Results 2,521-2,540 of 23,957 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Government Decision on Exiting Programme of Financial Support: Motion (Resumed) (20 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: The next speaker is Deputy Breen, who is sharing time with Deputy O'Donnell. Deputy Breen will have five minutes and Deputy O'Donnell will have ten.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Redundancy Payments (20 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: 90. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a special needs assistant who has been made redundant may take up substitute work without having to repay any part of their redundancy payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49693/13]

Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Report Stage (21 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: I support the amendment. One of the key reasons put forward by the Minister and the Government for the establishment of the new Child and Family Agency is the need to draw together the various child and family services throughout the country in order to ensure consistency of approach across these services. As it stands, section 8(5) states, "The Agency shall, in the performance of its...

Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Report Stage (21 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: In her response to the proposal to insert the word "consistency" in the relevant line, the Minister outlined several reasons that consistency is important and noted that the need for consistency was one of the key factors in establishing the agency in the first instance. She then stated that, for the reasons she had outlined, it was not necessary to include the word "consistency" in the...

Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Report Stage (21 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: I support this amendment. I take on board the Minister's points about other legislation in place, but the Bill would be strengthened by explicitly placing it here. It gives clear guidelines as to what exactly is expected of the new Child and Family Agency and how it is expected to do its business. Children are the most vulnerable sector of society. More than anyone, they can be subject to...

Leaders' Questions (21 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: What is the Labour Party's position?

Leaders' Questions (21 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: What is the Labour Party's policy?

Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: I support the amendments. I acknowledge the Minister's comments and her view, but the clarity which would be brought by the insertion of the word "primary" to make it clear the best interests of the child must be the primary consideration would strengthen the legislation. On this basis I urge the Minister to support the amendments.

Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: I support the amendments. Section 9 requires the agency to operate in the best interest of the child at all times. This group of amendments would require any service provider operating on behalf of the agency to do likewise. It would be wise to include them in the interest of clarity. I urge the Minister to accept these amendments.

Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: Section 9 is core to the rationale of how the child and family agency is supposed to operate and its principal purpose, namely, the best interests of the child. The amendments want to make it equally clear in respect of service providers. The Minister's point, in respect of section 56, is that service providers can carry out services similar to activities carried out by the agency and...

Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: I move amendment No. 27:In page 57, line 10, to delete “a condition” and substitute “conditions”.This amendment is quite straightforward in that it replaces the term "a condition" with the word "conditions", so when a service is being registered, more than one condition can be applied. Amendment No. 28 sets out a longer timeframe of 36 months to be considered in...

Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: What about the second amendment, which would replace "12 months" with "36 months"?

Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: I move amendment No. 28:In page 57, line 30, to delete “12 months” and substitute “36 months”.Will the Minister keep this issue under review?

Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: I move amendment No. 29:In page 59, line 10, to delete “from time to time” and substitute “annually”. The purpose of the amendment is to ensure there would be annual visits to inspect services. It is important, particularly in the light of recent experiences, that the legislation is clear in terms of the requirement. Too often we have seen when it is not clear...

Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: The prescription of a mandatory annual visit would not prevent more regular visits. As the Minister indicated, in cases where a service is not in order more visits are required. I do not believe such a change would inhibit extra visits. Adding a requirement that such visits should happen every year would ensure they would happen every year. If the Minister sticks to the general formula of...

Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: I do not believe the wording “from time to time” is good enough for the inspection regime. If we want inspections to happen regularly, we should be specific about what we believe is a sufficient level of inspections. Given the way child care services have grown so rapidly in recent years and that in many regards it is a nascent sector, it is important that inspections are...

Child and Family Agency Bill 2013: Fifth Stage (21 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: First, I wish to pass on apologies from my colleague and party spokesperson on children and youth affairs, Deputy Troy, who was unable to be here today. I know he has worked very hard on this Bill. I commend the Minister on the hard work she has done in introducing this landmark legislation. I also commend Deputy Ó Caoláin, who has a great command of his brief and is very...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland Administration (21 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: 69. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of grants that Student Universal Support Ireland awarded in October 2012 and in October 2013; the number awarded to date in November 2013 and the corresponding figure for 2012; the number outstanding; the target date for completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49910/13]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff (21 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: 149. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if a part-time employee who is employed by a local authority qualifies for the voluntary redundancy scheme under the Local Government (Superannuation) (Consolidation) Scheme 1998; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49996/13]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Schools Review (26 Nov 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: 91. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the value for money review of small primary schools will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50478/13]