Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Legislative Programme

Bríd Smith

41. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his priority legislation to deal with the housing crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17624/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Bríd Smith

68. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the steps he will take to give security to renters and help for those with rent arrears as a result of the continuing Covid-19 crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17623/20]

Social Welfare Benefits

Bríd Smith

181. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if persons on jobseeker's payment that go abroad for a holiday will have their payments affected in view of SI No. 242 of 2020; if the instrument applies to countries on the green list; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17912/20]

Driver Test

Bríd Smith

134. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will meet with representatives of driver instructors that are expected to be present at RSA centres to enable the use of their vehicles but that are afforded no facility to enter the buildings during the time of the test and in circumstances in which no waiting area is provided; and if he will request that the RSA take on board the concerns of this group and discuss the ongoing issues in relation to test centres with their representatives. [16512/20]

Defence Forces Personnel

Bríd Smith

358. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Defence if he has received correspondence relating to allegations of bullying and sexual harassment in the Defence Forces; his plans for a full inquiry into the complaints; and if he or his officials will meet with survivors of such abuse. [17323/20]

Social Welfare Schemes

Bríd Smith

452. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the situation in relation to a person who has been granted an Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme in circumstances (details supplied); and the supports available for single parents in such circumstances. [16520/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Bríd Smith

9. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance the steps he will take to ensure persons are not charged interest on loan or mortgage deferrals by banks and other lending institutions, specifically such institutions in which the State has shares, etc., during the Covid-19 crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16300/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Bríd Smith

42. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he will be introducing criteria for companies that avail of the temporary wage subsidy scheme and other State supports during the Covid-19 crisis such as clawback mechanisms in the event of them returning to profit, a bar on bonuses and dividends and so on for CEOs or shareholders and tax compliance criteria including restrictions on companies availing of tax avoidance measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16301/20]

Exploration Licences

Bríd Smith

37. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the details of all licences issued since 2016 for oil and gas exploration; the number and status of licences under consideration by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15997/20]

Energy Policy

Bríd Smith

40. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when legislation will be moved to deal with the building of LNG terminals here; if this will cover each LNG proposal or just the importation of fracked gas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15996/20]

Visa Applications

Bríd Smith

129. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the process in which a foreign person here on a stamp 2 visa for study until September 2020 and at present working under 20 hours per week may apply for a work visa for a longer stay in circumstances in which the person has been offered a permanent position in an Irish company. [16172/20]

Employment Rights

Bríd Smith

22. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if he will meet with representatives of construction, contract cleaning and security workers to discuss the way in which to safeguard pay rates in these and other sectors in view of recent court rulings that could dramatically affect workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15812/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Bríd Smith

167. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason Bus Éireann buses nationally do not have screens fitted that could help drivers and passengers to mitigate the spread of Covid- 19; if there are plans to provide such screens to its fleet; the estimated cost of same; and the time frame envisioned for this to take place. [14778/20]

Dublin Airport Authority

Bríd Smith

217. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the decision by the Dublin Airport Authority to seek payment from taxi drivers in August 2020 for the full following year for access to Dublin Airport; if he will intervene with the authority in view of the fact that many taxi drivers are still on benefits such as the pandemic unemployment payment due to the fact the business has suffered a catastrophic collapse and many drivers will struggle to pay the full years' fees in advance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15244/20]

Public Transport

Bríd Smith

218. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will intervene with Irish Rail and urge it to operate a full Monday to Friday schedule on its DART, commuter and Intercity services in view of the restrictions on passenger capacity and the likely increase in numbers travelling; his views on the proposal of Irish Rail not to operate a full service until September 2020 on many of its services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15245/20]

Proposed Legislation

Bríd Smith

706. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to introduce legislation to deal with situations in which companies or others engage in asset stripping of a firm in order to avoid their responsibility to their workforces, as in a case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14769/20]

Company Liquidations

Bríd Smith

707. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will meet workers of a company (details supplied); the steps she will take to ensure that stock or assets are not removed from the company's stores before the outcome of negotiations with workers' representatives on redundancy terms and possible future scenarios; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14770/20]

JobPath Programme

Bríd Smith

708. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans for the JobPath scheme; when current contracts with providers Turas Nua and Seetec will expire; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14772/20]

Maternity Leave

Bríd Smith

891. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to provide for future funding of an extension to paid maternity leave for women affected by the Covid-19 emergency crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14771/20]

Maternity Leave

Bríd Smith

904. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to extend maternity leave provisions for women affected by the Covid-19 crisis while on leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14773/20]