Results 41-60 of 18,639 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Apprenticeships: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)

Brendan Smith: My apologies. I was in the Chamber and missed the witnesses' earlier contributions, which I welcome. I have one or two questions on the issues where a lot of streamlining is needed. To the witnesses' knowledge, are the Northern Irish or British apprenticeship systems more successful more successful than ours? How are their systems working vis-à-vis ours? Mr. Talbot mentioned...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Apprenticeships: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)

Brendan Smith: We had the heads of the technological universities at the committee last week. I asked about the collaboration between the colleges of further education and the different institutes. Each representative replied that there was absolute collaboration and co-operation right through with education and training boards and the colleges of further education up to higher education. Is that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Apprenticeships: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)

Brendan Smith: I mentioned how the systems for apprenticeships and so on work in Northern Ireland and Britain. Something we should all bear in mind every day we go about our work is the need to think of the all-Ireland context. We are too small an island to ignore what is happening only a few miles away from us. I live along the Border and represent two of the southern Ulster counties so I am always...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Apprenticeships: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)

Brendan Smith: We need to be addressing them though.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Apprenticeships: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)

Brendan Smith: In the public service and in the private sector as well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Apprenticeships: Discussion (1 Oct 2025)

Brendan Smith: The witnesses also mentioned the inability of smaller scale enterprises to take on apprentices or go the apprenticeship route. I have spoken to small-scale building contractors, people providing building services or manufacturing and they are reluctant to go down route of taking on apprentices. Has any real effort been made for the sharing of the apprenticeship programme between a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Correspondence (1 Oct 2025)

Brendan Smith: 8. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will give detailed consideration to the issues outlined in correspondence from a national organisation (details supplied), in particular its ‘key recommendations’; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52216/25]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (1 Oct 2025)

Brendan Smith: 28. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will give detailed consideration to the issues raised in correspondence by a national organisation (details supplied), in particular their proposals to assist in advancing decarbonisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52332/25]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (1 Oct 2025)

Brendan Smith: 36. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will ensure a substantial financial allocation under the 2026 road works programme is provided for the further planning and design of a route (details supplied) in view of its strategic importance for the Border region and the need to upgrade this road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52622/25]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Budget 2026 (1 Oct 2025)

Brendan Smith: 40. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will consider the issues raised in correspondence by a national association (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52292/25]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Correspondence (1 Oct 2025)

Brendan Smith: 41. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will give detailed consideration to the issues raised in correspondence by a national organisation (details supplied), in particular their proposals to assist in advancing decarbonisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52339/25]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Budget 2026 (1 Oct 2025)

Brendan Smith: 43. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider the issues raised in correspondence by a national association (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52299/25]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Artists' Remuneration (1 Oct 2025)

Brendan Smith: 85. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will give further consideration to the extension of the basic income for the arts scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52548/25]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Budget 2026 (1 Oct 2025)

Brendan Smith: 156. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider the issues raised in correspondence by a national association (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52300/25]

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Petition on Reform of Pet Laws (30 Sep 2025)

Brendan Smith: I welcome our witnesses and I compliment them, as my colleagues have, on the work they are doing to highlight very important but unfortunate incidences that are happening in our country today. I recall a joint policing committee meeting in County Cavan some years ago where the dog warden made a presentation to us. Dog wardens have a huge body work to do. A lot of it is about dogs that...

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Petition on Reform of Pet Laws (30 Sep 2025)

Brendan Smith: As we know, for livestock animals, the Department of agriculture has a very sophisticated animal registration system. The minute a calf is born, it has to be registered, which is quite right. Its systems are a very important part of traceability. I understood that the idea at the time microchipping was introduced was that it would cover this.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (30 Sep 2025)

Brendan Smith: 452. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will give detailed consideration to the issues raised in correspondence regarding primary education (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51461/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (30 Sep 2025)

Brendan Smith: 460. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if approval will issue without further delay in respect of additional accommodation at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51521/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (30 Sep 2025)

Brendan Smith: 510. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will give urgent and detailed consideration to correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52041/25]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Sep 2025)

Brendan Smith: I welcome all our witnesses here today. I too am very impressed by the very positive messages the witnesses have put out about all their universities, despite the challenges they have. Those challenges are there across all sectors, particularly in relation to housing. Deputy Feighan spoke of Local Link and better transport. I visited Loughan House, Blacklion, County Cavan, with the...