Cavan-Monaghan — week of Mon, 31 Jan

What your Cavan-Monaghan TDs did this week

Mon, 31 Jan – 6 Feb 2022 · 5 TDs · 3 bills voted on · 98 questions · 0 new lobbying filings

Votes this week

Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages

2022-02-02 · 1 vote

An amendment to the bill · motion failed 54–76

Voted for 2 Matt Carthy · Pauline Tully

Voted against 3 Brendan Smith · Heather Humphreys · Niamh Smyth

Did not vote 2 Cathy Bennett · David Maxwell

Sea-Fisheries (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages

2022-02-02 · 2 votes

An amendment to the bill · motion failed 54–75

Voted for 2 Matt Carthy · Pauline Tully

Voted against 3 Brendan Smith · Heather Humphreys · Niamh Smyth

Did not vote 2 Cathy Bennett · David Maxwell

The motion · motion passed 74–52

Voted for 3 Brendan Smith · Heather Humphreys · Niamh Smyth

Voted against 2 Matt Carthy · Pauline Tully

Did not vote 2 Cathy Bennett · David Maxwell

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

2022-02-01 · 1 vote

The motion · motion passed 26–18

Voted against 1 Pauline Tully

Did not vote 5 Brendan Smith · Cathy Bennett · David Maxwell · Matt Carthy · Niamh Smyth

Brendan Smith — Fianna Fáil 3 votes · 11 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 11 total

Taoiseach 2 questions
- 2022-02-02 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Brexit and Northern Ireland will meet next. [4741/22]
- 2022-02-02 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the priorities of the Shared Island Unit for 2022. [5190/22]
Social 2 questions
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the proposals there are to improve the criteria for the free fuel allowance in cases in which a family member may return to live with a parent who normally resides on their own and is in receipt of the free fuel allowance on a temporary basis due to housing or domestic difficulties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5364/22]
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures that will be implemented to further reduce the timescale for the finalisation of appeals in the social welfare appeals office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5363/22]
Children 2 questions
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total capital spend in 2021 in providing grant aid to assist in the upgrading of existing childcare facilities and the provision of new facilities; the level of funding allocated for 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5405/22]
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he plans to improve the level of grant aid available in 2022 towards the provision of new childcare accommodation and the upgrading of existing facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5406/22]
Education 1 question
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that the views of students are taken into account in finalising arrangements for the 2022 leaving certificate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4824/22]
Foreign 1 question
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the outcome of his discussions with the Russian Ambassador and at the European Union Foreign Affairs Council in relation to the proposed Russian naval exercises in February 2022 off the south west coast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4241/22]
Health 1 question
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the programme of works that will be undertaken with the recent allocation of funding in respect of the development of healthcare facilities (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4534/22]
Public 1 question
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if assistance can be provided by the OPW to the relevant local authority in order that maintenance and cleaning work will be carried out on a stretch of river (details supplied) in view of increasing incidents of major flooding on an annual basis and the resultant threat to animal welfare and road safety due to serious flooding on the local road network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5731/22]
Justice 1 question
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice the progress to date in implementing recommendations 9, 11 and 36 of the Report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality on Reform of the Family Law System; the expected timeline for the introduction of such changes as recommended by the Oireachtas Committee; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5669/22]

Cathy Bennett — Sinn Féin 0 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.

David Maxwell — Fine Gael 0 votes · 0 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Quiet week — no questions filed or new lobbying returns.

Matt Carthy — Sinn Féin 3 votes · 48 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 48 total

Agriculture 21 questions
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board has published reports to date with regard to equine anti-doping further to the report of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine on Horse Racing in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4491/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board plans to publish the commissioned audit of Irish racing’s anti-doping procedures further to the report of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine on Horse Racing in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4492/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the timeline for commissioning an independent expert to work with all suppliers to ascertain the level of horticultural peat stocks available to growers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4493/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the intended timeline to commission experts on planning to provide free advice to those wishing to achieve regulatory compliance for the extraction of horticultural peat on sub-30 hectare bogs for supply to the domestic horticulture industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4494/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the consideration that has been given to providing supports to the seed potato sector due to issues arising from Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4542/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 806 of 14 December 2021, if his Department considered dedicated supports for small dairy farmers given that 1,888 or 12% of dairy farms have a family farm income of less than €20,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4543/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 322 of 20 January 2022, the appropriate solutions to the increased input costs and sustained nature of the difficulties being experienced on the pigment sector that he advocated to be rapidly deployed at the recent European Union Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4544/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress that has been made in securing certified seed potato for the 2022 and subsequent planting seasons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4545/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the tonnage of seed potato imported by country in each of the years 2017 to 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4546/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the existing targets for seed potato production; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4547/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the expected increased production of the rooster variety of seed potato arising from that variety no longer having plant breeder rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4548/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his proposals to further invest in the seed potato sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4549/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the results of the exploration of pathways to encourage earlier finishing of beef animals as per action 315 of the Climate Action Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4891/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the average age of beef cattle slaughtered by quarter and by year in each of the years 2010 to date in tabular form. [4892/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farms on which poultry was culled arising from recent outbreak of bird flu by county; if compensation has been paid to the farmers affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4893/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the reported kill numbers at European Union approved slaughter plants originating in controlled finishing units represent exact or estimated figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4896/22]
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has considered a grant scheme open to all farmers and farm contractors to assist with the purchase of low-emission slurry spreading equipment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5518/22]
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the hectarage of Coillte forestry in 2021; the hectarage of same that represented new afforestation; the percentage of each which is broadleaf; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5519/22]
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the expected timeline on the proposed payment to a group of farmers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5520/22]
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 690 of 25 January 2022, if a mechanism exists within the contract of the new Chief Executive Officer of Horse Racing Ireland which could provide for a reduction in the salary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5521/22]
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the basis on which it was decided that the salary of the new Chief Executive Officer of Horse Racing Ireland would provide for a single salary point rather than consisting of phased increments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5522/22]
Health 7 questions
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on plans regarding the €3 million funding for the development of specialist palliative care inpatient units in north east Drogheda and Cavan and Tullamore, County Offaly that was announced by his Department in December 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4446/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the status of €1 million funding announced in Budget 2022 to be assigned to Tullamore, County Offaly, the north east, Drogheda, County Louth and County Cavan to allow for work to begin on the design and build of specialist palliative care inpatient units. [4498/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the policy on the minimum number of specialist palliative care inpatient units by smallest geographic unit or CHO area; if any such area does not currently meet this threshold; the timelines to resolve such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4499/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the number of patients waiting for audiology appointments per CHO and former LHO by quarter during 2021 and to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4540/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health his plans to address the backlog in audiology appointments in counties Cavan and Monaghan; when he expects the backlog to be cleared; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4541/22]
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health the reason the salary of the Secretary General of his Department was increased from €292,000 to €294,920; the basis on which the increase was calculated; if a Department, agency, or unit thereof was consulted in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5526/22]
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if his approval was required prior to the delivery of an increase in the salary of the Secretary General of his Department from €292,000 to €294,920; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5527/22]
Environment 4 questions
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of new premises available to order and passed under the national broadband plan; the number of new premises available to pre-order; the number of connections to date, by month, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4495/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the intended timelines with regard to the publication of expert guidance on the regulation of peat extraction in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4496/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has had engagements with Bord na Móna on the provision of access to extraction equipment or mixing plant to the commercial peat extraction for the horticultural use sector in the State; the timeline for implementing same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4497/22]
- 2022-02-02 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 169 of 19 January 2022, if he will provide the number of completed connections and premises passed in each county and in each month of 2021 under the National Broadband Plan in tabular form given that the question did not receive an adequate response. [5266/22]
Public 4 questions
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the expected timeframe for a panel transfer to counties Cavan and Monaghan for a person (details supplied); the steps taken to ensure the appropriate recruitment sequencing has been followed at phase 1 level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4915/22]
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a mechanism exists by which a Departmental employee may claim salary which had previously been unpaid, deferred, gifted to the State or in any other manner voluntarily not received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5523/22]
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason the salary of the Secretary General of the Department of Health was increased from €292,000 to €294,920; the basis on which the increase was calculated; if a Department, agency or unit thereof was consulted in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5524/22]
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his approval was required prior to the delivery of an increase in the salary of the Secretary General of the Department of Health from €292,000 to €294,920; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5525/22]
Education 2 questions
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education if she will report on her efforts to ensure that all students who have been deemed eligible for school transport, including those that missed the original payment deadline will be facilitated with places on school buses. [4622/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education if she will abandon the proposed changes to the leaving certificate Irish curriculum considering that it would discriminate against students who attend education through the Irish language medium; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4623/22]
Enterprise 2 questions
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of IDA supported companies based in County Monaghan; the year that each was established in County Monaghan; the number of employees employed in each in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4369/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of IDA site visits in each county in each of the years 2012 to 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4372/22]
Social 2 questions
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection if call-in facilities for community welfare services will be provided at Ballybay, Clones, Castleblayney, Carrickmacross and Monaghan town, County Monaghan on a weekly basis in 2022. [4898/22]
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made on the Programme for Government commitment to conduct a review of the means test disregards for farm assist with a view to better rewarding farmers who avail of the scheme for their enterprise. [4897/22]
Children 2 questions
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to improve the pay and conditions of professionals in the childcare sector. [4894/22]
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress that has been made in relation to implementing the report of the advisory group on the provision of support including accommodation to persons in the international protection process. [4895/22]
Transport 2 questions
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Transport if the allocation in Budget 2022 to provide reduced fares for 19 to 23 year olds is intended to provide for reduced fares on commercial public service obligation operators and commercial non-public service obligation operators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5529/22]
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Transport if the National Transport Authority considers employee pay and conditions as a part of the process of awarding tenders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5530/22]
Taoiseach 1 question
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Taoiseach the number of persons who live in County Monaghan whose place of employment is in another county. [4378/22]
Finance 1 question
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Finance the number and value of voluntary salary and pension surrenders for 2020 and 2021, by Department in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4539/22]

Niamh Smyth — Fianna Fáil 3 votes · 23 questions · 0 new lobbying returns

Questions asked 23 total

Education 5 questions
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education the strategy to prevent and tackle bullying in schools, including plans to engage with relevant stakeholders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4667/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education her strategy to ensure that gender-based violence is addressed as part of the school curriculum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4666/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education if an urgent review will be carried out in relation to the case of a person (details supplied); if the application will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4865/22]
- 2022-02-02 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education if an additional accommodation scheme application by a school (details supplied) will be reviewed; the status of the application; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the application is linked to another major project for the school that has already received approval; if approval for the second application will be expedited given the delay being caused to works; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5250/22]
- 2022-02-02 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education if she will review correspondence (details supplied); and if she will address these concerns and provide an update on this matter. [5297/22]
Health 4 questions
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health the status of the plans regarding the €3 million funding for the development of specialist palliative care inpatient units in the north east, that is, Drogheda and Cavan and Tullamore, County Offaly that was announced by his Department in December 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4349/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if he will urgently review the maximum reimbursement levels for orthopaedic surgery under the Cross Border Directive; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many families are getting into debt due to vast differences in price north and south of the Border for these procedures (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4377/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if the case of a person (details supplied) will be urgently reviewed; if a name change on a certificate will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5072/22]
- 2022-02-02 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if he will review the case of a person (details supplied); if he will expedite this appointment as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5264/22]
Taoiseach 2 questions
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Covid-19 will meet next. [61983/21]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on education will next meet. [4811/22]
Finance 2 questions
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Finance the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4575/22]
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Finance the status of a review of an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4993/22]
Environment 2 questions
- 2022-02-02 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of the National Broadband Plan roll-out in area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5196/22]
- 2022-02-02 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of an Eircode application made by a person (details supplied); if he will ensure it is on the list to be released in February 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5272/22]
Social 2 questions
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection her strategy to address the proposal to remove the exemption to pay PRSI on supplementary pension income, occupational and personal pensions and public sector pensions, as contained in the report of the Commission on Pensions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5384/22]
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on whether credit unions and other financial institutions should be able to accept the public services card as one of a number of possible identification documents for opening of an account; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5385/22]
Children 2 questions
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his Department’s position on the fact that there is only one intake per year for the ECCE scheme some children can only avail of one year due to their birth date; his plans to return to two intakes per year to ensure a just system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5435/22]
- 2022-02-03 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress of the Tusla review of the provision of accommodation for victims of domestic violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5436/22]
Transport 1 question
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Transport the status of the youth public discount card scheme announced in budget 2022; the criteria and the application process involved for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4354/22]
Foreign 1 question
- 2022-02-01 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will review a passport application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4737/22]
Tourism 1 question
- 2022-02-02 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the status of an application by a club (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5255/22]
Defence 1 question
- 2022-02-02 Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Defence if he will review correspondence and address the concerns raised by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5274/22]