Results 5,781-5,800 of 8,245 for speaker:Bríd Smith

Employment Support Services: Motion [Private Members] (30 Nov 2021)

Bríd Smith: It is possible Deputy Paul Murphy will turn up too; I am not sure. I thank Deputy Kerrane for tabling the motion. It is timely, and I know it is appreciated hugely by the LES workers throughout the country. Earlier, at the gates of Leinster House, we welcomed them from as far away as counties Mayo and Galway to Ballyfermot and County Meath. They came from all over Dublin as well as from...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (30 Nov 2021)

Bríd Smith: I wish to return to the question of student poverty and accommodation costs. I know Rome was not built overnight, but if one lived in Dublin 8 one would swear that student accommodation, built by corporate developers that charge up to €1,800 to live in it for 8 months, was built overnight. It is all over the place. It is totally owned by corporate developers and is very expensive so...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (30 Nov 2021)

Bríd Smith: I am glad the Minister referred to college-owned and affordable accommodation because the Union of Students in Ireland is not the only student group protesting. University College Dublin student groups have been protesting about a 20% to 30% increase in accommodation costs. They are being charged €1,400 for 8 months. The Minister mentioned the cost rental model and I am curious...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (30 Nov 2021)

Bríd Smith: They are great plans and sound lovely and all the rest of it, but the model of cost rental really matters and the one the Government envisages is not good enough because it leaves people subject to market fluctuations. We cannot do that immediately but there are some things we can do immediately which would help to alleviate student poverty, one of which would be to scrap the registration...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Telecommunications Infrastructure (30 Nov 2021)

Bríd Smith: 251. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason there is no local consultation in advance of the erection of communication booster masts in the city; if he will provide information on the way and the reason the decision that these masts do not need planning permission was arrived at; if there are plans to change this practice under section 254; and if he will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Measures (30 Nov 2021)

Bríd Smith: 472. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the review (details supplied) of the effects of the Part 4 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2020 has been published and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas; if not, the date for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58324/21]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospice Services (30 Nov 2021)

Bríd Smith: 626. To ask the Minister for Health if the HSE raised concerns with a hospice and care services (details supplied) about the funding of posts and the losses recorded in the restaurants in locations in 2016, 2017 and 2018; the actions, sanctions or measures the HSE took on foot of those concerns to deal with the losses recorded; and if the HSE requested or conducted an audit connected with...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (30 Nov 2021)

Bríd Smith: 651. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the current practice of chiropodists charging up to €37 for treatment of patients who have a chiropodist card that entitles them to a treatment for €10; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58834/21]

Workplace Ventilation (Covid-19) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Dec 2021)

Bríd Smith: I will focus on the schools because well over a year ago I started questioning the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, about what was going on in schools. I did so because I was personally involved with a number of teachers who were in a group called the Forgotten Families. They were teachers who were vulnerable at school and who stayed at home to avoid Covid because of their...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Dec 2021)

Bríd Smith: I am aware that the Tánaiste, the Taoiseach, the Minister for Health, all members of the Cabinet and every Member of this House has received expert legal counsel from senior counsel, Stephen Dodd, in regard to the national maternity hospital and the possibility of it being constitutional for the State to compulsorily purchase the lands on which it sits. The senior counsel argues that...

Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2021)

Bríd Smith: I am somewhat puzzled by this. I am glad we are having this debate in the Dáil. I do not think we would be having it were it not for the SAs who got themselves organised into the union, began to push to make this an issue and had webinar meetings with us in this Covid-19 time. Without them, we would not be discussing this matter in the way that we are. It is very important that we...

Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2021)

Bríd Smith: On knock-on effects and pay increases across sectors, we have to acknowledge, and we would be putting our heads in the sand if we did not, that we have a problem with low pay in this country and particularly in the public sector. The ushers and service officers in this House, the cleaners, everyone who looks after us, are not paid enough. The pay is too low. We are not just singling out...

Health (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 Dec 2021)

Bríd Smith: I will not take much time; I wish to ask a question. I am a bit puzzled. My understanding is that the highest rate of Omicron is in the UK. Would the Minister ever envisage introducing mandatory hotel quarantine for people coming from the UK? Although I support the amendment, if the Minister does not envisage that, then the amendment will not really be applicable. I am not arguing...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Direct Provision System (3 Dec 2021)

Bríd Smith: 12. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when he expects the last of the direct provision centres to close. [59476/21]

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (3 Dec 2021)

Bríd Smith: Almost.

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (3 Dec 2021)

Bríd Smith: It would be more comfortable. My foot is sore today. I will state categorically that People Before Profit will not be supporting this legislation. We opposed the renewal of these measures in the past and we are opposing them again. They are to be extended to March and possibly beyond. We are opposing them because we do not trust the Government with these laws, nor do we any longer...

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (3 Dec 2021)

Bríd Smith: They gave it to the meat plants and the gas industry.

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (3 Dec 2021)

Bríd Smith: No, but I am interrupting you.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Electric Vehicles: Discussion (30 Nov 2021)

Bríd Smith: I thank the witnesses very much for their presentations. I have a couple of questions for the ESB. The first one is about the notion of installation points and the quite expensive nature of the infrastructure. Reference was made in the presentation to the size of the investment programme the ESB had to put in to predict the growth in EV. There is also a mention of the available capacity...

Order of Business (7 Dec 2021)

Bríd Smith: It is almost impossible to do it in 30 seconds. I have seen many Deputies get a lot-----