Results 81-100 of 3,820 for in 'Dáil debates' speaker:Brendan Smith

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (14 Dec 2023)

Brendan Smith: 7. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when approval will issue in respect of TAMS applications relating to animal welfare-related investments and the construction of slurry and manure storage facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55733/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (14 Dec 2023)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the fact the Minister issued a statement recently about approvals for TAMS. I note there have been delays with TAMS and I very much welcome the issue of approvals. It is important to get approvals under way as quickly as possible. I am particularly anxious those approvals would be issued where people have applied for accommodation in respect of animal welfare issues and the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (14 Dec 2023)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for the reply and the progress he is making with TAMS. I understand why he would have a closing date tomorrow in regard to tranche 2. Planners have been under extreme pressure because of the number of schemes and, unfortunately, some may be caught who have not submitted applications. I understand at the same time that the Minister wants to get to the next cohort of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Agriculture Schemes (14 Dec 2023)

Brendan Smith: I very much welcome the Minister's confirmation that he is considering the dribble bar. In my own territory - we all are more familiar with our own constituencies than elsewhere - farmers want to invest but there are big costs involved. It should be borne in mind the difficulty that will arise for those now with 150 kg N/ha and that they have to invest in particular machinery and may not be...

Ceisteanna - Questions: British-Irish Co-operation (12 Dec 2023)

Brendan Smith: 14. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the recent meeting of the British-Irish Council. [53188/23]

Ceisteanna - Questions: British-Irish Co-operation (12 Dec 2023)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. Will the Taoiseach update us on the Government's consideration of the despicable legislation on legacy issues that was enacted by the British Parliament. As we in this House all know, that legislation has no regard whatsoever for the victims of so many heinous crimes perpetrated by paramilitary organisations and by some members of the British state...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Dec 2023)

Brendan Smith: I also want to raise the delay in payments for some participants in ACRES. As we know, it is a very important environmental scheme and helps to compensate farmers for costs incurred in carrying out additional environmental measures. Farmers in the scheme have carried out those tasks and considerable costs have been incurred. The importance of the scheme is illustrated very clearly, with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Waterways Ireland (7 Dec 2023)

Brendan Smith: 13. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the measures that will be implemented at an early date to progress the proposal to extend the Shannon navigation from Lough Allen, County Leitrim, to Dowra, County Cavan, in view of the substantial preparatory work carried out on the project some years ago and the benefits of such a development for the upper Shannon region;...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Waterways Ireland (7 Dec 2023)

Brendan Smith: As the Minister of State knows, the River Shannon rises at the Shannon Pot in the Cuilcagh Mountains in County Cavan. It is a massive national and natural resource for our country. A huge part of that waterway is now navigable, making it a massive tourist and recreational amenity for our own people and visitors to our country. As the Minister of State will know from the files in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Waterways Ireland (7 Dec 2023)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister of State sincerely for his positive response and welcome that this project is being actively looked at again. I hope the environmental impact statement and other associated preparatory studies will be successful. Our local councillor in that area, Councillor John Paul Feeley, and I worked extremely hard to get investment at the Shannon Pot. Fortunately, through the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Waterways Ireland (7 Dec 2023)

Brendan Smith: As I said, Councillor Feeley and I advocated very strongly for investment in the tourism project that is the broader Cuilcagh area. Many years ago, in the early nineties, I was involved in the restoration of what was then the Ballyconnell-Ballinamore canal to make it the Erne-Shannon waterway. Great credit is due to Waterways Ireland, and the Office of Public Works before it, for restoring...

Ceisteanna - Questions: National Economic and Social Council (6 Dec 2023)

Brendan Smith: Thankfully, the all-Ireland economy has developed very strongly since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in April 1998. Businesses have developed on a cross-Border basis; trade has strengthened North-South and east-west; and enterprises have developed on an all-Ireland basis as well. It is very important that in planning for further expansion of the all-Ireland economy, we are mindful...

Ceisteanna - Questions: National Economic and Social Council (6 Dec 2023)

Brendan Smith: -----the central Border region. This is a region that does not have major urban centres or a third level institute so it is particularly important we plan for the areas that are not as developed as the major urban areas.

Ceisteanna - Questions: National Economic and Social Council (6 Dec 2023)

Brendan Smith: 16. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council, a statutory agency operating under the aegis of his Department. [53189/23]

Estimates for Public Services 2023: Programme for Government (5 Dec 2023)

Brendan Smith: 6. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [52547/23]

Estimates for Public Services 2023: Programme for Government (5 Dec 2023)

Brendan Smith: The Taoiseach may recall that there was a commitment in the programme for Government in 2020 to provide additional supports for SMEs and also to scale up Microfinance Ireland so it could support greater numbers of small businesses and start-ups in accessing finance. We all know that energy costs are killing some businesses. Small enterprises in hospitality and small retail businesses are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Schools Amalgamation (30 Nov 2023)

Brendan Smith: 73. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a school application will be approved (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52741/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Schools Amalgamation (30 Nov 2023)

Brendan Smith: The boards of management of St. Mary's Boys' National School and the Convent of Mercy National School in Belturbet, County Cavan, submitted a well-researched and detailed proposal to the Minister's Department seeking approval to amalgamate the schools and have a new school provided on an identified suitable site owned by the parish within the town. Both aspects of this proposal need to be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Schools Amalgamation (30 Nov 2023)

Brendan Smith: I am glad the Minister has confirmed the Department is assessing the application. I do not want an amalgamation proposal to be approved for the schools to operate from the existing sites. That would defeat the purpose of the exercise. I compliment the Minister on the excellent school building programme she has had in place for the past three and a half years. My constituency,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Schools Amalgamation (30 Nov 2023)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister. As she will know from having visited Cavan and being familiar with the area, unfortunately Belturbet has suffered terribly over decades. There were bombs there and people were killed. The town suffered immeasurably. Thankfully, we are now in a new era in areas like Cavan and Monaghan. I welcome that the population of Belturbet showed a substantial increase in the...