Results 2,121-2,140 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Health: Respite Care Services (12 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 479. To ask the Minister for Health the number of respite beds available in Cork city in 2013; the number available for dementia sufferers in 2013; the number of applications made for respite and a breakdown of the number of applications made in respect of dementia sufferers in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48231/13]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (13 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 62. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools not in compliance with Departmental circulars regarding school opening hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48438/13]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (13 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 63. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address the anomaly where special needs assistants are paid for contracted hours during official school time but whose working day may start approximately 15 minutes before or after this official school time begins and ends. [48439/13]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Back-to-School Costs and Schoolbook Rental Schemes: Discussion (13 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I thank the representatives of the various bodies for coming before the committee. Ms Lynch referred to €5 million for schoolbooks and I ask Mr. Loftus to clarify an issue. I understood that €5 million would be available every year for the next three years, giving a total of €15 million. When I discussed this issue with the Minister, he said the €15 million...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Back-to-School Costs and Schoolbook Rental Schemes: Discussion (13 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Is that enough to get the schoolbook scheme up and running in every school?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Education, Youth and Culture Council: Discussion with Minister for Education and Skills (13 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I thank the Minister for attending and I wish him well at the upcoming Council meeting. Deputy McConalogue has covered most of the issues. I wish to comment on one interesting statistic contained in some of the briefing material in respect of nine year olds who are studying in highly digital classroom settings. The EU average in this regard is approximately 40%, whereas only in the region...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Education, Youth and Culture Council: Discussion with Minister for Education and Skills (13 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Is that the total figure? Is the Minister referring to what they spend as well?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Education, Youth and Culture Council: Discussion with Minister for Education and Skills (13 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: The Minister might address the EU average with regard to a recent study of nine year olds being taught in digitally equipped classrooms.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Education, Youth and Culture Council: Discussion with Minister for Education and Skills (13 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: This is an important issue. I can give the Minister an example of a school in Cork that is located 100 yds from a housing estate which has broadband access, yet the school does not have such access. The school authorities have spoken to the engineers who are dealing with the issue. It would not be cost prohibitive to extend broadband access to that school but there does not seem to be any...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Education, Youth and Culture Council: Discussion with Minister for Education and Skills (13 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I will come back to the Minister on that.

Youth Employment: Motion [Private Members] (19 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I move:That Dáil Éireann:notes that: — our young people want to work and contribute but are starved of the opportunity of quality employment; — 64,700 young people are officially unemployed; — the unemployment rate for persons aged under 25 is almost 30%; — many thousands more are not in employment, training or education but not captured in the...

Youth Employment: Motion [Private Members] (19 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Why?

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Small and Medium Enterprises Supports (19 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 174. To ask the Minister for Finance the steps he has taken to address the issue of small and medium enterprise debt and need to increase credit to the SME sector. [42597/13]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Information and Communications Technology Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 239. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that currently require children to use ipads or tablets, or that will require them to do so from September 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49100/13]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Tours (19 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 240. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the departmental criteria governing foreign trips run by schools for students. [49101/13]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Guarantee (19 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 310. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of young persons in County Cork who are expected to avail of education or training or employment under the youth guarantee scheme; the funding allocated to same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49010/13]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Health and Safety Authority: Discussion with Chairman Designate (19 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I have a number of questions. In respect of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and particularly around the area of chemical substances, we have certain obligations under EU law in respect of REACH and CPL. There is the Chemicals Act 2008 and it is the responsibility of the HSA to oversee the operations of the Acts, if not their enforcement because I think that falls under the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Health and Safety Authority: Discussion with Chairman Designate (19 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: The reason I asked the question is because the HSA's annual report for 2012 states that it is unlikely that the authority can continue to maintain its active engagement nationally and in Europe on REACH and CPL into 2013 unless resources are forthcoming. I presume those resources have not been forthcoming to date. Is it still the case that it will make the authority's role in maintaining...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Health and Safety Authority: Discussion with Chairman Designate (19 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Are discussions taking place with anyone from the Department of Justice and Equality about the possibility of introducing that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Health and Safety Authority: Discussion with Chairman Designate (19 Nov 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Have any views been sought from the HSA on this issue?