Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Wage Subsidy Scheme

Bríd Smith

333. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance the reason numerous nursing homes have availed of the wage subsidy scheme for employees; the number of employees in the sector who were placed on the scheme; if these employees worked throughout the period in question; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35436/20]

Free Travel Scheme

Bríd Smith

501. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 539 of 6 October 2020, if her Department is reimbursing providers for the free travel scheme that are also operating the same services under the LocalLink or rural transport programme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34748/20]

Maternity Leave

Bríd Smith

561. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the detrimental impact that the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns have had on new parents on maternity leave; if he will consider starting the additional three weeks of parental leave at the earlier time of January 2021 in recognition of the negative effects on parents mental, physical and emotional health in addition to the loss of critical socialisation time for their babies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35293/20]

Health Services

Bríd Smith

660. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the healthcare providers with whom contracts or service level agreements were signed between 2014 and 2016 by the HSE or his Department or health services of any form in which funding came from the State by year and company in tabular form. [34580/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Bríd Smith

690. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if definitive clarity will be provided regarding the term support bubble; the details of that which is and is not permissible for those that form a support bubble with another person who is living alone; the action taken if a person is stopped at a Garda checkpoint on their way to visit their nominated support bubble person who lives in another county; the guidelines associated with all aspects of the formation and practice of support bubbles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34751/20]

Driver Licences

Bríd Smith

78. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport the position regarding the renewal of a driver licence in circumstances (details supplied). [34362/20]

Driver Licences

Bríd Smith

81. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport his plans ensure that driving licences due to expire over the coming weeks during level 5 restrictions will be extended until these measures are lifted given that the NDLS has advised that appointments for non-essential workers should be cancelled by applicants and that many will be unable to avail of online or postal renewals for various reasons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34371/20]

Schools Health and Safety

Bríd Smith

162. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if the introduction of a no blame occupational injury scheme has been considered for teachers and workers in the education sector; if not, her plans for the introduction of a scheme in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34421/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Bríd Smith

64. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the restrictions and advice to persons that must travel to England and that return to Ireland via Belfast; the obligations in relation to travel locator forms and recommended isolation times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34065/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Bríd Smith

70. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education the average number of close contacts a positive case of Covid-19 has in a school setting (details supplied). [33996/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Bríd Smith

71. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education the criteria and procedures used in schools to define a close contact of a Covid-19 positive person (details supplied); the persons the public health risk assessment team consult in deciding who might be a close contact; the person or body that has the final say on what a close contact is in each case; the rationale for departing from the ECDC definitions for schools settings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33997/20]

Tribunals of Inquiry

Bríd Smith

100. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the details of his discussions with the 221+ patient support group in relation to the CervicalCheck Tribunal; the steps he is taking to ensure the concerns of the group are dealt with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33547/20]

Health Services Staff

Bríd Smith

105. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health his plans to deal with a number of industrial relations disputes in the health service including those involving public health doctors and medical laboratory scientists; the steps he is taken to address these concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33548/20]

Health and Safety Inspections

Bríd Smith

197. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of onsite inspections by HSA personnel of construction sites since the announcement of level 5 restrictions; the findings of these onsite inspections in relation to Covid-19 protocols and guidelines; the number of complaints to the HSA regarding workplaces and breaches of Covid-19 guidelines since level 5 restrictions were put in place [33317/20]

Exploration Licences

Bríd Smith

268. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the number, categories and expected expiration date of all existing licences in relation to current licences issued by his Department for oil and gas exploration; the number of applications currently with his Department for renewal of any of these licences; the number of applications with his Department for a progression from one type of licence to another; and if, under the terms and conditions of these licences, the Government has the right to refuse extensions or progression of existing licences in the public good or on other environmental grounds. [33299/20]

Public Transport

Bríd Smith

338. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if public transport providers can cope with demand in the next six weeks while operating at only 25% of capacity; if there are plans to provide additional services on train, DART, Dublin Bus or Bus Éireann routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33220/20]

Semi-State Bodies

Bríd Smith

459. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has plans in relation to the pension provisions for retirees of some categories of semi-State pension funds such as RTÉ that have not had a pension increase for 12 years and do not qualify for the State pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32474/20]

Broadcasting Sector

Bríd Smith

490. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she plans to change the rules of the RTÉ pension scheme or similar schemes in view of fears that there may be an effective €30 million or €500,000 per annum raid of assets of the pension savings of retired RTÉ employees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32473/20]

School Staff

Bríd Smith

798. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if a chief executive of an ETB can make a discretionary referral to the occupational health service of an employee who has been certified fit by a doctor citing the condition from which the employee has recovered. [33398/20]

School Staff

Bríd Smith

799. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if a chief executive of an ETB can demand that a doctor who has certified an employee as fit for work should certify that employee as unfit for work while awaiting an appointment arranged for the employee with the occupational health service; and if this is an breach of the protocols issued by her Department. [33399/20]