Results 561-580 of 7,652 for speaker:Joanna Tuffy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Council for Curriculum and Assessment: Discussion. (8 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: The next item on our agenda is our engagement with Ms Brigid McManus, chairperson designate of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA. By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Council for Curriculum and Assessment: Discussion. (8 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: The Senator's time is up.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Council for Curriculum and Assessment: Discussion. (8 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: I, too, commend Ms McManus for her work to date and wish her the best in her next term in this role. It was interesting to hear her say:Increasingly, the NCCA tries to capture the student view in its work and engages with parents in supporting their child's education. For example, the NCCA website includes video clips giving parents suggestions for activities they can do with young children...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Council for Curriculum and Assessment: Discussion. (8 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Is Ms McManus saying they were piloted in special needs schools?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Council for Curriculum and Assessment: Discussion. (8 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: That was very substantial.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Council for Curriculum and Assessment: Discussion. (8 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: I ask the Senator to keep it short.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Council for Curriculum and Assessment: Discussion. (8 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: We have a very good discussion and covered a number of issues. I thank Ms McManus for her attendance today and her presentation to the committee. I wish her well on her appointment.

Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: We now move on to amendment No. 13. Recommittal is required in respect of this amendment and of the other related amendments, as they relate to the Instruction to the Committee motion. The related amendments are amendments Nos. 13 to 15, inclusive, and amendments Nos. 18 and 19.

Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Recommital is necessary in respect of amendment No. 11 and the related amendment No. 12, as they relate to the instruction to committee motion. They are to be discussed together.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (2 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: 154. To ask the Minister for Health if he will arrange an early date for an urgent surgical procedure in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26740/15]

One-Parent Family Payment Scheme: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Some 18,000 people have already transitioned under the changes. I wonder whether Members of the Opposition know that. The bulk transitioned last year when the cut-off age was reduced to 16 years in the case of the children of some lone parents, ten in the case of others and seven in the case of some. There was not a whimper about this last year. Last July-----

One-Parent Family Payment Scheme: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: There was not one word about the people who transitioned last July and I would like the Deputy to prove otherwise. Where was the request for a Dáil debate about it then?

One-Parent Family Payment Scheme: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: The motion-----

One-Parent Family Payment Scheme: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: The Deputy abstained in a vote when the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill was being discussed a couple of months ago. When Deputy Joan Collins put the matter to a vote, the Deputy abstained. Fianna Fáil voted in favour of it. I was wondering what the Deputy was doing at the time. He is jumping on the bandwagon.

One-Parent Family Payment Scheme: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: The Deputy is not sincere. These changes are brave and progressive.

One-Parent Family Payment Scheme: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett should note that the Labour Party has taken ownership of this issue. This is our initiative. It is about helping lone parents. It would be a lot easier to do nothing. The genesis of the proposals dates from 2006 when there was a report on supporting lone parents. It was recommended that the one-parent family payment be time limited and that there be measures...

One-Parent Family Payment Scheme: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: The status quois trapping them in property. Deputy Catherine Murphy talked about child care places for people who had to increase their hours. It is just a nonsense. If somebody already working works 15 hours and has to increase the number of hours by four-----

One-Parent Family Payment Scheme: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: The figures show that some in that position end up better off to the tune of €200 or more per week when the payment is combined with family income supplement, the back-to-work dividend and extra wages.

One-Parent Family Payment Scheme: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: That is €800 per month which would easily cover the cost of four hours extra child care, if needed. One should not forget that one does not have to work under the changes until the child is 14 years. It is disingenuous to oppose the changes. Ultimately, the Government, including the Labour Party, will have done something to improve the lot of lone parents while the Opposition stood by.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Business of Joint Committee (1 Jul 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Apologies have been received from Deputies Joan Collins and Michael Conaghan. At the request of the broadcasting and recording service, members are asked to turn off their mobile phones completely or switch them to flight mode. In accordance with standard procedures agreed by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges for paperless committees, all documentation has been put up on the...