Results 4,481-4,500 of 8,245 for speaker:Bríd Smith

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Congregated Settings: Nursing Homes (Resumed) (18 Jun 2020)

Bríd Smith: In the short space of time available, I would like to make some observations. Although Mr. Reid continually repeats that we need to learn from what has happened in our nursing homes, the submissions seem to suggest that there were basically no mistakes, no delays in acting and no errors in dealing with the virus in the homes and that everything that could have been done was done at the right...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State's Response to Impact of Covid-19 on Gaeltacht Areas and the Islands (18 Jun 2020)

Bríd Smith: Tá sé thar am dúinn an seisiún seo mar gheall ar Covid-19, na hoileáin agus an Ghaeltacht a bheith againn mar is cuid shaibhir dár gcultúr agus dár n-oidhreacht iad ár n-oileáin agus ár gceantair Ghaeltachta. Tá easpa bearta agus easpa reachtaíochta againn sa tréimhse seo. Nílimid ag cur tacaíocht i bhfeidhm le...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (23 Jun 2020)

Bríd Smith: I thank all of those who have presented here today. I speak on behalf of everybody when I say - and most of the population will agree - that the evidence presented today is probably the most astonishing we have heard in this committee. The hairs were standing on the back of my neck when Ms Ní Sheaghdha said that INMO members were both applauded and abandoned because that is exactly...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (23 Jun 2020)

Bríd Smith: Absolutely, and at that stage we knew that the infection could be passed on while one was asymptomatic.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (23 Jun 2020)

Bríd Smith: Our figures for infection among healthcare workers are the highest globally, and a third of them were nurses and midwives. That is quite shocking. I have no doubt but that this must make the people Ms Ní Sheaghdha represents feel very angry. It is over a year ago since I met Ms Ní Sheaghdha on picket lines when nurses were striking for their pay increase. In a yes-no answer,...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (23 Jun 2020)

Bríd Smith: Ms Ní Sheaghdha said she was dealing with five different Departments at one stage. Did she feel she was being passed from Billy to Jack, that there was a parcel being passed around the place and nobody was taking responsibility for answers to the queries and the proposals she was making?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (23 Jun 2020)

Bríd Smith: I have to interrupt Ms Ní Sheaghdha. That is more astonishing evidence she has given us, but I wish to ask her one final question. We received an answer to a parliamentary question to the effect that fewer than 180 staff were recruited under the call to Ireland. We know that doctors and nurses are very angry about how they have been treated, and when they have been recruited they have...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Bríd Smith: I thank the witnesses for their submissions and apologise if I am repeat any of the points I missed on my way to the Chamber. The first question I want to ask is sort of a follow-up to the last session, during which we heard from representatives of the nursing unions about the problems essential healthcare workers have faced. The Department, in its submission to the committee, states that...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Bríd Smith: That has answered the question for me. I did not believe for one minute that the witnesses did not consider it valuable or worthwhile to participate in the scheme. There were obviously very complex obstacles for the sector. However, several of the witnesses have mentioned the fractured nature of the services and how there are so many different organisations overseeing different aspects of...

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motions (24 Jun 2020)

Bríd Smith: I start by saying that it is highly ironic that we are sitting here this morning to renew major powers for the State, on a day when tens of thousands of workers will wake up to the realisation that a learned judge of the High Court, who earns more than €220,000 per year, has decided in his wisdom that an electrician who may earn €45,000 per year is possibly overpaid, and has...

Covid-19 (Measures to Protect Victims of Domestic Violence): Statements (24 Jun 2020)

Bríd Smith: It is 50:50. We are for equality. Although we are having this discussion in the context of Covid-19 and the horrendous consequences of the lockdown, which, as the last Deputy stated, were predicted because stay-at-home measures have driven the markers that make domestic violence abuse and psychological abuse stand out, the thing that strikes me the most is that we have had this awareness...

Ceapachán an Taoisigh agus Ainmniú Chomhaltaí an Rialtais: Tairiscint - Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government: Motion (27 Jun 2020)

Bríd Smith: I also will share time with Deputy Gino Kenny. I will start by saying I have absolute confidence in this Government and that confidence is based on what we know about the parties in government and what they did in the past decades when they were in power. I am confident that Fine Gael will look after the very wealthy in this society. I am confident that Fianna Fáil will look after...

Estimates for Public Services 2020 - Vote 32 - Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Revised) (30 Jun 2020)

Bríd Smith: I am sharing time with Deputy Paul Murphy. I want to start by saying something positive to and about the Tánaiste's new Ministry. I recall the zeal and the scrutiny he had in a previous Ministry. We all remember the campaign he launched to account for every penny spent in the then Department of Social Protection when it came to social welfare recipients and welfare cheats who cheat us...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (30 Jun 2020)

Bríd Smith: 841. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the way in which a person (details supplied) that has total combined contributions here and in Germany that would yield a maximum State pension contributory here can lose out to the extent detailed; and her plans to alter the method of calculating such contributions to ensure such persons do not lose out in the future....

Estimates for Public Services 2020 (7 Jul 2020)

Bríd Smith: It is difficult to scrutinise figures that are mainly inherited from the Taoiseach's predecessor but I want to flag something from the record of the past for the future. On the €20 million Covid communications Estimate, it is perfectly understandable that communications during the pandemic would be substantial. However, we know from experience with the Taoiseach's predecessor that a...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (7 Jul 2020)

Bríd Smith: 8. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the action he plans to take in view of the High Court ruling on sectoral employment orders, SEOs, recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13727/20]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (7 Jul 2020)

Bríd Smith: 9. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will introduce emergency legislation to ameliorate the impact from the recent High Court ruling on the SEO regarding electrician workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13728/20]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Rights (7 Jul 2020)

Bríd Smith: 20. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to appeal the High Court decision on the electrical contractor's sectoral employment order; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13910/20]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Licences (7 Jul 2020)

Bríd Smith: 111. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of taxi licences issued since 2015 to date specifically those covering the greater Dublin area, respectively; the number of applications awaiting processing for granting of a taxi licence and for the greater Dublin area, respectively; the number of taxis licensed to operate in the greater Dublin area; his plans for taxi...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (7 Jul 2020)

Bríd Smith: 277. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will clarify the situation regarding a housing complex (details supplied); if his Department has received an application for funding for a redevelopment of some apartments there; the status of the proposed development; and the funding stream which is available for the complex and its development. [13882/20]