Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Educational Disadvantage

Brendan Smith

83. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if there are proposals to extend the current Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4950/23]

Special Educational Needs

Brendan Smith

119. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will report on the level of funding and plans for the 2023 July Provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4949/23]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Brendan Smith

1. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent visit to Northern Ireland for discussions with the political parties there. [4220/23]

Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements

Brendan Smith

2. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent telephone conversation with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. [4221/23]

Energy Policy

Brendan Smith

66. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will ensure that persons who live over their business premises where the same electricity connection covers the entire premises, both residential and business, will have their accounts credited through the electricity costs emergency benefit schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5140/23]

British-Irish Co-operation

Brendan Smith

82. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his attendance at the recent British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4264/23]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

124. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the engagement he has had with the United Kingdom government on Northern Ireland legacy issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4265/23]

Road Projects

Brendan Smith

200. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will outline the Government’s commitment to help progress the proposed upgrade of the A5 road in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4081/23]

Schools Building Projects

Brendan Smith

261. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education when a project (details supplied) will proceed to the next stage in view of the urgency of providing additional permanent accommodation at this school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3823/23]

British-Irish Co-operation

Brendan Smith

106. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the outcome of the recent British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3460/23]

Banking Sector

Brendan Smith

92. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance the way he will be protecting banking services in rural areas, especially in relation to the right-to-cash services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3066/23]

Business Supports

Brendan Smith

130. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on the operation of the temporary business energy support scheme to date; the number of businesses in each of the counties Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth and Sligo that have applied; the number of businesses in each county that were successful in their applications; the estimated value or worth of the support to date for each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3065/23]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

604. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the outcome of the most recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in relation to the implementation of the UK Nationality and Borders Act and the need to have exemptions to this scheme to ensure the continuation of the free movement of people on a cross-Border basis on this island; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63514/22]

Rural Schemes

Brendan Smith

7. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the CLÁR areas will be extended; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62767/22]

Cross-Border Co-operation

Brendan Smith

35. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the proposals, if any, there are to implement programmes on a cross-Border basis that are of a particular importance to rural communities; if her Department, its agencies and their counterparts in Northern Ireland will avail of funding under the PEACE PLUS programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62768/22]

National Broadband Plan

Brendan Smith

135. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress to date in the roll-out of broadband in counties Cavan and Monaghan; the progress that will be achieved in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62763/22]

Grant Payments

Brendan Smith

140. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will ensure that the timeline in the processing and approval of applications for grant aid for retrofitting of private homes is reduced substantially; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62762/22]

Road Projects

Brendan Smith

195. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will outline the landscape and management plans that are in place to help combat climate change by maximising the use of roadside spaces to help reduce carbon emissions and pollutant gases, provide roadside shelter and increase biodiversity by the use of native tree species while at all times taking into account health and safety concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63099/22]

Road Projects

Brendan Smith

196. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if native tree species are always planted in tree planting programmes along roadways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63100/22]

Credit Unions

Brendan Smith

206. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if it is proposed to lower the requirement for credit unions to retain 10% of deposits, given that other countries in Europe have a requirement of 3% or 4% retention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63110/22]

Banking Sector

Brendan Smith

207. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance the outcome of the work of the Banking Forum to date; if specific consideration is being given to the need to ensure that large parts of rural Ireland are not deprived of banking services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63114/22]

Departmental Funding

Brendan Smith

224. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ensure that there will be a substantial financial allocation for the 2023 housing voids programme in view of its success since 2020 and the value of such works in bringing back to habitable use unoccupied homes; if he will ensure that additional support is given to local authorities, such as those in County Cavan, which have a very low rates base and have very limited revenue-raising capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63024/22]

Teacher Training

Brendan Smith

229. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education the reason for replacing the higher diploma in education in 2014 with a two-year master's degree in education; if any review of this programme has been undertaken in the meantime; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62859/22]

School Accommodation

Brendan Smith

230. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education when a project (details supplied) will proceed to the next stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62860/22]

School Enrolments

Brendan Smith

237. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if pupils who are enrolled in a school after 30 September will be included in enrolment numbers of that school for capitation purposes in cases in which it is clear that such pupils were not enrolled in any other school in this State at the end of September; if this matter will be given further consideration in view of the increased movement of persons and families to this State in recent years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63021/22]

State Examinations

Brendan Smith

238. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education when appeals submitted to the Independent Appeals Scrutineers which had to be submitted by 21 October 2022 in respect of students who sat the Leaving Certificate 2022 will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63022/22]

Third Level Admissions

Brendan Smith

275. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if additional third level places will be provided for all therapy courses, in view of the difficulties in recruiting therapists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63126/22]

Cross-Border Co-operation

Brendan Smith

276. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the initiatives that will be undertaken to promote student mobility North-South and South-North; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63128/22]

Family Law Cases

Brendan Smith

291. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 106 of 9 November 2022, if there has been any further progress in the consultation process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63119/22]

Nursing Homes

Brendan Smith

334. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the additional financial supports that will be provided for small-scale nursing home providers in view of the substantial additional costs incurred recently by such providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63018/22]

Nursing Homes

Brendan Smith

335. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that adequate financial support is provided for small-scale nursing home providers given that a number of such providers have closed over recent months and it is essential that private nursing home care is not provided solely by large-scale operators, which would result in some rural communities losing such important health care facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63019/22]

Disability Services

Brendan Smith

336. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health when additional health care places will be provided to an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63020/22]

Health Strategies

Brendan Smith

362. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the initiatives that will be undertaken within a health care programme in 2023 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63050/22]

Renewable Energy Generation

Brendan Smith

393. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports that are available to farmers to install solar panels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62855/22]

Forestry Sector

Brendan Smith

400. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers who had to cease willow production will receive compensation payments under the Just Transition Programme due to the substantial costs that they have incurred in exiting such production; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63015/22]

Forestry Sector

Brendan Smith

401. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress that has been made to date in eliminating the delays in processing applications for forestry planting and felling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63101/22]

Departmental Funding

Brendan Smith

402. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the level of funding provided for forestry research to date in 2022; the estimated level of funding to be provided for such work in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63102/22]

Departmental Data

Brendan Smith

403. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress that has been made to date in preparing data on the sequestration of carbon by hedgerows to ensure the inclusion of hedgerows in the national inventory; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63106/22]

Energy Conservation

Brendan Smith

28. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the proposals, if any, to introduce additional financial supports for persons, particularly for those on low incomes, who wish to retrofit their homes; if his attention has been drawn to the long delays in sourcing support from existing schemes; if a grant aid scheme can be introduced to ensure that unacceptable delays are eliminated in having applications processed and approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62456/22]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Brendan Smith

61. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will ensure that public servants who contracted long-Covid due to their work commitments and who will be unable to resume employment for a considerable length of time, if at all, will be provided with proper financial supports taking into account their employment income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62454/22]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

118. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has had any recent discussions with the authorities in the United States in relation to the appointment by President Biden of a Special Envoy to Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62377/22]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

128. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if in communications with the with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland he has raised the need for the British government and Northern Ireland authorities to fully co-operate in all investigations into atrocities such as the Belturbet bombing of December 1972 and the Dublin Monaghan bombings of May 1974; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62824/22]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

129. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the outcome of his most recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in relation to the present and unacceptable British government proposals to deal with legacy issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62825/22]

School Accommodation

Brendan Smith

140. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education when a project in respect of the provision of additional accommodation at a school (details supplied) will proceed to the next stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62452/22]

School Accommodation

Brendan Smith

141. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education the progress to date in the provision of specific accommodation at second-level schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62453/22]

Third Level Costs

Brendan Smith

215. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 630 of 18 October 2022 and 511 of 4 October 2022, when students studying in Northern Ireland and Britain will be able to avail of the once-off €1,000 State financial support towards undergraduate fees; if his attention has been drawn to a commitment that An Taoiseach gave in Dáil Éireann that this issue would be reviewed; if his attention has been further drawn to reports that many of the students studying outside the State, despite excellent Leaving Certificate results, were unable to secure places on their courses of choice in colleges in Ireland; if he agrees that obstacles should not be put in the way of students studying in Northern Ireland, or likewise students from Northern Ireland studying in the State and that one should be encouraging the movement of students on an all-Ireland basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62821/22]

Cabinet Committees

Brendan Smith

9. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that deals with agriculture will next meet. [59342/22]

Health Services Staff

Brendan Smith

35. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made to date in enhancing the role of therapy assistants to provide treatment for children, particularly in disciplines where there are unacceptable delays in children accessing services due to a lack of therapists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61187/22]

Disability Services

Brendan Smith

96. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the progress that has been made to date in recruiting much-needed therapists for areas such as counties Cavan and Monaghan to provide treatment for children who have had an assessment of need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61186/22]

Forestry Sector

Brendan Smith

147. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will introduce appropriate measures to ensure there is a proper spread of forestry throughout the country in view of the recently announced national forestry programme; if his attention has been drawn to concerns in some communities of excessive tree planting in some areas causing difficulties for communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61183/22]