Results 4,261-4,280 of 18,442 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Department of Health: Traveller Community (15 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: 115. To ask the Minister for Health if additional financial resources will be allocated to address issues raised by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47478/18]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Provision (15 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: 148. To ask the Minister for Health if there have been discussions with an organisation (details supplied) on the need to improve ambulance services in areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47638/18]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Review (14 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: 85. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to introduce amendments to the tenant purchase scheme; if tenants who were allocated council houses that were provided under Part V regulations can avail of this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47078/18]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (14 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: 98. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties facing many families on low incomes that are ineligible for social housing due to the low income eligibility limits; his plans to improve the income thresholds in areas such as counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47079/18]

Financial Resolutions 2019 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (13 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the opportunity to make a contribution on the budget. I will refer to some of the concluding remarks my colleague, Deputy Kelleher, made, particularly on Brexit and what might or might not be happening with regard to a possible deal between Britain and the European Union. We sincerely hope there will be a good deal and a good outcome to the negotiations. As I have had the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Delays (13 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: 106. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if additional resources will be provided to reduce delays in the processing of carer's allowance applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46795/18]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Brexit Issues (13 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: 126. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the discussions she has had with the authorities in Northern Ireland and her counterpart in the British Government regarding the operation of the free travel scheme post Brexit; if there will be no disruption to this scheme particularly in respect of cross-Border travel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46796/18]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (13 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: 500. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to waive the cost of a driver test in cases in which an applicant needs to repeat this test and needs the licence for work or study purposes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46820/18]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (13 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: 535. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the position regarding applications for grant aid for projects (details supplied); when projects under these schemes will be finalised and approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46791/18]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Review (13 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: 639. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if amendments to the tenant purchase scheme will be introduced to enable tenants who were awarded council houses through Part V regulations to avail of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47091/18]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Review (13 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: 640. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the conditions of the tenant purchase scheme will be amended to enable tenants whose principal source of income is a payment from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and who are in a position to purchase their home through their own resources or with family support; and if he will make a statement...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Implementation Bodies: Waterways Ireland and Loughs Agency (8 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the witnesses from the two implementation bodies. Regarding Waterways Ireland, Ms Livingstone initially painted a picture of declining resources, competing demands and infrastructure that is getting older and needs investment. Thankfully, there has been a significant increase in usage of and traffic on the waterways. Waterways Ireland does not have a good revenue stream and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Implementation Bodies: Waterways Ireland and Loughs Agency (8 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: Am I correct in thinking that we cannot have a Waterways Ireland blueway along a river that is not within its navigations system?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Implementation Bodies: Waterways Ireland and Loughs Agency (8 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: That leadership would be needed for blueways where Waterways Ireland does not have its own remit.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Leader Programmes Administration (8 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: 12. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to streamline the administration of the LEADER programme nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46122/18]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Leader Programmes Administration (8 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: We have been discussing the need to minimise bureaucracy. I understand that in the past, the relevant LEADER company and the Department were the only two agencies involved in the processing and approval of LEADER projects, whereas local action groups, local community development committees, Pobal and the Department are involved at the moment. Rather than involving more agencies, we should...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Leader Programmes Administration (8 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for his response. I remember listening to public commentary from some of the people involved in administering the programmes. They spoke about the lack of consistency nationally. There are variations in the administration of schemes throughout the country. I recently heard that Article 48 checks are being taken from Pobal and given to the local authorities. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Leader Programmes Administration (8 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: All of us share the Minister's view that public money has to be put to proper use to maximise the benefit for the people on behalf of whom we work. I know that some communities which were thinking of submitting applications under this programme, and had done some preparatory work to that end, were discouraged by the required level of what they regarded as bureaucracy. The Minister and the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Leader Programmes Administration (8 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the Minister's commitment that he is willing to introduce further improvements if they are necessary.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Leader Programmes Expenditure (8 Nov 2018)

Brendan Smith: 9. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the level of expenditure committed to date under the 2014 to 2020 LEADER programme for each individual programme; the drawdown of such grant aid to date by individual programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46123/18]