Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

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]

Departmental Data

Bríd Smith

218. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total amount of commercial rates that have been collected by all local authorities since 2018 to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33334/22]

Work Permits

Bríd Smith

393. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide a publication date of the review of atypical work permit scheme for non-European Economic Area fishers given that she recently declared that it was imminent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33490/22]

Data Centres

Bríd Smith

9. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of data centres connected to the national grid; the number of new data centre applications presently approved for connection by Commission for Regulation of Utilities; if the Minister will seek clarification from the CRU on whether new rules on connecting data centres apply only to new data centre applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33219/22]

Bus Services

Bríd Smith

126. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport the planned total investment in the national public service obligation bus fleet; and the increase anticipated in over all fleet numbers per year to 2030, in tabular form (details supplied). [32014/22]

Bus Services

Bríd Smith

127. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost and number of fully electric vehicle buses to be added to he national fleet between now and 2030, in tabular form. [32015/22]

Bus Services

Bríd Smith

128. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport the planned increases in bus fleet numbers in public service obligation services in Galway, Cork Limerick and Waterford city services between now and 2030, in tabular form. [32016/22]

Bus Services

Bríd Smith

129. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport the current total number of buses in the fleet of companies (details supplied); and the number of bus vehicles in these companies that are not included in the public service obligation numbers in tabular form. [32017/22]

Defective Building Materials

Bríd Smith

269. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will give a definitive date when the working group specifically tasked with examining the issues of fire safety and structural safety defects in apartments and duplexes built between 1991 and 2013 will deliver it’s report which was due in March 2022; if his attention has been drawn to the immense stress and anxiety that homeowners impacted by these defects continue to experience as a result of significant payments they have been requested to make to remedy defects they are in no way responsible for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32501/22]

School Management

Bríd Smith

552. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if schools (details supplied) in Dublin 12 will be compelled to open classes for autistic students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32028/22]

Departmental Data

Bríd Smith

668. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there have been 511 violent attacks on trans sex workers to date in 2022; her plans to address this; if these attacks are recorded specifically as attacks on trans sex workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32150/22]

Tax Collection

Bríd Smith

6. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he has studied a recent paper on wealth taxes and the problems with previous attempts by European Union states to introduce wealth taxes (details supplied); the plans he has in this regard for the coming period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31246/22]

Public Sector Pay

Bríd Smith

105. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if public sector pay talks will form part of a wider process similar to previous social partnership agreements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31247/22]

National Lottery

Bríd Smith

124. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if unclaimed National Lottery winnings are subject to any oversight or monitoring by the Government in terms of the way and when they are spent; if he has plans to revisit previous agreements on the issue with the winning contractor for the national Lottery; when the current contract expires; if there are plans on the future of the Lottery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31248/22]

Energy Conservation

Bríd Smith

162. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a home that previously had some home energy efficiency work carried out is disqualified in cases in which a new home owner seeks to improve the energy efficiency of the home from applying for a new SEAI grant; if the SEAI has specific rules or regulations relating to same, such as the time that has lapsed since the previous grant, the BER rating that was achieved through the previous work, the type of work previously undertaken and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31697/22]

Energy Conservation

Bríd Smith

163. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if all homes that have had some energy efficiency work carried out under SEAI grants are excluded from any further support from the SEAI; if the statistics are available on the work that has been carried out to date that demonstrate the energy efficiencies that have been achieved in terms of reduced CO2 emissions and improved BER ratings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31698/22]

Tax Collection

Bríd Smith

210. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if property tax revenue for the individual electoral areas in each county are available or kept by his Department.
[31657/22]