Results 41-60 of 17,748 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Island Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: That is okay.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Undocumented Irish in the USA (22 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: 32. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there have been any recent discussions with the United States authorities in relation to immigration reform, with particular reference to the need to regularise the status of the undocumented Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23094/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (22 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: 85. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that teachers who are working in special education and ASD units will have access to suitable courses of particular relevance to their teaching area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23136/24]

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (21 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: 268. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if additional measures will be implemented to assist small-scale manufacturing, small-scale hospitality and small-scale retail to meet increased business costs that have occurred over recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22748/24]

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (21 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: 269. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if additional measures will be implemented to assist small and medium enterprises to meet increased business costs that have occurred over recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22747/24]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (21 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: 489. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if financial assistance would be given to farmers who do not have forest plantation and are not availing of any forestry schemes, to have ash die back trees removed as such trees are a danger to public safety due to their siting along public roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22777/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Network (16 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the final sentence of the Minister's response, where he says that he will examine ways to give more support to local authorities. That needs to be done now. I have been highlighting this issue since 2020. The incessant rainfall has done damage even to relatively good roads. Cavan and Monaghan depend heavily on the non-national road network. In County Cavan, 96% of the road...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Network (16 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: Unfortunately, the cost of construction products and energy costs have gone up dramatically.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Network (16 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: We are drumlin territory.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Network (16 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: I again appeal to the Minister to give particular consideration to the request of councils like those of Cavan and Monaghan. As he will know from the officials and from our councillors, the councils do a very good job but we have very serious problems at the minute. The incessant rainfall of the past few years, the increased cost of energy and the resultant increase in the cost of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Network (16 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: 69. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the commitment in the programme for Government to maintain the existing road network to a high standard and fund safety improvements; if he will ensure that much needed additional funding will be provided for the non-national road network in 2024 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22079/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Network (16 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: The Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, will have heard me highlight the urgent need to provide additional funding for the non-national road network in counties Cavan and Monaghan. The Minister of State and the Minister have met councillors and council officials in both counties. We took that opportunity to outline clearly to them that in view of the particular problems we...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Tánaiste for his reply and welcome the fact that this suggestion will be considered. The education and training board only uses part of that site. I cannot emphasise enough that it was the most modern barracks in Europe, officially opened in 1990. I represented Cavan-Monaghan during the bad days when this island was in the era of the Troubles. We can never overestimate...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Tánaiste. We have discussed in this House the fact that Cavan has a long and proud Army tradition. There has been stronger recruitment in areas where there is an Army barracks. Unfortunately, we are losing that attachment and that number of young people who went into the Army that we had in the past. I know the Tánaiste met some local members of the Permanent Defence...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: 9. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if further consideration will be given to the re-opening of Dún Uí Néill, Cavan, as a forward operating base as that region has a long land border with a neighbouring jurisdiction (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22083/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: 50. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if, in view of the lack of an Army barracks in the central Border area, further consideration will be given to the re-opening of Dún Uí Néill, Cavan, as an Army barracks, given the recommendation in the Commission on the Defence Forces that the structure of the Army be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: I spoke to the Tánaiste previously about the opportunity that exists to provide much-needed additional accommodation for our Army. Unfortunately, the most modern army barracks in Europe, which opened in 1990, was closed in 2012. As the Tánaiste knows, Dún Uí Néill is centrally situated in the Border region. The next Army barracks, Aiken Barracks, is to the east, in...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (16 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: 263. To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider a request for improved services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22203/24]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (16 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: 280. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will introduce specific funding provision in her Department's Estimates for the local improvement scheme in view of the long delays in having such roads brought up to a proper standard for local residents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22080/24]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (15 May 2024)

Brendan Smith: 61. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department has any view or if any formal public policy exists in relation to the role public representatives might play in the governance or management of voluntary housing bodies in the context of the positive ongoing development of the voluntary housing sector; if it is the policy to discourage public representatives...