Results 1,681-1,700 of 18,449 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (28 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: 156. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government 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]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Invasive Species Policy (28 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: 155. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government 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]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Policy (27 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: 548. To ask 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]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Data (27 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: 549. To ask 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]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Insurance Industry (22 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: The Government brought forward proposals that were enacted by the Oireachtas, which have brought benefits to people buying insurance cover generally. The voluntary and community groups that take out public and employers liability insurance have not benefited from the changes to the extent that they should have. This is an area that needs to be addressed.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Insurance Industry (22 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: I will make a quick comment and maybe the Minister of State will reply to me in writing to enable other colleagues to get their questions in. Over the past 18 months public and employers liability insurance has increased by 16%. We need new insurers and the benefits of reform are not being passed on to business insurance of voluntary and community groups.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Banking Sector (22 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: 102. To ask 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]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Banking Sector (22 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: The Minister may recall I have been raising with him constantly in this House the difficulties arising for customers of KBC Bank and Ulster Bank due to their exiting the State. As he will be aware, the Border region areas, such as Cavan-Monaghan, had a heavy reliance on Ulster Bank, which had a great network of branches in the past that, unfortunately, diminished big time. The exiting of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Banking Sector (22 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister. His Department and the Central Bank have had more engagement with stakeholders since we debated this issue early in the process, and I welcome that. He stated that at the end of August, only 24% of customers had closed their accounts, which means 76% of people had yet to do so, with only 40% of the timeframe remaining. It is not practical to think this process of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Banking Sector (22 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: In the consultation the Minister and the Central Bank will have with the banks, I urge ongoing contact with the Financial Services Union, which has a great overview of what is happening at branch level and throughout the State. I compliment John O'Connell and his colleagues in the Financial Services Union on their advocacy on behalf not just of their union members but of the public in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (22 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: A project that I have discussed with the Minister previously is the proposed east-west route from Sligo to Dundalk, via counties Fermanagh, Cavan and Monaghan. Parts of that road have been upgraded. It carries a large volume of traffic. It is an important artery in the Border region and the northern half of our country. I sincerely hope that dedicated funding can be provided in 2023 to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (22 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: 11. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport 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]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (22 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: 23. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport 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]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (22 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: I thank my colleagues for assisting me because I have a meeting at 10 a.m. I hope that there is not an underspend on the capital side of the departmental budget at this particular time. If there is, I would like a reallocation of funding for the non-national road network. Our regional and county roads need more investment. Thankfully, there is an increasing in population in rural Ireland....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (22 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for his detailed reply. He negotiated very well in his Estimates campaign last year. There is a substantial spend under each heading. I sincerely hope that he will secure increased funding for the regional and local roads and the non-national road network for the coming year. As I mentioned earlier, thankfully there is a growth in population in rural areas. My own...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Sector (22 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: 123. To ask 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]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (22 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: 216. To ask 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]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement: Discussion (22 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the witnesses and thank them for their initial contributions. It is obvious that a great deal of work is being undertaken by the three commissions. Importantly, it was stated that there is a framework for co-operation. It has often been a concern for us when there are different commissions whose work may run in parallel that there might be duplication and a lesser return overall...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement: Discussion (22 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: There is a long border in my constituency, Cavan-Monaghan, but I have not been getting complaints from people being stopped. I refer to the atmosphere and the fear people feel. Ms Kilpatrick stated people are starting to carry passports. When I go from one part of my constituency to the other I would need to carry a passport because I go through Fermanagh.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement: Discussion (22 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: I had not thought of that. Ms Kilpatrick is creating more fear now. I thank the witnesses for their contributions.