Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Covid-19 Pandemic

Bríd Smith

833. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland will use its influence in the EU to ensure the Indian Government is aware of Ireland’s concern over its handling of the Covid-19 crisis in India and the high death toll there; if he will urge the EU to ensure that future trade deals and so on are contingent on vaccines been available to all citizens in India; if funds donated to a fund (details supplied) will be open for full scrutiny as to their dispersal and use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39831/21]

Special Educational Needs

Bríd Smith

934. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education the progress that has been made to secure an autism class in schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39193/21]

School Accommodation

Bríd Smith

935. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education her views on whether forward planning is needed for Dublin 12 given that there will be an increase of over 6,000 new residents in the area in next two years; if she has spoken to her Department regarding a new school for the area which will include autism classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39194/21]

Special Educational Needs

Bríd Smith

936. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education her views on whether early start requires an overhaul and that autistic children need additional support to be able to fulfil their potential; her plans in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39195/21]

Special Educational Needs

Bríd Smith

954. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education the number of students and schools by county that have participated in or plan to participate in the July provision; the number of teaching staff who have signed up to provide the cover in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39500/21]

Social Welfare Schemes

Bríd Smith

1123. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of passenger journeys for which her Department compensated the licensed transport operators under the free travel scheme in respect of each year from 2015 to 2020 and during the period January to June 2021 in respect of licensed routes (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39819/21]

Prison Service

Bríd Smith

1354. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the issue in the Midlands Prison in relation to complaints from inmates and staff on the lack of proper ventilation or air conditioning in the recent warm weather; if she will investigate the conditions in the prison; her plans to deal with the conditions there in the coming period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39807/21]

Courts Service

Bríd Smith

1391. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if it will be guaranteed that the promised research on parental alienation and the use of same in the Court system will be carried out in Q3 as part of her Department's Action Plan 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40477/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Bríd Smith

1639. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will consider regulations to safeguard the largely unvaccinated cohort of young workers employed in the retail and hospitality sector by ensuring CO2 monitors are placed in all such venues to monitor air quality and possible dangers of the Covid-19 virus spreading in view of the planned reopening of retail and hospitality; if consideration has been given to making such monitors compulsory in all indoor dining areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34550/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Bríd Smith

2049. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will address a series of matters relating to vaccination and mandatory hotel quarantine (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36375/21]

Assisted Decision-Making

Bríd Smith

2062. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the reason the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 has not yet been fully enacted over five and a half years later; the definitive timeline for its enactment given the human rights implications of the anachronistic Lunacy Regulation Act 1871 which is still being used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36420/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Bríd Smith

2181. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the requirement to obtain a negative PCR test prior to travel (details supplied) in relation to travel restrictions into the State from red-listed countries. [36379/21]

Vaccination Programme

Bríd Smith

2576. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health when a vaccine (details supplied) will be approved for 12 to 15-year-old children and in particular children with underlying health conditions who remain in a very high risk category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38139/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Bríd Smith

2910. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 319 of 15 July 2021, the reason the reply does not deal with the question which relates to the recommendations of the Oireachtas Special Committee on Covid-19 which called for an inquiry into the deaths in nursing homes from Covid-19; his position on actions he intends to take in relation to those recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39631/21]

Health Services

Bríd Smith

2993. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the companies currently operating the HPV cervical screening programme; the percentage of work per laboratory and company; the length of time the current contracts operate for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39808/21]

Birth Certificates

Bríd Smith

2996. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health when births will be registered in order that those needing to travel urgently can get passports for their children; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that as a result of the inability to register births medical cards and child benefit have been suspended and that this has grave implications for those who need this support now; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39824/21]

Assisted Decision-Making

Bríd Smith

3019. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify procedures and processes around parental guardian consent in administering contraceptives in care home settings with a view to controlling monthly menstruation in a young autistic person (details supplied); if a parent, guardian should have the final say in whether this should proceed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40002/21]

Departmental Schemes

Bríd Smith

212. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will implement the comprehensive set of recommendations contained in the report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government, Safe as Houses? A Report on Building Standards, Building Controls & Consumer Protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38826/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Bríd Smith

319. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the position in relation to Government policy on conducting a public inquiry into deaths in nursing homes from the Covid-19 as recommended by the Oireachtas Special Committee on Covid-19 Response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31713/21]

Protected Disclosures

Bríd Smith

320. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of protected disclosures made by staff in the HSE since 2010; the action taken to protect those making such disclosures; the number of protected disclosures that have led to actions or changes in policy as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31714/21]

National Economic and Social Council

Bríd Smith

11. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council, an independent statutory agency operating under the aegis of his Department. [37721/21]

Employment Support Services

Bríd Smith

27. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has been notified by a company (details supplied) of any proposals for redundancies; if such proposals ahead of a transfer of undertakings by it of a firm is in line with current employment legislation and TUPE directives that seeks to offer protection to workers facing such transfer of business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38436/21]

Pension Provisions

Bríd Smith

28. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his proposals to begin the consultation process in relation to the proposed Industrial relations (amendment) Bill that sought to grant representative rights to retired workers on issues relating to their pensions schemes; if this consultation process will involve the representative bodies of those retired workers affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38437/21]

Birth Certificates

Bríd Smith

154. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the way in which parents of newborn children who have been unable to register their child’s birth can travel with their child for essential reasons to other countries in the coming period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30917/21]

State Examinations

Bríd Smith

204. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if her Department will facilitate traditional Chinese leaving certificate papers in the future; if it will ensure that the correcting system can accept an answer written in traditional Chinese; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38362/21]

Departmental Offices

Bríd Smith

9. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the parliamentary liaison unit of his Department. [37719/21]

Cabinet Committees

Bríd Smith

18. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach the membership and terms of reference of the Covid-19 oversight group chaired by the Secretary General of his Department. [37720/21]

Health Services Staff

Bríd Smith

149. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the plans and measures that will be put in place to support training, recruitment and retention of the healthcare professionals necessary to build capacity across the whole health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37725/21]

Special Educational Needs

Bríd Smith

407. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education the number of applications for an exceptional review in relation to SNA allocations in 2021; the number of such applications that were rejected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37370/21]

Third Level Admissions

Bríd Smith

512. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the criteria used to determine the six indicators for the higher education access route; his views on whether the rigid application of same can further exclude poor students; the numbers of applicants refused this term; and the breakdown of refusals by each indicator used (details supplied) in tabular form. [37274/21]

Grant Payments

Bríd Smith

33. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if it will be ensured that students who qualified for the pandemic unemployment payment can have €4,500 disregarded in line with the normal treatment of payments for holiday work or the employment wage subsidy scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36660/21]

Grant Payments

Bríd Smith

42. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the position of students who qualified for the pandemic unemployment payment and who now face cuts to their SUSI grant as a result of the additional reckonable income will be reviewed in view of the extraordinary difficulties faced by this cohort over the previous year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36661/21]

An Garda Síochána

Bríd Smith

85. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if she will commission a review into the workings of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC and its limitations compared to a full commission of investigations in view of recent cases (details supplied) involving GSOC investigations and questions regarding the speed and outcome of these; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36697/21]

Courts Service

Bríd Smith

92. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice the reason the work of the Jury Reform Group has been stopped; the costs to date of the work of the group; if there are plans for reform in this area; if the group will deliver a report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36702/21]

An Garda Síochána

Bríd Smith

114. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if she has considered demands from the family of a person (details supplied) for an independent inquiry into their death; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36701/21]

An Garda Síochána

Bríd Smith

116. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice the nature of any investigation taking place into the cancellation of emergency calls by An Garda Síochána by her Department; the person or body that is undertaking the investigation; if such investigations will reveal the location and personnel involved in cancellation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36698/21]

Inquiry into the Death of Mr. Shane O'Farrell

Bríd Smith

128. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if she will report on progress made by the scoping inquiry into the death of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36699/21]

State Examinations

Bríd Smith

226. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will request the State Examinations Commission to conduct a review, re-evaluation and a full clarification in terms of the marking standard and the decision to exclude the use of traditional Chinese in leaving certificate Mandarin Chinese in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36957/21]

Cabinet Committees

Bríd Smith

7. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee dealing with housing will next meet. [34845/21]

Nursing Homes

Bríd Smith

133. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he plans to act on the recommendations of the Special Oireachtas Committee on Covid-19 Response and commission an inquiry into the deaths that occurred in long-term residential nursing homes from Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30442/21]

Vaccination Programme

Bríd Smith

191. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the procedures in place to vaccinate those who could not avail of their vaccination slot through no fault of their own (details supplied); the steps they can take in order to obtain the vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30602/21]

Cabinet Committees

Bríd Smith

6. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Government Co-ordination last met; and when it will next meet. [34689/21]

Departmental Bodies

Bríd Smith

10. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the new social dialogue unit of his Department will next meet. [33406/21]

Direct Provision System

Bríd Smith

65. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has read the recent report on deaths in direct provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36225/21]

Children in Care

Bríd Smith

73. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if children taken into care are being accommodated in hotels in recent months; if this is a regular situation; the steps he plans to take to ensure children in such situations are provided with appropriate care and accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36226/21]

Legislative Programme

Bríd Smith

376. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 has not yet been fully enacted over five and a half years later; the definitive timeline for its enactment given the human rights implications of the anachronistic Lunacy Regulation Act 1871 which is still being used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36412/21]

Ombudsman for Children

Bríd Smith

472. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the important work on the issue of period poverty carried out by the youth advisory panel with the ombudsman for children; if he will acknowledge the indignity experienced by young people who cannot afford appropriate period products every month and the statement made by the UN Committee on Rights of the Child’s General comment No. 20 (2016) on implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence; if he will take steps to ensure that all public buildings including schools are equipped to provide free period products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29579/21]

School Equipment

Bríd Smith

15. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education her position on the choice of devices selected by secondary schools for students; and if guidelines around type, costs and usage of same will be further developed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34945/21]

School Staff

Bríd Smith

55. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education the outcome of discussion with representatives of school secretaries; if further discussion is planned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34946/21]

Employment Support Services

Bríd Smith

145. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to meet with representatives of local employment job schemes in relation to the proposed tendering of services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34949/21]