Results 10,981-11,000 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: EU State Aid Negotiations (23 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: 93. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if approval has been received from the European Commission under state aid rules in relation to changes in stamp duty provisions pertaining to farmland leasing, as provided for in the Finance Act 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16071/15]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Human Rights Issues (23 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: 101. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the proposals she put forward at the recent European Union Foreign Affairs Council in relation to the ongoing migration crisis and the recent appalling loss of life in the Mediterranean; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16164/15]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Playgrounds (23 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: 163. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if funding is available for the development of necessary playground space at primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16138/15]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Consumer Protection (23 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: 190. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the measures that will be enacted to protect consumers in cases where the customers of some mobile telephone companies are receiving unsolicited text messages and are being charged for such messages at exorbitant rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16172/15]

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Arts Funding (23 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: 198. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if funding will be provided in respect of a theatre company (details supplied), in view of the extremely valuable work carried out by this company, and its importance to a wide area in the midlands and north-east region; if she will ensure that there is a proper geographic spread in the allocation of resources for different arts...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Food Safety and Health Eating Initiatives: Safefood (23 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: I welcome Mr. Dolan and his colleagues. The importance of the body is evident from the fact that it was one of the six of implementation bodies established following the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. The last point concerned research. Does safefood collaborate with institutes of technology and universities throughout the island of Ireland on research? One of my bugbears is the...

Other Questions: Mobile Telephony (28 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: 9. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 446 of 15 July 2014 and 579 of 7 October 2014, if he is aware that there has been no improvement in mobile telephone coverage in areas such as County Cavan and County Monaghan; if, as requested previously, he and the Commission for Communications Regulator will convey to the...

Other Questions: Mobile Telephony (28 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: For almost two years, mobile phone coverage has been appalling in the Cavan-Monaghan area. It is constantly deteriorating and is a cause of utter frustration and concern to those using mobile phones both for social and commercial purposes. There is an obvious need for investment in mobile telephony infrastructure.

Other Questions: Mobile Telephony (28 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for his reply. I appreciate that he has referred my queries to ComReg, but I would appreciate it if he would ask ComReg to take a particular interest in the Cavan-Monaghan area. The Minister of State, Deputy McHugh, agreed with me here a few weeks ago that, as he travels along the N2 or N3 back to the north-west, the coverage is appalling. If one is on the phone for a...

Other Questions: Mobile Telephony (28 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: It has been deferred from this year.

Other Questions: Mobile Telephony (28 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: When someone rings a public utility company the process is frustrating. They are asked to press button X, Y or Z but they cannot get through to anybody and they hang up. The genuine grievances of customers, therefore, are not being recorded because of the frustration in trying to speak to a member of staff of, say, ComReg or the telephone companies. Telephone companies are in the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Mobile Telephony Services Provision (28 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: 21. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 446 of 15 July 2014 and 579 of 7 October 2014, if he is aware that there has been no improvement in mobile telephone coverage in areas such as County Cavan and County Monaghan; if, as requested previously, he and the Commission for Communications Regulation will convey to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: North-South Interconnector: County Monaghan Anti-Pylon Committee (28 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: I appreciate the facilitation of this meeting by the Chairman. My colleague, Deputy Moynihan, who is our party's spokesperson, is unable to be here due to another meeting this morning. I welcome Ms Marron and her colleagues and thank them sincerely for their presentation and for the huge amount of work in which they have been engaged over the past eight years or more. I recognise the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Joint Committee (29 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the allocation from the overseas development aid budget. If further assistance can be given, it would be very welcome. I heard an appeal by GOAL this morning from one of its personnel out there. Again, we should commend and support the work of our non-governmental organisations. I am sure they are working with their sister organisations. I hope the Department will be able to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Joint Committee (29 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Joint Committee (29 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: He said in his e-mail to his cousin that there was absolute chaos locally. He hopes to get to the airport to get a flight on Friday to Thailand. Hopefully, other people who are missing will be found and contact made with their families. Will the Minister and Minister of State give further assistance from their budget to assist Nepal at this very difficult time and get the assistance...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Joint Committee (29 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: Just on that point, Mr. Drumm’s cousin made the point that not everybody has immediate access to e-mail or other communications. Hopefully, those who have not made contact yet are safe and well and will make contact soon.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade between Ireland and ASEAN Countries: Irish Exporters Association (29 Apr 2015)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the contributions by Mr. Kelly and Mr. Nevin. Mention is made in the briefing provided that product exports to the ASEAN countries has decreased by 4% since 2011 while service exports have risen by 22%. Perhaps we could get a breakdown in regard to the product and service exports, including financial, ICT and insurance services. It was also stated that there is an opportunity to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobsPlus Scheme (6 May 2015)

Brendan Smith: 122. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a person, who is a participant on a JobBridge Scheme in a voluntary secondary school, may subsequently participate on the JobsPlus scheme in the same school; if the JobsPlus scheme is confined to fee-paying schools only; if State-funded schools are excluded from this particular scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17869/15]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Carbon Tax Implementation (6 May 2015)

Brendan Smith: 175. To ask the Minister for Finance if he is aware of the serious concern of fuel merchants in the Border counties following the imposition of carbon tax on household fuel products; that the viability of many of these businesses is under threat; and that revenue is being lost to the State; his proposals to reduce the level of carbon tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17894/15]