525. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason that students who have to repeat a year during their degree course will not be able to avail of the reduced registration fees when doing so; the rationale for discriminating against repeat students like this who already face the added expenses involved in having to repeat such years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58752/22]
513. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will re-examine the position of providers who have not signed up to the core funding model in view of the current cost-of-living crisis and the difficulties faced by small providers of childcare services, and specifically the possibility or revisiting the issues around higher capitation and the PSP for those services not currently engaged in the core funding model; if his Department has met or will meet with representatives of small providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59362/22]
512. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has plans to review the operations and workings of the core funding model and ECCE funding to childcare providers, especially in relation to the current cost-of-living crisis impact on smaller and local community providers, specifically if he has considered any increases or additional supports in funding to small providers who may be struggling to stay in business in the current climate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59361/22]
487. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider extending the closing date for the building block improvement grant scheduled for Friday 25 November 2022 (details supplied); if he will acknowledge this difficulty and grant an extension for submission of required paperwork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58769/22]
369. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if the correct pay scale will be applied to the salary of a teacher (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59325/22]
283. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Housing his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59344/22]
106. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection when the voucher scheme for users of Irish sign language to access free ISL and English interpreting for social, educational and cultural events and services including medical and other activities and the remote interpreting on demand service, will be permanently established; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56934/22]
641. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will investigate the reason that an aspect of an agreed programme of care and rehabilitation for a person (details supplied) with a brain injury has been withdrawn thereby compromising their best chances of a full recovery; if efforts will be made to ensure that this phase of their rehabilitation will be reinstated; when the next phase will take place; when they can expect to progress from that particular phase to the National Rehabilitation Hospital for the final part of their care and treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57614/22]
483. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if clarification will be provided in relation to a statement (details supplied) regarding the delay in publishing the first report on the operation of the Irish Sign Language Act 2017; the legal matter that is holding up the publication of the report; if his attention has been drawn to reports that members of the deaf community believe that the report on the operation of the Act would help to identify and tackle issues in relation to same (details supplied); when the report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57432/22]
308. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the violation of the right to adequate housing (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57950/22]
Bill entitled an Act to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 to enable a person who is at least 18 years of age to have possession, for the person’s personal use, of either or both cannabis and cannabis resin that in each case does not exceed a specified amount and to provide for related matters.
134. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the details of the issuance of an extended exploration licence to a company (details supplied); if this decision was subject to an analysis of the climate impacts of the potential extraction of fossil fuel in the field; if any analysis was carried out on the impact on Ireland’s climate targets and commitments under the Paris treaty; if he was given any legal advice that he was obliged to issue this licence; if any consideration was given to rejecting the application under the current terms and conditions of that licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57152/22]
85. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the Irish Refugee Council Report titled "Accommodation Crisis 2022: Response and Recommendations" published in October 2022, that states that the Irish protection system is in crisis, that there has been a serious and unprecedented breakdown in Ireland's reception system and that a whole-of-Government response is required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56938/22]
189. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the reason that a reconstructive skin removal surgeon has not yet been appointed as part of obesity care; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are huge issues associated with significant weight loss resulting in excess skin which causes many issues, including physical, psychological and emotional difficulties and weight regain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56928/22]
62. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he or the SEAI have any plans to review the rules in relation to access to energy efficiency grants and schemes for persons in homes who may have received some supports previously but who are now looking to upgrade or improve their homes energy efficiency; if the SEAI will examine the way that currently the only avenue open to persons whose homes may have had any form of SEAI support previously is to use a system (details supplied) which may involve expenditure beyond the scope of many persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56839/22]
61. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 152 and 154 of 1 March 2022, when the SEAI will provide the information requested; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56816/22]
589. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the reason that a scheduled procedure for a person (details supplied) was cancelled at short notice; if his attention has been drawn to impact that this has had on the person's physical and mental health; when the person will receive the necessary procedure; if he will provide the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56665/22]
311. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the way in which Ireland plans to engage with the IMF on its policy of austerity, with particular concern for the way that this policy is impacting on the public sector wage bills, education, especially girls' education and development outcomes in lower-income countries benefitting from Ireland's foreign aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56669/22]
333. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the frequency with which Rásaíocht Con Éireann’s control committee has met, either in-person or remotely, for each of the years 2015 to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56014/22]
332. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of positive tests that have been recorded since Rásaíocht Con Éireann started testing for prohibited substances at its laboratory in Limerick; if he will provide a breakdown of the categories for all positive tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56013/22]
331. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the processes Rásaíocht Con Éireann has in place to ensure exclusion and-or banning orders are fully implemented and that those individuals who are the subject of same are prevented from attending greyhound tracks and-or racing dogs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56012/22]
330. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of exclusion orders and banning orders issued by Rásaíocht Con Éireann currently in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56011/22]
329. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of individual greyhound owners and trainers who have been the subject of exclusion orders and banning orders since testing for prohibited substances commenced at Rásaíocht Con Éireann’s laboratory in Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56010/22]
172. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he or his officials have met or intend to meet with representatives of an organisation (details supplied) or other firms involved in the current legal action impeding the implementation of a security sector ERO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56073/22]
171. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the actions his Department has taken, or intends to take, in relation to the ERO for security workers and the legal action currently impeding its implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56072/22]
150. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if a full list of all companies applying for and receiving the temporary business energy support scheme will be published; when such information will be available; if the amounts claimed for each company will also be publicly available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55864/22]
121. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he will clarify if firms who have returned a profit for the financial year ahead and that have applied for and received the temporary business energy support scheme, TBESS, will be required to return any amounts received from the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55863/22]
42. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will outline the process used in the awarding of a PSO route to a private transport firm (details supplied); if this route was tendered out in the normal fashion by the National Transport Authority; if not, the reason tendering was not undertaken; if any other company such as Bus Éireann was approached to operate this route; the duration of the current contract with the private transport firm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55707/22]
31. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to recent fare increases affecting Bus Éireann services in Sligo, specifically routes Nos. 23 and 64, and single journey fares; why such increases are permitted in light of the current policy of a 20% fare reduction across public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55705/22]
30. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to a policy change by the company operating the NCT service, which sees unqualified staff conducting vehicle tests; if his Department has any concerns over the safety issues of using unqualified staff in such circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55703/22]
17. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he has examined a recent report (details supplied) on transport by the Climate Change Advisory Council and the OECD; his views on whether it confirms the failure of a policy based on private car usage in the State; if he will re-examine the current policy of trying to replace petrol and diesel cars with 1 million electric vehicles, EVs, given this still leaves a transport system that is dependent on the private car being intact; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55706/22]
13. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he intends to intervene directly with bus transport companies in relation to the current crisis in driver shortages and recruitment; the way in which the BusConnects programme can be implemented in Dublin, given the failure to retain and recruit sufficient drivers needed for the expansion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55704/22]
15. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport if he will clarify the circumstances of a specific night flight at Dublin Airport which took place on 29-30 October 2022 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55708/22]
1168. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the plans to limit home births to women who live within 30 minutes of a maternity hospital; if his attention has been drawn to reports that this would restrict birthing options for women and families in rural areas and that this also runs contrary to the national maternity strategy’s priority to ensure that “women have access to safe, high quality, nationally consistent, women-centred maternity care”; if he acknowledges that the HSE recommendation to limit home births was developed with no input from midwives, clinicians or women’s health advocates; if he will listen to the calls of an organisation (details supplied) for a reconsideration of this policy by engaging with all stakeholders; and if he will increase investment in maternity services, especially midwife-led services in rural areas and throughout the country generally. [55215/22]
1165. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55176/22]
895. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to reports that there are persons who have lived for many years in Ireland who feel unfairly omitted from the recent regularisation scheme for undocumented persons; if she will acknowledge that there are those who have been living in Ireland for four years when their time in the asylum process and living as an undocumented person is added together, yet they were unable to apply for either strand of the scheme; if she will provide advice and hope to those in this position who are desperate to become regularised; if she will outline any plans to include such persons in another scheme or opportunity, in order that they do not get left behind; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55540/22]
870. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice the number of family reunification applications under the terms of the International Protection Act received by her Department in the past 12 months by month received in tabular form; if she will provide the number of decisions issued per month on family reunification for the same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54984/22]
714. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if the bonus payment for one-parent families will represent the full amount of the payment; if any maintenance payments usually made to the parent will be deducted from the bonus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55307/22]
698. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has any plans to act upon the recommendations and findings, when published, of the child maintenance review group report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55120/22]
697. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection when she will publish the child maintenance review group report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55119/22]
609. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education her views on matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) in relation to recent instructions to teachers and principals to conduct assessments of educational needs on behalf of the HSE under the AON process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55322/22]
415. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to reports that many owners of defective apartments are facing immediate demands for substantial payments from management companies for remedial work, and in one case in Dublin, face the loss of basement car park spaces as a result of the enforcement of safety notices; when the residents of such apartments can expect State aid; if he has any plans to provide emergency funding to such residents before Christmas 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55306/22]
370. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps that owners of defective apartments in Dublin south central should take given that they have each recently received a bill for €8,500 to be paid within 30 days as the first payment for remedial work on their apartment complex; if he will acknowledge that this is an unacceptable financial imposition on these homeowners, which will cause untold distress, with many unable to pay during a cost-of-living crisis; if he will clearly outline the steps that they should take under these circumstances; if he will confirm when there will be a redress scheme in place for those affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54462/22]