Results 1,961-1,980 of 2,967 for speaker:Séamus Healy

Education Funding: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (14 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: Last night, we heard the Minister apologise to the country for this "fiasco", as Deputy Murphy has called it. I wonder why he cannot accept that the centralisation of services of this nature is simply wrong and that the Government made a mistake when it centralised this service. This service should be provided locally so applicants can interact with those providing the service. The key...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (13 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: I am not quite sure what the Minister is saying but she seems to be suggesting that, while there is a difficulty, it has been dealt with or is clearly on the way to being dealt with. I certainly do not see that on the ground; nor do the applicants. Currently, there are long waiting times of anything up to ten months for applicants for the various schemes. The review system that was put in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (13 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: How long are they taking?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (13 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: I raised two specific matters. The Minister is referring to the review procedure. When that was introduced it took three to four weeks to come to a decision, but it is now taking 12 to 16 weeks, so something is seriously wrong. The overall waiting period is absolutely unacceptable. The Minister responded to a question I asked some time ago on the matter of emergency applications. People...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (13 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to reform the social welfare appeals system in view of the recent FLAC report; her further plans to address delays in the issuing of decisions and the reductions in oral hearings; her views on the importance of consistency, transparency and proper access to legal advice and representation for applicants; and if she will make a statement on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (13 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will intervene with the third level colleges to ensure that students are not denied access to the colleges IT services due to the fact that they cannot be permanently registered because of the delays in approving grant applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49933/12]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Eligibility (13 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will ensure that persons in receipt of back to education allowances are not cut off due to the fact that they cannot be permanently registered with their third level colleges because of the delays in approving grant applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49935/12]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (13 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the numbers of Gardaí in each Garda district in the Tipperary Division as of the 1 March 2011 and the 1 of March 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49937/12]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Army Barracks (13 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will ensure that Kickham Barracks, Clonmel which was closed earlier this year does not become derelict and to this end that he will arrange for regular maintenance work including, frequent maintenance of open areas, grass-cutting, die-back of weeds and general maintenance to building, railings and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter....

National Children's Hospital: Motion (8 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: I welcome the opportunity to contribute on this debate on the national children's hospital. I also welcome the decision that has been made. Regardless of what our opinions on sites were, we must move with all haste to build a children's hospital as soon as possible. It must be a priority. For a number of years, there has been unanimity regarding the need for a hospital that would provide...

Credit Union Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: The movement is concerned about the term limits on directors of credit unions and the prohibitions on the membership of their boards. In its opinion, these are unnecessary and are an attack on its volunteer ethos. I wish to raise three other issues briefly. A memorandum of understanding must be agreed between the unions and the Central Bank and the office of treasurer must be retained....

Credit Union Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: I welcome the opportunity to speak to the Bill, which is very important legislation. I am sure most Members in the House would have practical knowledge of this area and many are likely to be members of their local credit union like I am. Many families have been long-standing supporters and members of credit unions and in my own case, my late father was a founding member of Clonmel Credit...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Pre-Budget Submissions: Discussion with Community and Voluntary Groups (8 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: I will brief. I thank the organisations for their submissions. I endorse the submissions of the Irish Heart Foundation and Irish Cancer Society. I agree with the idea of an annual price escalator. To some extent, the banning of smoking in public places a number of years ago led to us sitting on our laurels and we must focus on the presentations as a result. I have a question for the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (8 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: To ask the Minister for Health the extent of the waiting list, numbers and waiting times for in-patient and outpatient ear nose and throat services at Waterford Regional Hospital; and if he will specify the measures he intends to take to address this situation [49093/12]

Order of Business (7 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: A section of the programme for Government deals with the reform of third level education, but the first attempt at this has been a disaster. There are huge waiting lists and backlogs for approval of student grants. This has led to a situation where students are being threatened with their back-to-education allowance being cut off and with not being allowed to use information technology, IT,...

Order of Business (7 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: The matter is covered in the programme for Government. The Taoiseach must be aware of the difficulties that have arisen and he could surely allow a discussion on it in the House.

Order of Business (7 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: Will the Taoiseach allocate time for a debate on it?

Order of Business (7 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: It is effectively the Government Whip who decides.

Pensions and Retirement Lump Sums: Motion [Private Members] (6 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: What about cuts to home help hours?

Pensions and Retirement Lump Sums: Motion [Private Members] (6 Nov 2012)

Séamus Healy: Fine Gael received €4.4 million.