94. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures that will be implemented to reduce considerable delays in processing applications through Tailte Éireann such as dealings in the former Property Registration Authority which may at times delay the provision of housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18415/24]
67. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will give further consideration to an increase in capitation grants for smaller primary schools, in view of the particular financial pressures facing some schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18248/24]
28. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport the funding allocated to Cavan County Council and Monaghan County Council in 2023 to carry out essential road and bridge improvement works due to difficulties caused by flooding; the funding that will be allocated to these local authorities for such works in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17846/24]
27. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport the funding allocated to local authorities in 2023 to carry out essential road and bridge improvement works due to flooding problems; the funding provided for such works in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17845/24]
26. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will ensure that detailed consideration is given to the issues outlined by an association (details supplied) and to have same resolved without delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18236/24]
22. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice the additional measures, if any, she will introduce to deal with the scourge of illegal drugs throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17829/24]
18. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice if there are adequate legislative measures to deal with the scourge of drugs, with particular need to counteract effectively the activities of large-scale drug dealers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17828/24]
103. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the measures that will be implemented to assist businesses, particularly in the hospitality and retail sectors, and also small-scale manufacturing, to meet additional costs and protect employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16980/24]
97. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress to date in implementing the measures to assist businesses to meet additional costs, as announced in budget 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16981/24]
47. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the measures that will be implemented to assist the tourism sector meet additional business costs through initiatives of her Department or through agencies under the remit of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16978/24]
13. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the progress to date in rolling out the most recently announced sports capital programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16979/24]
353. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if any grant-aid is available towards improvement works at primary schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16617/24]
154. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if a school will be included in a programme (details supplied) with effect from September 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15805/24]
57. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the income eligibility limits for social housing in areas such as Cavan and Monaghan will be increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15718/24]
37. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the current temporary waiver of development contributions and the refund scheme for Uisce Éireann water and wastewater connection charges will be extended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15719/24]
97. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will bring forward amending legislation to address the anomaly whereby retrospective payment to pension claimants is limited to six months, even though her Department has been in possession of all the facts relating to the claimants' eligibility from the date of pension application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15712/24]
974. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the schemes available at present to compensate farmers who have suffered substantial losses due to ash dieback; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14254/24]
335. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the additional places proposed to be in place for the next academic year in medicine, nursing and other healthcare professions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13486/24]
334. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress to date in intensifying co-operation on a cross-Border and all-Ireland basis in further education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13485/24]
333. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the current position regarding a proposed building project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13484/24]
332. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the proposals, if any, there are to increase capacity and availability of courses in digital forensics, in view of the threats to society posed by the proliferation of misinformation through social media platforms and the need to tackle such abuses; if his Department is funding research into such issues; if so, the type of research; if it is in collaboration with other agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13483/24]
273. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress to date in improving services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13511/24]
272. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress to date in improving services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13510/24]
257. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice if she is aware of the concerns of sporting clubs and other community groups which run small-scale lotteries and is generally their main fundraiser in relation to the effects of the new legislation concerning betting regulations and gambling laws; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13495/24]
256. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice the progress to date in an investigation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13494/24]
255. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice the number of Garda stations operational in Cavan/Monaghan at present; when Bawnboy Garda station will be reopened as announced by Government previously; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13479/24]
254. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice if it is proposed to introduce a standalone offence in relation to the spiking of drinks, in view of the serious repercussions of such deplorable behaviour and the effects on victims; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13478/24]
217. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number in receipt of the artists’ basic income scheme; if the workings of this scheme have been reviewed; the proposals, if any, there are to extend this scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13492/24]
216. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the progress to date in introducing measures to counteract misinformation, disinformation and abuse on social media platforms; if additional measures are proposed, when same will be introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13491/24]
195. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when additional financial provision will be introduced to assist local authorities, particularly those councils with a small rates base, to develop enterprise centres, as such workspaces are of extreme importance in enabling the establishment and growth of small businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13490/24]
194. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the proposals, if any, there are to improve the visa criteria for the farming and agri-food sector, in view of the shortage of workers in some areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13489/24]
184. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he proposes to introduce additional measures to assist mortgage holders who are under financial pressures due to increased interest rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13543/24]
183. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance the measures in place to protect customers from the actions of vulture funds, particularly homeowners whose mortgages are with such entities; his views on the need to ensure adequate access for such mortgage holders to greater protections through statutory agencies; if he proposes to implement additional measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13542/24]
151. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the programme of improvement works that will be undertaken this year at Army barracks throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13503/24]
150. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the progress to date in implementing the Report of the Commission on Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13502/24]
149. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the numbers enlisted in the Permanent Defence Forces at present; the proposals, if any, to have substantial recruitment and the timescale for increasing personnel in the Army; Air Corps and Naval Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13501/24]
129. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the measures that will be implemented to grow even further and strengthen the all-Ireland economy following the very welcome growth in cross-Border trade since 1998; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13541/24]
128. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has raised with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland the interim report of Operation Kenova with particular reference to the actions of the British agent in the IRA which caused so many tragedies and loss of life; if he has expressed concern about the failure to pursue prosecutions for deplorable actions detailed in this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13540/24]
90. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport views on the commitment in the Programme for Government to maintain the existing road network to a high standard and fund safety improvements; if he will ensure that additional funding will be provided to local authorities for the non-national road network in 2024, taking in to account the urgent requirement for additional investment due to the very substantial increase in costs that have arisen over recent years in road maintenance products and construction work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13261/24]
75. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will ensure that additional funding will be provided to Cavan County Council and Monaghan County Council for much-needed improvement works to the non-national road network in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13262/24]
50. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if further consideration will be given to the re-opening of Dún Uí Néill Barracks, Cavan, as a forward operating base as that region has a long land border with a neighbouring jurisdiction, and taking into account that in the past the presence locally of Army personnel played a very important role in the security of this State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13122/24]
31. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if, in view of the lack 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 an Army barracks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13121/24]
479. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she is aware that despite reduced pupil teacher ratios and increased capitation grants, many schools are finding it difficult to manage given the level of cost inflation that they have to deal with; if she is further aware that schools are looking at dramatically reducing their expenditure, impacting essential school services and extra-curricular activities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12539/24]
100. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will give consideration to the issues outlined in correspondence concerning prices for broadband and mobile network services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12092/24]
300. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the proposals he has put forward to the European Commission in relation to the need to reduce the regulatory burden on farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11375/24]
108. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress to date with the roll out of the National Broadband Plan throughout County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11121/24]
88. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if there are proposals to expand the range of services available through the post office network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11122/24]
35. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if there has been any recent substantive response from the British authorities in relation to the unanimous motions passed by Dáil Éireann concerning the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 1974; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11118/24]