Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Third Level Education

Brendan Smith

528. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if, in view of the need to promote more cross-Border mobility for further and higher education students, he will ensure that students studying outside this State are entitled to the same State assistance as students in this jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56206/23]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

9. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the outcome of his most recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and with the political parties in Northern Ireland in relation to the need to have the Assembly, Executive and North-South Ministerial Council restored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55785/23]

Primary Medical Certificates

Brendan Smith

68. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance when it is proposed to make much-needed amendments to the primary medical certificate eligibility criteria as many persons whom this scheme was intended to benefit are unable at present to get approval to avail of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55651/23]

Paramilitary Groups

Brendan Smith

159. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice her views on the recent report of the Independent Reporting Commission, with particular reference to the continuing threat from paramilitarism; her views on the need to introduce additional measures to tackle and end paramilitarism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55784/23]

Primary Care Centres

Brendan Smith

254. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in providing new and additional healthcare facilities (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55864/23]

Health Services

Brendan Smith

255. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the proposals, if any, there are to extend dermatology services throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55866/23]

Hospital Facilities

Brendan Smith

256. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in advancing a major building project at a healthcare facility (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55874/23]

British-Irish Co-operation

Brendan Smith

14. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the recent meeting of the British-Irish Council. [53188/23]

An Garda Síochána

Brendan Smith

524. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice to list the Garda stations in Cavan/Monaghan that have their own electric vehicle charging points; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54641/23]

An Garda Síochána

Brendan Smith

525. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice the number of Garda stations in each Garda division that have their own electric vehicle charging points; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54642/23]

An Garda Síochána

Brendan Smith

526. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice the number of electric vehicles in the Garda fleet; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54643/23]

Beef Sector

Brendan Smith

638. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of the widespread concerns of farmers in relation to recent changes introduced to the Eurostar evaluations by an organisation (details supplied) and the difficulties it is causing for some farmers participating in the suckler carbon efficiency programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55395/23]

Health Services

Brendan Smith

857. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health when a health service will be expanded (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55398/23]

Waterways Ireland

Brendan Smith

13. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures that will be implemented at an early date to progress the proposal to extend the Shannon navigation from Lough Allen, County Leitrim, to Dowra, County Cavan, in view of the substantial preparatory work carried out on the project some years ago and the benefits of such a development for the upper Shannon region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53977/23]

Vacant Properties

Brendan Smith

73. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline details of the Voids Programme for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54190/23]

Social Welfare Payments

Brendan Smith

112. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if provision will be made to have child benefit paid in respect of students in full-time education who reach the age of 18 during the current school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54211/23]

Social Welfare Benefits

Brendan Smith

127. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if measures will be introduced to assist applicants that have domiciliary care applications progressed where there are delays outside the control of parents in having necessary assessments carried out for children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54212/23]

Credit Availability

Brendan Smith

184. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if measures will be introduced to assist in the provision of better credit facilities for small and medium enterprises as many businesses, particularly small enterprises, are facing serious difficulties due to the non-availability of reasonable loan and overdraft facilities from the pillar banks; if he is aware that some businesses that had reasonable credit facilities with banks that exited the Irish market recently do not have similar arrangements with their new banks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54392/23]

Business Supports

Brendan Smith

190. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to outline the measures that will be made available to assist small and medium enterprises with the challenges that have arisen for such businesses due to increased costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54397/23]

Social Media

Brendan Smith

213. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the additional measures that will be introduced to deal with the spread of misinformation on social media platforms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54401/23]

Health Services Staff

Brendan Smith

332. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in making a permanent appointment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54383/23]

Home Help Service

Brendan Smith

334. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the measures that will be implemented to deal with the shortage of home support workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54400/23]

National Economic and Social Council

Brendan Smith

16. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council, a statutory agency operating under the aegis of his Department. [53189/23]

Bus Services

Brendan Smith

44. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport in view of the concerns of commuters about delays occurring at peak times in accessing buses, if additional capacity will be provided on a route where a public service contract is operated under the National Transport Authority (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52772/23]

Road Network

Brendan Smith

54. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport the total funding provided in 2023 for the non-national road network; if he will ensure that increased funding will be provided for this road network in 2024 due to the need for an increased investment in these roads in areas such as counties Cavan and Monaghan, and also taking into account the substantial increase in costs of road maintenance and road construction over recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52777/23]

Schools Amalgamation

Brendan Smith

73. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education when a school application will be approved (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52741/23]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

171. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs for an update on any recent discussions he has had in relation to the restoration of the executive in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50269/23]

Departmental Funding

Brendan Smith

207. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs for a report on his Department’s Shared Island Civic Society Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50270/23]

Official Engagements

Brendan Smith

68. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will report on her recent meeting with the British Secretary of State for Education Gillian Keegan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52763/23]

School Textbooks

Brendan Smith

69. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education the number of students in Connacht and Ulster who will benefit from the free schoolbooks scheme in both primary and secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52764/23]

Crime Prevention

Brendan Smith

106. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice if additional legislative measures are needed to deal effectively with violence, criminality and thuggery as experienced in Dublin city centre on 23 November 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52783/23]

Flood Risk Management

Brendan Smith

63. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform The proposals to intensify co-operation with the relevant departments and agencies in Northern Ireland to deal with flooding problems that affect Border communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52356/23]

Flood Risk Management

Brendan Smith

65. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the proposals there are to review and amend the Arterial Drainage Act 1945; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52355/23]

Bus Services

Brendan Smith

163. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if provision will be made to enable persons aged 70 years and over, subject to appropriate medical checks, to drive public service vehicles and vehicles employed on State contracts on behalf of companies under the remit of his Department as difficulties have arisen in many areas with a shortage of qualified drivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52156/23]

Bus Éireann

Brendan Smith

171. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport when additional capacity will be provided on a route where a public service contract is operated under the National Transport Authority (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52350/23]

Business Supports

Brendan Smith

26. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the plans he has to provide additional financial supports to assist local authorities and community development organisations in the development of enterprise centres, in view of their importance in providing workspace for start-up businesses and small enterprises and the lack of such accommodation at present in areas such as County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51478/23]

Enterprise Support Services

Brendan Smith

50. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the proposals he has and the measures that will be introduced to assist in the provision of enterprise centres which are essential to provide workspace for start-up companies and small enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51479/23]

Tax Credits

Brendan Smith

98. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he will ensure that tax relief for parents in respect of the accommodation costs for students attending further or higher education colleges is applicable in respect of all students, whether studying in this jurisdiction or elsewhere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51577/23]

Tax Credits

Brendan Smith

142. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he will amend the conditions applicable to eligibility for the rental tax credit for parents of students in relation to accommodation costs while attending further or higher education college to include students studying outside of this jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51578/23]

Departmental Bodies

Brendan Smith

179. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance when it is proposed to establish the Disabled Drivers Medical Board of Appeal; when the criteria for this scheme will be amended in view of the widespread dissatisfaction in relation to the workings of this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51735/23]

Vacant Properties

Brendan Smith

193. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if a vacant property will be made available to a community group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51786/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Brendan Smith

137. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the expected timeline for approval to issue in respect of TAMS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51376/23]

Defence Forces

Brendan Smith

46. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence in view of the absence of an army barracks in the central Border area, if further consideration will be given to the re-opening of Dún Uí Néill Cavan as a forward operating base; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50868/23]

Departmental Reviews

Brendan Smith

64. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the status of the Strategic Defence Review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50867/23]

School Funding

Brendan Smith

253. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education when the next minor works grant payment will issue to schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50964/23]

Parking Provision

Brendan Smith

133. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if he will ensure that existing car parking facilities will continue to be made available to staff working in a government department in Cavan town (details supplied), as the cessation of such facilities would cause difficulties and substantial additional costs for such staff as, due to lack of public transport, they must travel to work by car and need appropriate parking facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50462/23]

Departmental Policies

Brendan Smith

135. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if provision will be made to enable persons aged 70 years and over, subject to appropriate medical checks, to drive public service vehicles and vehicles employed on State contracts as difficulties have arisen in many areas with shortage of qualified drivers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50453/23]

Parking Provision

Brendan Smith

181. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will ensure that the existing carparking arrangements for staff in her Department (details supplied) continue to be made available for staff members; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50517/23]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

5. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Brexit and Northern Ireland will next meet. [49621/23]

Departmental Correspondence

Brendan Smith

80. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education the progress to date in establishing a transfer/relocation scheme for teachers, as requested in a proposal to her Department by teacher unions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50065/23]