Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

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]

General Practitioner Services

Brendan Smith

134. 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. [50033/23]

Care of the Elderly

Brendan Smith

33. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health when he expects the Commission on Care for Older People to convene; the impact that the additional funding secured in Budget 2024 will have on expediting this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48616/23]

Care of the Elderly

Brendan Smith

58. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health how the extra funding of €4.6 million in Budget 2024 will increase the provision of transitional care to make sure that older people get the care they need leaving hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48617/23]

Vacant Properties

Brendan Smith

139. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the voids programme for 2024 will be finalised; the national allocation; the funding that will be made available for Cavan County Council and Monaghan County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49035/23]

Vacant Properties

Brendan Smith

163. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ensure that the significant investment in the voids programme over recent years will be continued in 2024, in view of the importance of this programme in bringing back vacant housing stock to habitable use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49036/23]

Road Projects

Brendan Smith

204. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will ensure a substantial financial allocation under the road works programme to Cavan County Council in 2024 for the further planning and design of a route (details supplied) in view of its strategic importance for the Border region and the need to upgrade this road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49191/23]

State Properties

Brendan Smith

281. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline the supports that are available from his Department to public bodies to plant trees on publicly owned lands; if such supports are available to community and voluntary organisations to carry out similar work on grounds to where they have access to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49196/23]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Brendan Smith

301. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the level of capital funding available to his Department this year for the upgrading of existing childcare facilities and the provision of new childcare accommodation; the funding that will be available in 2024 for such developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49256/23]

Early Childhood Care and Education

Brendan Smith

302. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if it is proposed to introduce a grant scheme to assist in the provision of large-scale pre-school accommodation and the upgrading of existing accommodation, as existing grant levels will not be sufficient to ensure adequate childcare accommodation in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49257/23]

Flood Risk Management

Brendan Smith

35. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the timescale for the completion of the design of the Cavan town flood relief scheme; the expected timeline for submission of the planning application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49018/23]

Northern Ireland

Brendan Smith

3. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with the British Prime Minister. [47658/23]

Departmental Reports

Brendan Smith

12. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach his views on the recently published annual report of his Department. [47659/23]

Waterways Issues

Brendan Smith

16. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the proposals to amend the Arterial Drainage Act 1945 to include additional waterways, including the River Erne system in County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46987/23]

Flood Risk Management

Brendan Smith

47. 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, such as those caused by the River Erne system in counties Cavan and Fermanagh; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46986/23]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Brendan Smith

72. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress that has been made to date in finalising 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. [46950/23]

Agriculture Schemes

Brendan Smith

107. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when approvals will issue in respect of tranche 1 of TAMS 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46951/23]

Fuel Poverty

Brendan Smith

118. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 84 of 28 March 2023 and the issues raised by this Deputy in the debate relating to the need to ensure all householders benefit from the forthcoming energy credits, if he will ensure the issues highlighted in that debate are addressed; that customers of certain energy suppliers should not have to seek support from community welfare officers towards energy costs and should be able to avail of the energy credit schemes announced in budget 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46421/23]