Results 13,261-13,280 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation: Motion (6 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: I cannot answer for that. I presume the Government Chief Whip and the Government's representatives on the committee should be au fait with what legislation will be enacted before the end of term. It is not really the Minister of State's responsibility to answer for that before this committee.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation: Motion (6 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: With regard to the Business Committee, this is its work, not ours. It should be doing its job properly.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation: Motion (6 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: I ask the Minister of State to conclude after this reply.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation: Motion (6 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister and all the members who attended for their contributions. I also wish to express my appreciation at the good attendance of members, at relatively short notice, for this discussion.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Message to Dáil (6 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: In accordance with Standing Order 90, the following message will be sent to the Dáil:The Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence has completed a consideration of the following motion:That Dáil Éireann approves Ireland’s participation in Permanent Structured Cooperation, pursuant to the provisions of section 3 of the Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions)...

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing Eligibility (7 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: 9. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when the review of income eligibility limits for social housing will be complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52195/17]

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing Eligibility (7 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: The Minister will recall that I have raised the issue of the need to increase the income eligibility limits for social housing with him on several occasions, as well as with his predecessor, the Tánaiste, Deputy Coveney, and with the Minister of State, Deputy English. My constituency of Cavan-Monaghan is in the lowest income limit band and the limit is far too low. I have previously...

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing Eligibility (7 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for his reply and I welcome that the review is under way. However, delivery in the first half of 2018 could be seven months away, which would not be acceptable. I was given a commitment by the Minister's predecessor that the study would be concluded at an early date and the Minister gave a similar indication in response to previous parliamentary questions. Each time...

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing Eligibility (7 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: I again appeal to the Minister to go back to the Housing Agency and the senior officials in his Department and ask them to give this issue the utmost urgency. We cannot condemn people who are working in low-paid jobs and trying to care for and support their families in difficult circumstances to renting houses for the rest of their lives. Such people come to my clinics every week and ask me...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (7 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: 34. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when an affordable housing scheme will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52196/17]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Good Friday Agreement (7 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: 53. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on whether legislation being enacted or proposed by the British Government will not impact on aspects of the Good Friday Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52502/17]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Crisis (7 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: 179. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the proposals he has put forward to the European agriculture Commissioner for funding to be provided under the crisis reserve fund to finance a fodder support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52503/17]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme Funding (7 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: 233. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to provide specific funding to local authorities for the local improvement scheme in the road works programme for 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52581/17]

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: 83. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his plans to improve pay and conditions for members of the Permanent Defence Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52973/17]

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: The Minister of State will recall that my colleague, Deputy Lisa Chambers, and myself at each meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence when defence issues have been discussed have raised the need to improve the pay and conditions of members of the Permanent Defence Force. I cited examples of real hardship to families directly to the Minister of State...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I urge him to continue to engage with PDFORRA and other representative organisations to ensure the areas of conciliation and arbitration are dealt with. There are other issues apart from pay and conditions. I emphasise the need to ensure members doing us proud in their work on behalf of the State go home with a decent wage packet every week to...

Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Bill 2017: All Stages (12 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: I welcome this report. I did not welcome the previous one and I was very vociferous in my objections to it. I was probably one of the few Deputies to have a right go at the Minister of State, Deputy Phelan's, former colleague, Commissioner Hogan, on Second Stage of the Bill before the House at that time. It was absolutely ludicrous, as my colleague, Deputy Marc MacSharry, said, that parts...

Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Bill 2017: All Stages (12 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: We in this House should be cognisant of the fact that the people on this commission have never got a vote in their lives. I honestly believe that former practising politicians should sit on the commission. There is no point in saying nowadays that east Cavan or west Cavan is a great Fianna Fáil area, a great Fine Gael area or a great Sinn Féin area. That is gone now because we...

Home Care Packages: Motion [Private Members] (12 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: I commend Deputy Michael Harty and his colleagues in the Rural Independent Group on putting forward this motion, which is extremely important. I know that our own party spokesperson on older people, Deputy Mary Butler, has been doing a lot of work in this area with different advocacy groups and highlighting to the Minister of State and to the Government the need to put additional resources...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Strength (12 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: 77. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the numbers to date serving in the Permanent Defence Forces; the expected recruitment level in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52974/17]