Results 2,521-2,540 of 18,442 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (6 May 2021)

Brendan Smith: 276. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when decisions will be made on the 2021 community development pilot programme applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23593/21]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (5 May 2021)

Brendan Smith: 64. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to improve income eligibility limits for social housing in counties Cavan and Monaghan given that the existing limits are much too low at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22857/21]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (5 May 2021)

Brendan Smith: 66. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when income eligibility limits for social housing will be increased in counties Cavan and Monaghan in which existing limits are far too low at present and unrealistic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22856/21]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (5 May 2021)

Brendan Smith: 287. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to reduce the 10% deposit requirement for the Rebuilding Ireland home loan given that this is causing serious difficulty for potential applicants who have high rental costs at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22793/21]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (5 May 2021)

Brendan Smith: 673. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if grant aid will be made available for small scale poultry businesses which were totally dependent on selling their product to the hospitality sector pre-Covid-19 and have lost such market for the past 14 months; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that such enterprises are unable to avail of Covid-19 business supports due...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Northern Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (4 May 2021)

Brendan Smith: Thank you, Chairman. My colleague, Senator Blaney, is trying to connect to the meeting. I welcome the contributions of Professors FitzGerald and Morgenroth. It is great to have them with us for this discussion. Professor FitzGerald gave a very impressive statistic on early school-leavers and the success we have had in this State in reducing considerably the percentage of pupils who leave...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Northern Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (4 May 2021)

Brendan Smith: Both Professor FitzGerald and Professor Morgenroth referred to the fact that students who leave the likes of Cavan, Monaghan and other rural counties and go to college in Dublin, Cork, Galway or wherever do not, by and large, return to the areas where they came from. Could there be merit in more third level courses being delivered locally through the colleges of further education? Sadly,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Northern Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (4 May 2021)

Brendan Smith: To go back to an initial comment I made, I referenced the six implementation bodies that were established as part of the Good Friday Agreement. There are six other areas for co-operation. Would Professor FitzGerald or Professor Morgenroth see merit in a seventh implementation body being established in the area of further and higher education and innovation to give a structure to the type of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Facilities (29 Apr 2021)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister of State for her reply. While I welcome the facts that she laid out, the additional funding will not be transformative enough to reduce the waiting lists dramatically. That is the sad reality. As Deputy Cahill alluded, and speaking as a former patient myself, the ethos in Cappagh hospital is one of can do, will do. It wants to carry out more procedures and treat...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Facilities (29 Apr 2021)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Ceann Comhairle very much for giving us the opportunity to discuss this very important issue. The National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh treats patients from all over our country for a broad range of orthopaedic conditions. The hospital has worked very hard over the years to improve access to treatment and to increase patient numbers. In Cavan-Monaghan and the neighbouring...

Covid-19, Mental Health and Older People: Statements (29 Apr 2021)

Brendan Smith: I join colleagues in extending my heartiest congratulations to the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and her husband. As we know, Covid has presented myriad challenges and difficulties for the past 15 months. Once the virus is suppressed, there will be many other problems and legacy issues to be addressed. We must now put in place the necessary supports. People of all age groups losing their...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (29 Apr 2021)

Brendan Smith: 156. To ask the Minister for Health if additional capacity will be provided without further delay at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh in view of delays in persons being assessed and having orthopaedic procedures carried out; if his attention has been drawn to the long waiting times for paediatric orthopaedics resulting in children not receiving interventions in a timely manner; and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (29 Apr 2021)

Brendan Smith: 157. To ask the Minister for Health if additional capacity will be provided to reduce waiting lists for treatment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22552/21]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourism Project Funding (28 Apr 2021)

Brendan Smith: Recently I had the opportunity to attend the launch of the tourism master plan for Shannon which, again, will promote the Hidden Heartlands. The whole river master plan for the Shannon region clearly demonstrates the opportunities and potential to grow tourism in many counties. I compliment Waterways Ireland, along with all the local authorities through which the River Shannon flows, for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourism Project Funding (28 Apr 2021)

Brendan Smith: 60. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the level of funding provided for Fáilte Ireland’s Platform for Growth Programme in 2021; the indicative allocations for subsequent years; when the next projects will be approved under this programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21933/21]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourism Project Funding (28 Apr 2021)

Brendan Smith: The Minister mentioned earlier that substantial funding would be made available for the Platforms for Growth investment programme. It is very welcome. I sincerely hope that Fáilte Ireland is assessing the application. It can give particular consideration to places where there had been underinvestment in the past due to no fault of those areas. Where the Minister and I come from,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourism Project Funding (28 Apr 2021)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for her reply. I very much welcome the fact that we will have €150 million in that particular programme over the next few short years. Our tourism product is quite rightly sold on an all-Ireland basis. We want to develop the tourism product on an all-Ireland basis with more cross-Border tourism products. As a member of Government in January 2009, I had the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourism Project Funding (28 Apr 2021)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the commitment that there will be decisions next month. Cavan County Council did excellent work in preparing this application. Councillor John Paul Feeley has strongly advocated for the development of such facilities and I am glad to have supported his work on this project. The overall cost of the project is €6.6 million, with the council providing €1.7 million of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourism Project Funding (28 Apr 2021)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the Minister's comments. I fully agree with her in regard to the potential in both Cavan and Monaghan for further tourism development, increased economic activity and the creation of much-needed employment. The Shannon master plan is very welcome. Key to the successful implementation of this strategy is the development of new amenities and attractions. The boardwalk trail on the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourism Project Funding (28 Apr 2021)

Brendan Smith: 57. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when a tourism project (details supplied) will be given further consideration for funding under Fáilte Ireland’s Platforms for Growth programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21934/21]