Results 16,741-16,760 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (15 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: 246. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that Leaving Certificate results appeals will be finalised and issued to students without delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45345/22]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (20 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: 292. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when the income limits for social housing will be increased for counties Cavan and Monaghan given that the present levels are totally unrealistic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46040/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (20 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: 342. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of school transport for a family (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45802/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (20 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: 343. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for school transport for children (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45803/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (20 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: 579. To ask the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the necessary preparatory work including planning and design will be progressed, without delay, in relation to the provision of much-needed facilities at a health care centre (details supplied) in view of the present inadequate accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46039/22]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Welfare Services (20 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: 606. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will give detailed consideration to a pre-budget submission of a national organisation (details supplied) in view of the urgent need to increase funding to ensure the continuation of community services in both urban and rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45809/22]

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (21 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: Ireland is one of the few countries that impose a high level of tax on print and digital newspapers. NewsBrands Ireland and Local Ireland, representing our national and regional newspapers, such as The Anglo-Celtand The Northern Standard, have cogently outlined the crucial need to reduce the VAT rate on newspapers, in print and digital formats, to 0%. Despite our differences with newspapers...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (21 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: 30. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of driver testers that have been let-go by the Road Safety Authority; if this is acceptable given the unacceptable delays in applicants having tests at centres such as Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46158/22]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (21 Sep 2022)

Brendan Smith: 38. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will ensure that funding is provided to progress the Clontibret to the border N2 road project; if his attention has been drawn to there being an urgent need to upgrade this section of road due to the high volume of traffic and its importance for a large part of the island of Ireland, north and south; and if he will make a...

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...

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: 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: 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.