Results 4,801-4,820 of 9,930 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Modern Language Teaching (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 38. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the modern languages strategy; and his further views on whether the reform of the teaching of modern languages is not being given enough priority in education policy and that his Department has no strategy for improving language skills, particularly at primary level. [24664/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology Funding (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 59. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether the level of capital investment in institutes of technology is adequate; the progress being made to address the significant capital shortfall and infrastructure deficits which exist across the sector; and his views on best way in which to remedy these. [24665/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Qualifications Recognition (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 68. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the treatment of pharmacy students in Trinity College, Dublin, UCD and RCSI whose degrees have been changed and as a result they now have to pay Masters degree level fees for their final year tuition and have to undergo an unpaid placement rather than a paid placement in their final year; if he was consulted...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Administration (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 72. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason data on junior certificate retention rates by school, junior certificate exam results aggregated to school level and or leaving certificate retention rates by school were not used to identify post-primary schools that had high levels of disadvantage for the DEIS identification process; and the further reason he is of the view it is...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services Provision (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 228. To ask the Minister for Health the current waiting time for a person in County Meath to access a psychiatric consultant. [24896/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services Provision (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 229. To ask the Minister for Health if it is common practice for a person who has presented to a hospital experiencing a mental health crisis to be sent home despite having a general practitioner's referral; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24897/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Procedures (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 230. To ask the Minister for Health his views on whether serious flaws exist within the hospital system for persons that present with mental health difficulties. [24898/17]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Inspectorate Reports (23 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 70. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when the review of Garda districts as promised under the programme for Government will be published. [24328/17]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (23 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 83. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the way in which she proposes to ensure Garda numbers are increased in County Meath. [24329/17]

Questions on Promised Legislation (17 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: The programme for Government makes a commitment to deliver a school capital programme. Land costs is a cross-government issue. I am glad the State is taking an interest in Dublin 6 and providing schools in that area, which is important for the children of the area, but I am deeply concerned by media reports of the cost of the land in Harold's Cross as €23 million. This is almost the...

Questions on Promised Legislation (17 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: Little old ladies getting their inheritance before they die is not fraud. They are afraid of their lives.

Equal Participation in Schools Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Solidarity-PBP for bringing forward this legislation. It is a welcome reminder of the need to do something about this issue. While I agree that there is an issue there that must be solved, Fianna Fáil cannot, unfortunately, support the Bill because, like a great deal of what Solidarity-PBP produces, it goes way too far. By going to the heart of the ethos of a school, whether...

Equal Participation in Schools Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: It is not spurious. The point is that it is not simply a question of religion, but one of ethos and spirit and what a school is known to prioritise. Some schools prioritise rugby. It was not so in my school, but there are others which do it.

Equal Participation in Schools Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: Other schools prioritise Gaelic football. That is part of it. This is not simply about religious ethos. While I accept that there is an issue here which must be solved and while I cannot support the Solidarity-PBP Bill, neither can Fianna Fáil support the Minister's amendment for the simple reason that we have already had hearings in the Oireachtas committee and a public consultation....

Topical Issue Debate: Occupational Therapy (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: Tá mé lán-sásta gur thug an Ceann Comhairle an deis dom an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo a lua ar an Athló inniu. I am very grateful to the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this issue. It is an issue that affects families in County Meath to an extraordinary degree. I have been contacted by parents who cannot get occupational therapy for their...

Topical Issue Debate: Occupational Therapy (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for his response but it is not sufficient. His waiting list figures are wrong. The person who spoke to me pointed out that a part-time OT has a responsibility to see eight new cases per month. There are 350 children waiting to be seen. Simple mathematics shows that it takes four and a half years for a child on that list to be seen. The Minister of State says...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Skills and Apprenticeship Schemes: Discussion (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Mr. Smith for his comments. The Chairman is correct that bogus self-employment is not the subject of today's discussion. Nevertheless, Mr. Smith hit the nail on the head in respect of apprenticeships and I will take his point on board. Reading the submission from the Irish Hotels Federation, is it the case that it can take an eternity to develop an apprenticeship. What are the...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017 (Resumed)
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: Money is being spent on education and training, which is important. What is the position in regard to emphasising apprenticeships and traineeships at post-school level as opposed to PLC courses and general types of further education? Is there a plan there? Has the Minister set out any kind of a strategy on this?

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017 (Resumed)
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I know we will be having a full discussion about this later, and obviously it is part of this brief, grants to SOLAS, etc., but is the call for apprenticeships basically a matter of asking businesses or otherwise to come up with ideas for new categories of apprenticeship?

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017 (Resumed)
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: This is obviously a key issue for third level funding. Subhead C4 addresses the general grant to the universities, the institutes of technology and other institutes of higher education. Could the Minister comment on the fact that this money is totally insufficient in terms of educating our young people? Is he satisfied with that and with the drop in the international rankings that has...