Louth — week of Mon, 14 Dec — Watch Them Work

What your Louth TDs did this week

Mon, 14 Dec – 20 Dec 2020 · 5 TDs · 3 bills voted on · 50 questions · 0 new lobbying filings

Votes this week

Planning and Development Bill 2020 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages

2020-12-16 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion failed 52–80

Voted for 3 Ged Nash · Imelda Munster · Ruairí Ó Murchú

Voted against 1 Fergus O'Dowd

Did not vote 3 Erin McGreehan · Joanna Byrne · Paula Butterly

An amendment to the bill · motion failed 52–79

Voted for 3 Ged Nash · Imelda Munster · Ruairí Ó Murchú

Voted against 1 Fergus O'Dowd

Did not vote 3 Erin McGreehan · Joanna Byrne · Paula Butterly

Impact of Covid-19 Restrictions

2020-12-16 · 1 vote

An amendment to the bill · motion passed 78–59

Voted for 1 Fergus O'Dowd

Voted against 3 Ged Nash · Imelda Munster · Ruairí Ó Murchú

Did not vote 3 Erin McGreehan · Joanna Byrne · Paula Butterly

Prohibition of Sulky-Racing Bill 2018

2020-12-16 · 1 vote · Independent PMB

A bill to prohibit sulky racing where no lawful permission has been granted

Whether the bill should proceed (Second Stage) · motion failed 57–75

Voted for 3 Ged Nash · Imelda Munster · Ruairí Ó Murchú

Voted against 1 Fergus O'Dowd

Did not vote 3 Erin McGreehan · Joanna Byrne · Paula Butterly

Erin McGreehan — Fianna Fáil 0 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.

Ged Nash — Labour Party 4 votes · 20 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 20 total

Further and Higher Education 5 questions
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if student nurses who have been rejected for SUSI grants and who are unable to work outside of nursing due to Covid-19 can apply for their application to be assessed and reassessed given their changed circumstances; if this change of circumstances is being taken into account; the number of SUSI applicants who have had their application successfully reviewed on these grounds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41677/20]
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to address the proliferation of precarious and unpaid work in the academic sector as highlighted in a recent report (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some postgraduate students in a university were expected to teach as part of their postgraduate studies with no remuneration; his plans to address this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41673/20]
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has met with NPHET regarding the way to manage the return to campus-based learning in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41674/20]
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a college (details supplied) will be provided with the necessary funds to secure a permanent building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41676/20]
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has ring-fenced funding from budget 2021 for covering the cost of providing rapid testing and tracing on college campuses in the years ahead; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41675/20]
Health 4 questions
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health his views on the strategy known as zero Covid; if his Department or NPHET has carried out an analysis on the feasibility of a zero-Covid strategy; if copies of advice NPHET provided to his Department on a zero-Covid strategy will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43271/20]
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if copies of all of the correspondence between NPHET and his Department that was used to consider the move to level 5 restrictions in October 2020 will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43272/20]
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health the evidence and reasoning behind the continued closure of yoga studios when similar facilities such as gyms have reopened; if he will allow yoga studios to reopen with relevant guidelines if there is no clear evidence to the contrary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43569/20]
- 2020-12-16 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Health if he will clarify the future of Sruthan House, Dundalk, County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43670/20]
Social 3 questions
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the new youth guarantee; her plans and intended deadlines to ensure those under 29 years of age can receive an offer of employment, education, traineeship or apprenticeship within a period of four months of becoming unemployed or leaving formal education, as committed to under the new youth guarantee (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41672/20]
- 2020-12-16 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection when pandemic unemployment payment arrears will be paid to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44014/20]
- 2020-12-16 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection the deadline for return to her Department of special UP38 forms agreed with a company (details supplied) which an employee must agree with his or her employer and provide to her Department in order for potential arrears of support due to be calculated and paid; if the current deadline will be extended; if not, if a degree of flexibility will be provided given the current Covid-19-related difficulties and the short timeframe for employees to submit the respective form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44069/20]
Defence 2 questions
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Defence when the last review of his Department took place; the conclusions derived from the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43570/20]
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Defence the number of submissions received in regard to the terms of reference for the commission on defence; the submissions that called for a review of his Department and a review of the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 and for both to be included in the terms of reference of the future commission on defence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43571/20]
Justice 2 questions
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Justice when a decision will be made on an application for citizenship by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43565/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Justice if periods of interruption of employment in, for example, the hospitality sector due to Covid-19 will be held against a worker when seeking renewal of work (details supplied); if not, if it will be sufficient to establish legal employment with the same employer at the start and end of the period with a period claiming the pandemic unemployment payment in between; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44417/20]
Environment 1 question
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on the recently reported comments from an ambassador to Ireland (details supplied) that European security is heavily dependent on cyber resilience; his further views on the implications of their further statement that 30% of European cloud data is stored in Ireland; his views on whether Ireland is disproportionately responsible for Europe’s cyber resilience and thus Europe’s security; and if so, the way in which he plans to urgently strengthen Ireland’s capabilities. [43573/20]
Transport 1 question
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Transport the details of a report (details supplied) carried out in 2019 as part of the review of search and rescue services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43572/20]
Finance 1 question
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Finance the progress the Central Bank has been making in ensuring that all retail banks and payment services providers will be ready in time to implement the strong customer authentication requirements of the payment services directive 2 in time for 1 January 2021; if all retail banks will be ready in time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43426/20]
Public 1 question
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of those on the State payroll who have purchased benefit under the public service single scheme pension purchase facility in its first year of operation since 1 October 2019; the number who have purchased benefit categorised by Department, State agency or other; the reason purchase is available through lump sum payment only rather than through periodic payments as applies to earlier public service pension schemes; his plans to put in place a more user-friendly purchase facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43574/20]

Joanna Byrne — Sinn Féin 0 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.

Paula Butterly — Fine Gael 0 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.

Ruairí Ó Murchú — Sinn Féin 4 votes · 11 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 11 total

Enterprise 3 questions
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the current financial supports available to a business (details supplied) that operates in this jurisdiction but whose headquarters are in Northern Ireland. [43451/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the details of the engagement his Department has had with a representative association (details supplied) regarding the Covid restriction support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43686/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the supports that have been made available to artists in the design and crafts industry during the Covid-19 pandemic. [44158/20]
Health 2 questions
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health the details of his engagements with the National and Midwifery Board of Ireland regarding the annual retention fee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41793/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Health the number of children waiting for scoliosis treatment and surgery; the wait time for same; his plans to ensure no child is waiting while their health deteriorates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44579/20]
Environment 2 questions
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is considering plans to extend the broadband connection points programme to additional primary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44576/20]
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans to ensure the Commission for Communications Regulation has adequate powers to ensure a decent standard of care for customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44580/20]
Further and Higher Education 1 question
- 2020-12-15 Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the engagements his Department has had with Dundalk IT regarding its pathway to technological university status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41792/20]
Taoiseach 1 question
- 2020-12-16 Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach the details of his engagements with the UK Prime Minister on the shared island unit and the commitments made. [41790/20]
Tourism 1 question
- 2020-12-16 Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the current financial supports available to a business (details supplied) that operates in this jurisdiction but whose headquarters are in Northern Ireland. [43763/20]
Education 1 question
- 2020-12-17 Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to glitches regarding the Bus Éireann online system for the school transport scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44577/20]