Results 17,121-17,140 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (27 Apr 2023)

Brendan Smith: As the Tánaiste is aware, there is a shortage of bus drivers and drivers for heavy goods vehicles. This impacts on the operation of school transport services at times. Bus Éireann will not employ qualified drivers aged 70 or over. In instances where a school bus driver is off sick, Bus Éireann finds it extremely difficult to recruit a temporary replacement. There is no...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (27 Apr 2023)

Brendan Smith: 42. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has had recent discussions with the British government in relation to the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill; if he has outlined again that it is unacceptable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19776/23]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland (27 Apr 2023)

Brendan Smith: 59. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has had any recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and with the political parties in Northern Ireland in relation to the need to have the Assembly, Northern Ireland Executive and the North-South Ministerial Council restored without further delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19777/23]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: North-South Interconnector (27 Apr 2023)

Brendan Smith: 114. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment in view of the total opposition of communities in counties Cavan, Monaghan and Meath to the present proposals regarding the proposed North-South Interconnector, with particular reference to the concerns about transmission cables being put overground, if he will ensure that if the project proceeds, the transmission...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Housing Provision (27 Apr 2023)

Brendan Smith: 213. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of housing developments approved for funding by Home Building Finance Ireland to date in each county; the number of such developments that have ten units or less; the number of such developments with 20 units or less; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20107/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (27 Apr 2023)

Brendan Smith: 245. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if provision will be made to enable persons aged 70 years and over, subject to appropriate medical checks, to drive public service vehicles and vehicles employed on State contracts as difficulties are arising in many areas, such as school transport with shortage of qualified drivers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20124/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (27 Apr 2023)

Brendan Smith: 273. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a building project (details supplied) will proceed to the next stage; if she will ensure that this project progresses as quickly as possible in view of the urgent need to provide additional accommodation at this school for the next school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20203/23]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Homes (27 Apr 2023)

Brendan Smith: 372. To ask the Minister for Health when subvention payments will be increased for nursing homes, particularly for smaller-scale nursing homes, in view of the substantial increase in costs over recent years in providing nursing-home care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20196/23]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Care Services (25 Apr 2023)

Brendan Smith: 481. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason the allowance paid in respect of children taken into care is different for a relative and a non-relative of the child; if he will agree that the preference is to keep a child within the family unit if at all possible; if he accepts that the costs for providing care by a family member or non-family...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Engagement with Department of the Taoiseach (27 Apr 2023)

Brendan Smith: First, I wholeheartedly welcome the progress report given to us by Ms O'Donoghue and commend her, Mr. Duffy and all their colleagues in the shared island unit on the great work done in a very short period of time. In the first engagement I had with the unit, I emphasised the need to engage with local authorities and highlighted that there was a huge amount of corporate memory, knowledge and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Engagement with Department of the Taoiseach (27 Apr 2023)

Brendan Smith: I have one question for Ms O'Donoghue and Mr. Duffy. Are they happy with the buy-in from all communities with regard to the shared island initiative? From my own interaction with people on both sides of the Border - I live in a Border community - there has been a very warm welcome for it. Regardless of what some people might have thought of us politically in the past, as far as I can see,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Engagement with Department of the Taoiseach (27 Apr 2023)

Brendan Smith: I thank Ms O'Donoghue. Senators McGreehan and Blaney and I were in the East Belfast Mission, in the Skainos Centre, with Linda Ervine and the great Irish-language project they have there. Most of us would know Ms Ervine over the years. They are doing excellent work. Could their fabulous initiative and work could be supported in some way? I think the Department may have funded or helped...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Engagement with Department of the Taoiseach (27 Apr 2023)

Brendan Smith: That is very welcome.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Engagement with Department of the Taoiseach (27 Apr 2023)

Brendan Smith: That is great.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Good Friday Agreement (3 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: 1. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the Queen's University Belfast conference to mark 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement. [19259/23]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Good Friday Agreement (3 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Taoiseach for his answer and his contribution at the conference. I was privileged to be present for most of the conference, which was excellent. It was inspiring to listen to those people who brought peace to our island by reaching the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. I was struck by many of the comments, particularly the contribution of former Senator George Mitchell. Two or...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Northern Ireland (3 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: 9. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the working of the shared island unit in his Department. [20374/23]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Northern Ireland (3 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: I very much welcome the success of the shared island initiative to date. I welcome the funding for a project in my constituency, namely the Ulster Canal, which will bring economic benefits to many counties in Ulster. As the Taoiseach may recall from his days at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, I have continually raised the value of developing enterprise centres and...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (4 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: There has been a welcome and much-needed increase in Government funding for the non-national road network in the last few years. Unfortunately, those increases have been more than offset due to the substantial increase in the costs of road construction and maintenance since 2021. The costs of bituminous overlay pavement products, concrete and aggregates, the main products used in roadworks,...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Funding (4 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: 54. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if additional funding will be provided for the Non-National Roads Programme for 2023, due to the very substantial increase in road maintenance and construction costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20751/23]