Results 4,861-4,880 of 18,319 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Other Questions: North-South Interconnector (14 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for his reply. He referred to the planning processes. Unfortunately, there is currently no Executive in Northern Ireland . A decision on the planning should have been made by the Minister of the Environment in Northern Ireland but, unfortunately, it was left to civil servants to make the decision to grant permission. There was complete abuse of the planning system...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Overseas Development Aid: Teagasc (14 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: We are meeting with Professor Gerry Boyle, director of Teagasc, and his colleague, Mr. Lance O'Brien, to both of whom I extend a warm welcome. We look forward to hearing their presentation on the role of Teagasc in maintaining and strengthening agricultural development and reducing hunger in under-developed countries. We will hear their opening statement before having a question and answer...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Overseas Development Aid: Teagasc (14 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: I thank Professor Boyle for his excellent presentation. It is heartening to hear about the commitment of Teagasc and its increasing role in trying to assist people in the most underdeveloped countries. We are carrying out a review of Irish Aid and one of the areas in which we will be making a recommendation to the Government is agricultural development. We will be asking the Government to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Overseas Development Aid: Teagasc (14 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: I thank Professor Boyle. We might also involve the Marine Institute. It was established about 20 years ago, and it is a very sophisticated research centre. It could help to explore all of that. As Professor Boyle suggested, it could tie in with the work of Bord Iascaigh Mhara. It is fantastic to hear that Teagasc has 240 PhD students. Every time I read the Teagasc monthly magazine, I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Overseas Development Aid: Teagasc (14 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: I thank both Professor Boyle and Dr. O'Brien for their presentation. As I said at the outset, it is gratifying to know about Teagasc's work to date, and the witnesses' commitment to increasing that work. I also recognise the fact, which I raised with the Secretary General of the Department, that the private sector and agribusiness are playing their part. We have been assured of that. I am...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Overseas Development Aid: Teagasc (14 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: Yes, I understand.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Overseas Development Aid: Teagasc (14 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: That is due to the weather.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Overseas Development Aid: Teagasc (14 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: I thank Professor Boyle. I hope that his presentation creates a greater awareness among the public at large. Indeed, it might give a fillip to some of the major Irish companies to do even more in that respect. A lot of those companies are internationally based. However, many of them were significantly aided by the State, directly and through the work of his organisation. It would be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Completion Programme (14 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: 120. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of pupils who completed the leaving certificate who commenced second level education in each of the years 2005 to 2012; the completion rates which these represent; the areas with the lowest completion rates in each of those years; the outcome of analysis undertaken on poor completion rates; and if he will make a statement...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Completion Programme (14 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: 121. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to improve supports to help students remain in school and complete the leaving certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7684/18]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Improvement Schemes (14 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: 268. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if specific funding will be allocated in 2018 for a road improvement programme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7790/18]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Improvement Schemes (14 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: 269. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to ensure that provision is made in the capital plan to provide for the upgrading of an arterial route (details supplied) in view of the importance of this route for a large portion of the Border region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7791/18]

Roads Maintenance: Motion [Private Members] (13 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: This very important motion is a matter of serious concern throughout rural Ireland. One can consider that 94% of the road network nationally comes under the classification of regional and local roads, and that network carries 54% of all traffic. Unfortunately, over the past number of years we have witnessed a deterioration in the standard of roads. Fortunately, from the late 1990s until...

Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations (13 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: 35. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if indications have been given at the EU Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers in relation to funding level for CAP post 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7113/18]

Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations (13 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: Ireland must send out a clear message it cannot countenance any reduction in the CAP budget post 2020. We all know CAP is of critical importance to farmers through direct payments. We also know those compensatory payments support our agrifood sector which has 174,000 people employed throughout the country. It is a key driver of economic activity throughout the country. We need to get...

Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations (13 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: Will the Minister outline what work is under way in maintaining and growing the strong alliances with like-minded member states that were there over the years and decades in protecting CAP and its budget. The Minister referred to the budget Commissioner's comments in respect of the multi-annual financial framework. Some detail will be available in May of this year. He also referred to the...

Other Questions: Common Agricultural Policy Negotiations (13 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: I would re-echo what the Minister has stated. There are new demands in the areas of defence and migration. Extra funding has to be raised to provide for those endeavours. CAP is of critical importance for a secure supply of safe food for the citizens of Europe. It has been spectacularly successful but it has been reduced. Unfortunately, the last reform of CAP was the first time the...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Common Agricultural Policy Reform (13 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: 78. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the outcome of recent discussions at the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers on CAP reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7112/18]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists Data (13 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: 432. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons on outpatient waiting lists awaiting eye care procedures at the end of 2016 and 2017, respectively; his plans to reduce such waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7290/18]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Provision (13 Feb 2018)

Brendan Smith: 433. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to reduce the reliance on hospital ophthalmology departments through appropriate additional community services delivered by optometrists in view of the need to reduce waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7291/18]