69. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he has had discussions with HSE officials or management on a decision not to recognise a trade union that represents ambulance and paramedic workers; the meetings or discussion with a group of unions (details supplied) in relation to the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5367/19]
164. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if the practice of agreeing large infrastructural projects such as the national children's hospital without a fixed price is standard; and if other large health projects are conducted in a similar manner. [4789/19]
163. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the reason a contract with a company (details supplied) for the new national children's hospital was not a fixed price contract. [4788/19]
162. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if the brief changed from that in the first planning application for the Mater Hospital site in respect of the new national children's hospital; if so, the way in which it did; and the person or body responsible for the preparation of the brief and its subsequent changes. [4787/19]
161. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the final cost of submitting the scheme for planning on the Mater Hospital site in respect of the new national children's hospital (details supplied). [4786/19]
62. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will meet with the family of a person (details supplied) killed in a hit and run incident to discuss concerns regarding the conduct of Garda investigations into the case and their request for a public inquiry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4379/19]
33. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he or his officials will meet with a State witness of a murder trial to discuss the person's concerns about the witness protection programme and the person's ongoing concerns for the person's safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4380/19]
322. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied that the management at the Coombe hospital followed the guidelines in the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 for a diagnosis and subsequent treatment of a fatal foetal abnormality or life threatening condition in the case recently highlighted; and if matters (details supplied) will be clarified. [3818/19]
184. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the NPWS has investigated solutions other than culling to address the overpopulation of the Phoenix Park deer herd; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4268/19]
68. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the budget and spending of his Department in order to secure UN Security Council membership over the past period. [3772/19]
299. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the proposal of an approved housing body to allocate housing units to couples that will pay €1,500 per month in rent that are not on the social housing waiting lists and that will have some of the rent set aside as a savings scheme to purchase a home in the future; if this scheme has his approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3563/19]
298. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if approved housing bodies that receive State funding can allocate housing units on criteria other than that set by the local authority housing waiting list. [3562/19]
297. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his policy on the way in which approved housing bodies allocate housing units, set rents and make available units to tenants that are not on the social housing waiting list of the local authority and whose rents are not differentially set; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3561/19]
277. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the policy on possible restoration of the subsidy for phone usage for those on State pensions in view of the previous commitment to restore same; if it will be fully restored to couples in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3514/19]
192. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will review the operations at maternity hospitals to ensure hospitals afford the same service to pregnant women suffering from severe foetal abnormalities; if clinical decisions are made only by the two relevant medical practitioners and not other bodies or hospital personnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3578/19]
191. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health his plans to review the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 as a matter of urgency in view of the recent case in which a woman was denied a termination at 14 weeks despite presenting with a foetus suffering from a severe abnormality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3577/19]
29. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the decision on the awarding of the national broadband plan will be decided; the estimated cost of the plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3309/19]
24. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to extend the funding available for retrofitting of homes in order to reduce the energy usage needed in the housing stock thus reducing CO2 emissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3311/19]
22. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way in which Ireland's climate goals and ambition to be a world leader on climate change can be helped by potential approval for drilling off the coast for oil or gas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3307/19]
266. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 268 of 17 January 2019, his plans to renew the areas designated as rent pressure zones in view of the fact that the Act designates December 2019 as the time when these zones will cease (details supplied). [3312/19]
240. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if there are decisions outstanding from the first round of applications for the refugee protection programme and humanitarian admission programme; and the reason for the perceived extremely high refusal rate (details supplied) in view of the fact that there are a total of 530 places available on the programme and a second round of applications is currently open. [2477/19]
111. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if NAMA has considered offering a location (details supplied) in Dublin 8 to the local authority or an approved housing body for the provision of public and affordable housing; and if NAMA will be instructed to prepare a report on the feasibility of such action. [2527/19]
110. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he has had discussions with NAMA officials about a location (details supplied) in Dublin 8; if the use of this site for the provision of social, public and affordable homes by the local authority and approved housing bodies will be supported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2526/19]
109. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if his Department had meetings or discussions with NAMA officials about a location (details supplied) in Dublin 8; if so, the details of the meetings; if his attention has been drawn to the NAMA-appointed receiver's appeal to have the location removed from the vacant site register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2525/19]
108. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance if he has examined the possibility of the State acquiring and using a location (details supplied) in Dublin 8 as a site for public, affordable and cost-rental housing units supported by central funding and the involvement of Dublin City Council and approved housing bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2524/19]
269. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if proposed legislation will deal with security of tenure for tenants in rent pressure zones that may face eviction on grounds of refurbishment, sale or the relocation of family members into a dwelling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2128/19]
268. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to retain the rent pressure zones beyond December 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2127/19]
96. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if State witnesses in serious criminal cases are informed prior to a decision on the early release of the person they testified against; and if such information is passed on as a matter of routine. [2123/19]
95. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if State prosecution witnesses receive ongoing support in serious criminal prosecution cases in which the witness may fear for their safety due to the release of the perpetrator; and the details of the supports a witness may have access to. [2122/19]
84. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are additional resources available for schools with autism spectrum disorder units; the way in which such funding and resources are allocated; if such funding is based on the number of students catered for or other criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2166/19]
83. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a specific category under the Teaching Council for special education teachers as there is for primary, secondary and further education; his plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2165/19]
82. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if teachers working in autism spectrum disorder units have specialised training over and above that given to primary and secondary school teachers in view of the fact that the needs of children who attend such schools differ from those of children in mainstream schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2164/19]
8. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the details of the planned increase in defence spending for 2019 in all areas; the details of the increase planned to deal with issues of pay and work conditions suffered by Defence Forces members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2005/19]
84. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the measures she will take to monitor the impact on wildlife and biodiversity of the extension to the periods for removing and cutting of hedgerows in 2019 contained in the Heritage Act 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1752/19]
78. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress made on ensuring the Moore Street sites of national cultural and historic significance are safeguarded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1753/19]
1072. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a person (detail supplied) will receive a decision on an application for a carer's allowance. [54547/18]
427. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if a request for a visa in the case of persons (details supplied) will be examined; and if the decision of the INIS in the case will be expedited. [54384/18]
423. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the training for INIS and GNIB officials that deals specifically with racial profiling; if training is provided as to the way in which to deal with and treat foreign nationals with respect; and the way in which persons that have negative experiences based on racial profiling or inappropriate comments can make a complaint or seek redress. [54369/18]
271. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if all sick leave is taken into consideration before sanctioning a due incremental pay rise for public sector employees; his plans to examine proposals that would treat work related illness or injury in a different way when calculating entitlements to future increments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54510/18]
179. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance the training for custom officials that deals specifically with racial profiling; if training is provided as to the way in which to deal with and treat foreign nationals with respect; and the way in which persons who have negative experiences based on racial profiling or inappropriate comments can make a complaint or seek redress. [54369/18]
177. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Finance the status of a site (details supplied) in Dublin 8; if the site is controlled by NAMA; if its potential use by public agencies or Dublin City Council for social or affordable housing has been examined; and if his officials or other Departments have met or had meetings with the receivers of the site to discuss the future of same. [54428/18]
237. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to a new report (details supplied). which found on the basis of a meta-analysis of studies from 33 countries that criminalisation of sex workers or their clients is associated with a significantly greater risk of physical or sexual violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53514/18]
84. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the increase in sanctions and penalties taken against jobseekers is due to the interaction of the JobPath providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53448/18]
72. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the contracts with JobPath providers will be extended; the date on which the current contracts expire; if a value for money study will be commissioned into the service provided by both companies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53449/18]
56. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason her Department is refusing access to the back to education allowance to applicants undertaking a professional masters degree in adult and community education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53451/18]
55. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of proposed legislation to deal with bogus self-employment; the progress in drafting such legislation; when such a Bill will be brought before Dáil Éireann; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53450/18]
48. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the cases of persons who have failed to qualify for a contributory pension under new criteria introduced in 2012 that raised the minimum contributions needed to 520 will be examined; if the impact on those applicants who subsequently failed to qualify for a non-contributory pension will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53452/18]
43. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the action she plans to take to deal with backlogs in applications for social welfare schemes, including carer's allowance, and appeals to decisions taken by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53444/18]
655. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if NAMA had been informed of the forthcoming change to height regulations but continued to completion with such sales; if so, the reason NAMA was permitted to dispose of such sites at considerable discount to their subsequent revaluation; and if he was advised of these sales and-or disposals prior to the announcement on height restrictions. [52806/18]
654. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the removal of height restrictions has a major upward impact on the site value of the lands and that the price obtained for land disposed of by NAMA recently is considerably less than what could have been obtained; and if his Department discussed the likely impacts with NAMA officials before they disposed of lands. [52805/18]