Results 141-160 of 3,817 for in 'Dáil debates' speaker:Brendan Smith

A5 Route Upgrade: Motion [Private Members] (4 Jul 2023)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister of State for giving me some time. I endorse the Minister of State's comments. I was glad to accompany him in County Monaghan to meet members of the A5 Enough is Enough committee, where they outlined in great detail the concerns of the local community throughout County Tyrone and of people who traverse that road going to the north west. Whenever I drive that road, I...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Northern Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: 1. To ask the Taoiseach for a report on the shared island dialogue on education systems and connecting communities. [30080/23]

Ceisteanna - Questions: British-Irish Co-operation (27 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: 14. To ask the Taoiseach for a report on his attendance at the British-Irish Council summit in Jersey. [30081/23]

Ceisteanna - Questions: British-Irish Co-operation (27 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: 17. To ask the Taoiseach to report on any recent discussions he has had with the British Prime Minister. [30942/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fiscal Policy (22 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for his response. We are of course all very glad to have healthy public finances and long may that continue. I am glad the Minister referred to demographics and also infrastructure, especially in his remarks of a moment ago. We hear about the pressure from a demographic point of view due to people growing older, which is always welcome. When delivering public...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fiscal Policy (22 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for his further response. He will recall that in our parliamentary party’s discussions on infrastructure the point has often been made that delayed investment frequently costs the State far more, so when the public finances are in a position to provide capacity to do more as a State then that is the time we should be doing it. The road network is of critical...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fiscal Policy (22 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: I heard the Minister speak some time ago about the need to consider providing for future budgetary demands apart from the annual budgetary cycle. We all know that international events can impact very adversely and quickly on the economic health of a country. Not long ago, we all thought we would not have a war in Europe again. We know the devastating impact and loss of life the savage war...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: Something I would say in response to Deputy Tóibín is that nobody should talk about reconfiguring the structures of Stormont until the Executive and Assembly are restored. If we go down the route of trying to bring about changes now, we would get into even more deep difficulty. All of us in the House want to see the institutions back and fully functioning representing the people....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: 7. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Brexit and Northern Ireland will next meet. [29758/23]

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: I have raised the devastating impact illegal drugs are having on individuals, families and communities right across our country in this House on many occasions. In February, I was very glad that the Minister, Deputy Harris, in response to my parliamentary questions, outlined that new legislative measures would be introduced. He referred to specific provisions including an increase in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (14 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: 4. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the Government's response to Ireland's Competitiveness Challenge 2022. [26404/23]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Economic Policy (14 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: In rural areas, in particular, one of the challenges facing businesses and enterprise in general is inadequate infrastructure. In my constituency of Cavan-Monaghan, most businesses are indigenous and home-grown. Some of those enterprises started as one-person businesses and are now international companies with their headquarters remaining in Cavan and Monaghan. In my area, the agrifood...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cross-Border Co-operation (13 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: 23. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the shared island dialogue all-island women's forum civic initiative. [26403/23]

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cross-Border Co-operation (13 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: Of course, the shared island initiative is very welcome in many strata of society both North and South, and I have been very glad over recent months to attend a number of events both North and South to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. At a British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly commemoration held at Stormont in early March, a number of speakers from the former women's...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (13 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: 16. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the national reform programme for the European semester recently published by his Department. [26402/23]

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: Since the end of last year there has been improvement in substantially reducing the waiting times for driving tests at the Cavan centre. Unfortunately, once again there is a concern that we may see waiting times increase. Driving instructors believe that not enough driving testers have been rostered for work in the Cavan centre for June and July. Those two months are particularly important...

Report on the Good Friday Agreement: Motion (1 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: I welcome this debate. Like Deputy Conway-Walsh, I compliment the Cathaoirleach of our committee, Deputy O’Dowd, on his work. I also compliment Deputy Conway-Walsh and all our other colleagues on the committee. There is one word I would use about the Good Friday Agreement, that being, "transformative". I say that as a person who grew up in a Border community, as a public...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (1 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister. Some time ago, I had the opportunity to visit the new South West College in Enniskillen, which has an enormous catchment area in Tyrone and Fermanagh. The college was developing an innovative cybersecurity course. There are opportunities in that area for us to collaborate and ensure a good presence of such courses throughout the country. We are all aware of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (1 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: 89. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied that sufficient courses in cybersecurity are available in the further and higher education sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26397/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (1 Jun 2023)

Brendan Smith: Cybersecurity and the protection of IT systems, data systems and communication networks are vitally important to the economy and all of society. The trend towards an increase in the use of digital and cloud technologies in both the public and private sectors has been under way for some time. As we all know, however, Covid-19 has accelerated this trend, transforming much of how we live and...