Results 161-180 of 3,820 for speaker:Brendan Smith in 'Dáil debates'

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...

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

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for his reply. He is probably well aware of the initiative of the Louth & Meath Education and Training Board, LMETB, particularly led by Mr. Martin O'Brien as chief executive. It will be rolling out a specific course in the whole area of cyber information technology and also cyber operational technology for manufactures. I want to compliment our colleague in...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: Unfortunately, there are long delays in Cavan-Monaghan for children with additional needs or disabilities obtaining therapies such as occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and physiotherapy. We all know the importance of having early interventions to support a child with a specific health needs, but, unfortunately, this is not happening sufficiently. There are particular...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: As a public representative during very bad years in this country, during the era known as the Troubles, I was very conscious of the great work of the emergency services in the Border region, including An Garda Síochána, during the most difficult of times. The Minister referred earlier to the threat from some dissidents and that is still around. There are unique policing demands in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: The Minister mentioned additional civilian staff, which we appreciate. My understanding is that some of the operating chief superintendents and the superintendents who were actually out there in uniform meeting the people, will be going to back-office jobs, when I think we need more engagement. Over the years, in the two counties that I have had the privilege of representing, I always saw...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: 10. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he is satisfied that the present Garda Síochána structures are adequate and sufficiently responsive to meet the security needs of communities, particularly in the Border region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25050/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: As the Minister is aware, a new Garda operating model was introduced in early 2019 on a pilot basis. The model proposes to reduce the number of Garda divisions from 28 to 19. It will not be a suitable configuration for the Border region. It is proposed that Cavan, Monaghan and Louth would be amalgamated into one Garda division with the chief superintendent based in Drogheda. It is a long...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (25 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: I very much welcome the fact that the Minister of State spoke about the importance of the work of Safe Ireland and Tearmann at a local level in Cavan-Monaghan. I welcome the partnership that will be established with those groups. I commend officials in all the statutory agencies referred to by the Minister of State in his initial reply who are involved in advance of this project. I know...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (25 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: 7. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date in providing a refuge centre in counties Cavan and Monaghan for victims of domestic abuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25049/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (25 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: As the Minister of State is aware, the Government's third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, DSGBV, commits to doubling the number of refuge spaces. That ambitious strategy is very welcome. My counties of Cavan and Monaghan are two of the counties that do not have a domestic violence refuge centre, so I am very anxious that such provision be advanced as quickly...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (25 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister of State for his detailed reply. I am glad he mentioned that priority is being attached to the provision of a refuge centre in Cavan-Monaghan. I also welcome the fact he referred to the very important work of Safe Ireland and the Tearmann domestic abuse service in Cavan-Monaghan. They do excellent work dealing with people in a very vulnerable position. Unfortunately,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: An Garda Síochána (24 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: 26. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [23216/23]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (24 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: 13. To ask the Taoiseach when his Department will publish a new Strategy Statement. [23215/23]

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: Despite increases in Government funding over the past few years for the non-national road network, county councillors will be unable to carry out as comprehensive annual programmes as they had planned. This is due to the enormous increase in the costs of road maintenance and road construction products over the past 18 months. In any mid-year review of the capital programme, the Government...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: Next Wednesday marks the 49th anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings when 33 innocent people were murdered and hundreds badly injured. That day, 17 May 1974, was the darkest day of all during the era known as the Troubles when unfortunately, there were many bad days on this island with so much loss of life and suffering. Very regrettably nobody has been brought to justice for those...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (4 May 2023)

Brendan Smith: There has been a welcome and much-needed increase in Government funding for the non-national road network in the last few years. Unfortunately, those increases have been more than offset due to the substantial increase in the costs of road construction and maintenance since 2021. The costs of bituminous overlay pavement products, concrete and aggregates, the main products used in roadworks,...