126. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health when additional supports will be provided to small-scale nursing home providers in view of the substantial pressures on such providers due to increased costs at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52111/22]
7. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice the additional measures that will be introduced to reduce access to illegal drugs which are causing serious problems in communities throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52114/22]
245. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that additional resources are provided, without delay, to enhance an inadequate health service at present (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52306/22]
630. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 511 of 4 October 2022, if he will give further consideration to the need to provide the once-off €1,000 State financial support towards fees for students attending college outside the State, taking into account the substantial increase in costs for such students studying in Northern Ireland and Britain (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52026/22]
408. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if experienced bus drivers aged 70 years and over, and meeting all health criteria, will be eligible for employment by Bus Éireann or by private contractors carrying out public contracts; if she will ensure that this issue is given further consideration in view of the shortage of such drivers at present; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51998/22]
249. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education her Department's plans, if any, to review its policy in relation to the use and provision of online electronic devices, such as notebooks, used in schools with regard to ensuring that all students have access to such, that costs are not disproportionately placed on parents where such devices are compulsory in schools, to ensure standard quality and to achieve economies of scale by centrally procuring them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50785/22]
248. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education the timeline for the roll-out of accessibility statements in schools for school websites to be achieved; and the work that her Department is conducting on this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50784/22]
164. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has had discussions recently with representative organisations concerning the impact of recent changes in relation to the core funding model given that concerns have been experienced by some ECCE childcare providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50623/22]
25. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the proposals to improve the criteria for the free fuel allowance in cases in which a family member, due to housing or domestic difficulties, may return to live with a parent on a temporary basis and that parent normally resides on their own and had been in receipt of free fuel allowance; if she will ensure that such a recipient of this allowance will continue to receive this payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50387/22]
21. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will improve the criteria for the free fuel allowance in circumstances where a family member returns to live on a temporary basis with a parent or a sibling who are in receipt of the free fuel allowance and ensure the continuation of this payment where the changed household composition is of a temporary nature; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50388/22]
139. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education the proposals, if any, to amend the criteria for inclusion in the DEIS programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49943/22]
69. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education the proposal, if any, to extend the DEIS programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49942/22]
401. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when fees for students attending agricultural colleges will be reduced to a level similar to fees for students attending colleges of further education as there is a significant differential at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49242/22]
109. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Defence the programme of works to be carried out in 2023 to upgrade residential accommodation in Army barracks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48936/22]
83. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Defence the number of progression and personal development courses available for Private 3-Star members of the Defence Forces on a yearly basis since 2018; the number who applied for these courses and the numbers offered courses on a yearly basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48937/22]
41. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the outcome of his most recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in regard to the need to deal with legacy issues with particular reference to the need to implement agreements made previously; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48921/22]
26. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a Passport Office will be established in Ulster in view of the substantial increase in passport applications from that area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48920/22]
371. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure that a clear message goes from Government to the multiples that an adequate price needs to be paid, without delay, to pig and poultry primary producers in view of the difficulties facing those sectors at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48958/22]
171. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when a passport office will be established in the province of Ulster; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48977/22]
511. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will ensure that the once-off €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fees for higher education students is applied to students studying outside this State, such as Northern Ireland and Britain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48383/22]
401. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education the number of second level schools that are providing physical education as an examination subject; the number of students that have already taken physical education as an examination subject; the number of qualified physical education teachers that are currently employed in second level schools; the restrictions that apply to a school for the provision of the examination subject; the facilities that are required by a school in order to be accepted for the provision of the examination subject; the supports that are provided by her Department for a school that wishes to provide physical education as an examination subject; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48443/22]
253. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will ensure consideration will be given to an amendment to 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. [48362/22]
116. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the total funding available for the PEACE PLUS Programme; when this programme will become operational; when community groups and statutory agencies will be able to submit applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48297/22]
109. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the outcome of the most recent discussions he or his Department have had with their counterparts in Northern Ireland concerning flooding in County Cavan, which is caused by the River Erne; the measures that will be implemented to address these issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48296/22]
193. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure the results of appeals in respect of the leaving certificate examination 2022 will issue without further delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47834/22]
192. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education when the State Examinations Commission will issue the 2022 junior certificate results; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47813/22]
156. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ensure allocations to local authorities for 2023 under the Local Government Fund will be increased to deal adequately with increasing costs across all services provided by councils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47562/22]
155. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if measures will be implemented across Departments and statutory agencies in co-operation with counterparts in Northern Ireland to deal with an emerging ecological problem (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47561/22]
549. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the number of prosecutions and-or fines made against manufacturers or importers of e-cigarette products for breaches of restrictions within SI 271/2016 in the past 12 months (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47137/22]
548. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the growing trend of disposable e-cigarette use among teenagers; the measures that his Department and the HSE will implement to ensure that these products comply with all relevant regulatory requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47136/22]
216. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he will give urgent consideration to the requests of national organisations (details supplied) in relation to the need to reduce costs for this sector through reduction in taxation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46504/22]
123. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance the discussions he and his Department have had with the Central Bank in relation to the difficulties that have arisen for some customers of banks (details supplied) in opening new accounts with other financial institutions. [46295/22]
102. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance the discussions that he and his Department have had with the Central Bank in respect of an extension of the timeframe for banks (details supplied) exiting the market here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46296/22]
23. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport the total funding provided in 2022 for the non-national road network; if he will ensure that increased funding will be provided for this road network in 2023 due to the need for an increased investment in these roads in areas such as counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46315/22]
11. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport the total capital funding provided for his Department in 2022; the expenditure profile at the end of August 2022; if there is likely to be an underspend in any particular area, if so, if additional funding will be provided for the non-national road network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46316/22]
38. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will ensure that funding is provided to progress the Clontibret to the border N2 road project; if his attention has been drawn to there being an urgent need to upgrade this section of road due to the high volume of traffic and its importance for a large part of the island of Ireland, north and south; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46338/22]
30. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport the number of driver testers that have been let-go by the Road Safety Authority; if this is acceptable given the unacceptable delays in applicants having tests at centres such as Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46158/22]
606. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will give detailed consideration to a pre-budget submission of a national organisation (details supplied) in view of the urgent need to increase funding to ensure the continuation of community services in both urban and rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45809/22]
579. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the necessary preparatory work including planning and design will be progressed, without delay, in relation to the provision of much-needed facilities at a health care centre (details supplied) in view of the present inadequate accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46039/22]
343. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education the status of an application for school transport for children (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45803/22]
342. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education the status of school transport for a family (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45802/22]
292. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the income limits for social housing will be increased for counties Cavan and Monaghan given that the present levels are totally unrealistic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46040/22]
246. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that Leaving Certificate results appeals will be finalised and issued to students without delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45345/22]