Results 1-20 of 205 for long speaker:Duncan Smith

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (1 May 2024)

Duncan Smith: 144. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to instruct her Department to engage with Fingal County Council to provide a long-time parking solution for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19602/24]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Facilities (1 May 2024)

Duncan Smith: 278. To ask the Minister for Health the number of long-term beds which are opened in each of the community hospitals in Waterford for each of the years 2021 to 2024, in tabular form. [19651/24]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting Driver Testers: Fórsa (24 Apr 2024)

Duncan Smith: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. I also thank Mr. Creaney for coming in. I am sorry that it has taken so long to get Fórsa in. I apologise for the conflict that I have, which is unavoidable and sod's law. Fórsa has presented us with a solution to a problem that garnered national attention as we unwound out of Covid but it still has an impact on people all over the country, in...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2024)

Duncan Smith: ..., Local Government and Heritage and the Office of Public Works, in tandem with Fingal County Council, to provide further emergency coastal protection measures on Brook Beach in Portrane. There is a long-term solution for sea groynes to protect the houses and community there but it has not even gone to planning permission. We are at a critical stage, with houses on Healy's Lane, Beach...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Duncan Smith: ...motion. The Government's decision to scrap the Green Paper on Disability Reform last week was the right thing to do but it should never have been presented in the first place. It took much too long to scrap it. Activists in this area deserve much praise for the pressure they exerted on the Government. The truth of the matter is that the Government has failed to address the systemic...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Anti-Social Behaviour on Public Transport: Discussion (17 Apr 2024)

Duncan Smith: ...example to show this is a problem on many services. I fully support having a transport police service, one which, ideally, would be part of An Garda Síochána, but I am not being prescriptive as long as there is a centralised authority.

National Cancer Strategy: Motion [Private Members] (16 Apr 2024)

Duncan Smith: ...but there is uncertainty as to whether it will be operational due to staff shortages. We know that radiotherapists are stepping up to plug gaps that they should not be expected to, having now agreed to facilitate longer working days to make up for staff shortages. In some instances, they are working in excess of ten hours per day in order to facilitate and work through the ever-growing...

Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Second Stage (16 Apr 2024)

Duncan Smith: Auto-enrolment is an issue that has long been talked about. We are glad that we now have a Bill before us. We have reservations about some aspects of the more detailed elements but broadly speaking are supportive of its provisions. The impetus behind auto-enrolment is to address the pension coverage gap and to take steps towards improving the financial security of people in retirement....

Rare Diseases: Statements (6 Mar 2024)

Duncan Smith: ...plan 2014-2018 was poor. There is no reason a new plan cannot be expedited with a focus initially on the recommendations of the original plan, which went unactioned. While a new plan is important and long overdue, we cannot have a situation again where we will have a list of recommendations that go unactioned. I ask the Minister to commit to implementing as many measures as possible...

Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (27 Feb 2024)

Duncan Smith: ...by 83%, with certain CHOs experiencing an alarming threefold increase since this Government assumed office. Even more distressing is the nearly 300% surge in the number of children waiting longer than a year for a first-time appointment. This statistic is not only unacceptable, but deeply concerning given how important early intervention is in the field of mental health. We cannot...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (21 Feb 2024)

Duncan Smith: ..., this morning. I raise it again now on my behalf and on that of Deputy Kelly. The recruitment freeze is an obstacle to getting this home staffed. It needs to be staffed. We had debates about long-term residential care before, and I am sure we will do so again. Returning to the Bill, there is scope for the expansion of the role pharmacists and pharmacies play in delivering...

Healthcare Provision in Rural Communities: Motion [Private Members] (21 Feb 2024)

Duncan Smith: ...provides them with a positive and trusted gateway into the wider health service. This is people are so concerned by the fact that they cannot get access to GP services. Even when they do, they face a long wait. According to a survey carried out for the Irish Independent, two out of three GPs in rural Ireland are not taking on new patients. Some have waiting times of more than two weeks...

Paediatric Orthopaedic and Urology Services: Motion [Private Members] (20 Feb 2024)

Duncan Smith: ...Féin for tabling this motion. I welcome the children and parents in the Public Gallery who are watching the debate. Waiting lists remain a national disgrace. That has been the case for a long time. While the Government has made efforts to address them, the fact that they are so long should illustrate how those efforts have failed. Last week, the Taoiseach stated that waiting...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (14 Feb 2024)

Duncan Smith: 159. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills how long waiting lists are for ASD units in Swords; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6859/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (14 Feb 2024)

Duncan Smith: 160. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills how long waiting lists are for ASD units in Portmarnock; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6860/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (14 Feb 2024)

Duncan Smith: 161. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills how long waiting lists are for ASD units in Malahide; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6861/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (14 Feb 2024)

Duncan Smith: 162. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills how long waiting lists are for ASD units in Donabate/Portrane; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6862/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (14 Feb 2024)

Duncan Smith: 163. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills how long waiting lists are for ASD units in Kinsealy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6863/24]

Road Traffic Bill 2024: Second Stage (13 Feb 2024)

Duncan Smith: ...shows that if we have the resources, we will catch and apprehend people who are breaking the law and speeding. It is instances such as these that make legislation such as this Bill so necessary. Along with that, however, we need to see more gardaí on our roads, such as we saw on the bank holiday weekend. According to the Minister for Justice herself, road detections last year...