substantially the delays in processing and finalising applications for personal public service numbers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37333/20]

Defence Forces Strength

Brendan Smith

47. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Defence the number of new recruits that have enlisted in the Permanent Defence Force to date in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36623/20]

Budget 2021

Brendan Smith

61. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Defence the estimated allocation for defence in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36624/20]

EU Funding

Brendan Smith

116. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the funding committed to date for the INTERREG and PEACE plus programmes post 2020; the level of funding to be provided by the Irish and UK Governments and the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36666/20]

EU Funding

Brendan Smith

131. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the INTERREG and PEACE plus programmes post Brexit with particular reference to cross-Border projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36667/20]

Road Network

Brendan Smith

25. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will ensure there will be a substantial increase in the non-national roads allocation for local authorities in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35426/20]

Local Improvement Scheme

Brendan Smith

87. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if specific funding will be provided for the local improvement scheme in the 2021 road works allocation to local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35425/20]

Immigration Policy

Brendan Smith

232. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the need to progress immigration reform will be prioritised with the next administration in the United States of America, with particular reference to the needs of the undocumented Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36115/20]

Defence Forces Personnel

Brendan Smith

237. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Defence the number of Army Reserve officers who were commissioned after 1 October 2005 who have attained the rank of captain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36081/20]

Defence Forces Personnel

Brendan Smith

238. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Defence if the provisions of paragraph 31(1) of Defence Forces Regulation R5 have ever been used to promote an Army Reserve officer commissioned after 1 October 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36082/20]

Oireachtas Joint Committee Reports

Brendan Smith

352. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the progress to date on implementing the recommendations of the 2018 report by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health on foetal anti-convulsant syndrome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36053/20]

Air Pollution

Brendan Smith

45. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if specific financial resources will be allocated to local authorities to ensure that the ban on smoky coal is monitored and implemented due to the difficulties caused for some businesses arising from cross-Border trade in such products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35755/20]

Direct Provision System

Brendan Smith

163. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to concerns about living conditions for residents in direct provision centres (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35561/20]

Brexit Supports

Brendan Smith

40. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if extra supports are being provided to businesses in Border counties in the context of Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35047/20]

North-South Interconnector

Brendan Smith

116. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the plans his Department has to engage with communities along the route of the proposed north-south interconnector in counties Monaghan, Cavan and Meath; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is strong and widespread opposition in these communities to the proposal to put the transmission cables overground in the event of the project proceeding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35078/20]

Telecommunications Services

Brendan Smith

134. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications his plans to introduce a public service obligation on mobile telecommunications providers to ensure that all areas of the country have adequate and proper mobile telephony coverage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35079/20]

Carer's Allowance

Brendan Smith

526. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person whose carer's allowance payment ceases 12 weeks following the death of the person being cared for is entitled to the pandemic unemployment payment when that person is unable to return to employment due to the Covid-19 pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35254/20]

Livestock Issues

Brendan Smith

824. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the conditions applicable to mart sales at present and enable the presence of a limited number of buyers at the ringside, properly and appropriately spaced in accordance with public health regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35331/20]

Local Improvement Scheme

Brendan Smith

25. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding that will be provided for the local improvement scheme under the CLÁR programme in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34155/20]

LEADER Programmes

Brendan Smith

37. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if specific funding will be provided for new projects under the LEADER programme in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34154/20]

Brexit Issues

Brendan Smith

70. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if it will be ensured there will be no additional costs for persons resident here using mobile phones in any part of the island from 1 January 2021 due to the UK leaving the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34505/20]

Brexit Negotiations

Brendan Smith

140. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the outcome of the most recent discussions at EU level in relation to Brexit and the implementation of the withdrawal agreement and the Northern Ireland protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34506/20]

Covid-19 Tests

Brendan Smith

166. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she is satisfied that Covid-19 testing systems for primary and post-primary schools are adequate to ensure that no delays occur in providing such necessary services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34511/20]

Covid-19 Tests

Brendan Smith

334. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 256 of 21 October 2020, if healthcare workers and their families can be prioritised for rapid testing and results, including healthcare personnel working in the community to enable staff to return to work in an efficient manner as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34507/20]

Agriculture Scheme Data

Brendan Smith

341. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the ANC and single farm payments issued to date to farmers in counties Cavan and Monaghan; the percentage of applicants still awaiting initial payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34517/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Brendan Smith

63. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will give the issues outlined by a national association (details supplied) urgent consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34142/20]