Results 49,721-49,740 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Report by the Interdepartmental Working Group on Mortgage Arrears: Statements (Resumed) (20 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Earlier this week I sat down with one of my constituents at her kitchen table to discuss her situation. For the purposes of this example, I will refer to her as Laura. The woman in question is self-employed, has worked for more than 20 years and has paid her taxes. She is a single mother with a daughter in university and, during the boom, she bought a nice semi-detached house in a new...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (18 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Question 177: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reasons for the discrepancy in average class sizes per county across the country; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that County Wicklow has the highest proportion of children in classes of 30 or more students; if he will give a guarantee that, should there be measures in budget 2012 to increase average class sizes,...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (18 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Question 176: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills, with regard to the appointment of a new chief executive to lead the new merged Wicklow Kildare Vocational Education Committee, if that position is being filled based on merit or seniority; the process being followed to fill that position; and the criteria being used in making the appointment. [30168/11]

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (18 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Question 178: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills, with regard to the decision to make Wicklow Vocational Education Committee a sub-office of the newly merged VEC for Counties Wicklow and Kildare, the criteria used to decide whether Wicklow or Kildare should host the main VEC centre; the weighting that was allocated to each criterion; how each VEC scored against these criteria; if a...

Written Answers — Public Sector Recruitment: Public Sector Recruitment (18 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Question 199: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of derogations from the moratorium on public sector recruitment that have been granted; the circumstances in which these were granted; the number of derogations that have been given specifically in cases of maternity leave; the agencies or working areas in which these were granted; if any cost benefit research has...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (18 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Question 273: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the targets or benchmarks agreed at the outset of the JobBridge scheme in order to assess its ultimate success; if there have been any interim reports against these targets; the measures being taken to ensure that participating firms are not using the scheme to replace paid workers; and the procedures that will be followed at the...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (18 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Question 536: To ask the Minister for Health, with regard to the ongoing collaborative study on smaller hospitals, the person who is leading this study; if any other persons are involved; the oversight and review structure mechanism for this study; if any external consultants are being used for the collaborative study; the terms of reference for the collaborative study; the timeframe for the...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (18 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Question 537: To ask the Minister for Health, with regard to the ongoing collaborative study on smaller hospitals and any consultation ongoing as part of that process, or that will follow on from it, the person who is being or will be consulted as part of this consultation; the patient representative or public representative groups that are being or will be consulted; the elected public...

Written Answers — Hospital Services: Hospital Services (18 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Question 539: To ask the Minister for Health the steps being taken to increase capacity at the emergency department at St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, in view of the recent numbers of patients on trolleys in the department; the steps being taken to ensure that the department is capable of dealing with the additional volume which will arise from the changes to St. Columcille's emergency...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (18 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Question 538: To ask the Minister for Health the targets in place for health care outcomes for County Wicklow; the targets in place for health care outcomes for the region being considered by the collaborative study that is currently assessing St. Columcille's Hospital, County Dublin; the person who is accountable for meeting these targets and the measures that will be taken if they are not...

Sale of State Assets: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, said about an hour ago that we have to sell these assets as it was one of the conditions that came with the IMF money. This must be the most successful and costly con job in the history of the world. We, the Irish people bail out European financial institutions. The Europeans lend us the money to do it and in return we give...

Sale of State Assets: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: First, do not let the IMF tell the Government what assets must be sold off. It is imposing a failed neoliberal agenda. Figure out where the value is and engage with the public and private sectors on who can provide the best value for money, the best quality of service and the best jobs for people.

Community and Voluntary Sector: Motion (Resumed) (12 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Should we wait for a Minister?

Community and Voluntary Sector: Motion (Resumed) (12 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: There is only one valiant Deputy from the Government side present, which is extraordinarily disappointing given we are speaking about the community and voluntary sector. I welcome my colleague, Deputy Dara Murphy, and thank him for being here. I would like to address briefly the issue of funding in the voluntary and community sector, which is at the heart of the motion we are discussing....

University Rankings (12 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: My colleague, Deputy Shane Ross, is unable to be in the Chamber for this debate. We are all aware of the serious problems - arguably amounting to a crisis - facing the education sector at both post-primary and third level. I am interested to hear the Government's views, plans or ideas on what can be done to radically improve the performance and educational outcomes at secondary and tertiary...

University Rankings (12 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: With respect, most of what I just heard from the Minister of State was a defence of the Irish third level system such as that we are in the top 1% worldwide. Is that the mindset when we have had this extraordinarily bad news in terms of international rankings in our secondary schools and our universities? I am worried to hear a Government which has just come into office and which does not...

University Rankings (12 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Not true.

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (11 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Question 179: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform with regard to the public service moratorium on recruitment, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the mechanism is leading to failures in the system, such as the effective closure of entire public sector operations or units which are left without the minimum level of staffing; his plans to address same; and if he...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (11 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Question 180: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform with regard to the public service moratorium on recruitment, his views that including maternity leave in the moratorium is explicitly discriminatory; his plans to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28897/11]

Public Sector Staff (11 Oct 2011)

Stephen Donnelly: Question 46: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in view of the current closure of a respite facility at St Colman's Hospital, Rathdrum, County Wicklow, due to reduced staffing levels resulting from the public service moratorium on recruitment when the hospital is unable to hire staff to cover staff on maternity leave, sick leave and those who have retired, his plans to...