Results 26,681-26,700 of 27,080 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (27 Mar 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 2. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills following the reduction to higher education student fees, if he will provide assurance that student fees will not rise again in the future; if he is considering fully abolishing further and higher education student fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14941/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (27 Mar 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I have a suggestion for the Minister. It is to abolish all fees for third level and for apprenticeships. We have critical shortages in skills across our economy and across our society. It makes no sense to have fees. My question today particularly relates to the Union of Students in Ireland's concerns that not only is the Government not going to abolish fees, which it should, but it is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (27 Mar 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Yes, the Minister comes in and then Deputy McGettigan gets to respond.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (27 Mar 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It is unusual for Priority Questions to be grouped.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (27 Mar 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It is unusual for Priority Questions to be grouped.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (27 Mar 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Yeah, right. Is the Minister considering getting rid of the temporary reduction in fees or not? He should just tell us straight. He should not get rid of it. Doing so is outrageous and he should be going in the opposite direction. Why? There is now a 15% dropout rate among undergraduates. Five thousand drop out in first year, representing an increase in recent times up to 12% from 9%....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (27 Mar 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: If 5,000 undergraduates dropping out each year does not concern the Minister, he really needs to rethink his being the Minister for higher education. It is obvious that we have an urgent problem affecting our entire economy and society owing to the lack of skilled people, as well as the mental health issues and all the stress put on the students who drop out and their families. I suspect...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (25 Mar 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 359. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for details of her engagements with a school (details supplied) regarding their proposal to temporarily house a proposed special school in “Phase 2” of their new premises, rather than in prefabricated units on land designated for use as the school’s outdoor space; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13598/25]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (25 Mar 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 904. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development to provide a list of policy initiatives, funding schemes and interventions intended to improve the economic and social development of rural and urban communities funded or administered by his Department. [13969/25]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (25 Mar 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 905. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development to provide a list of projects funded by his Department in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council area. [13970/25]

Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I apologise that I was not here for the earlier discussions. I was tied up at another meeting. I will follow on from Deputy Coppinger's contribution. I will premise my remarks by noting that there is a pretty awful history in this country of people who did not fit into the conventional idea of the Catholic family, marriage and so on being treated in a lesser way, not accommodated at all or...

Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I will throw in an extra issue because I am talking to the Minister. I do not know the next time I will get to. It is slightly off topic but it is under the Minister’s brief. It is another great unfairness that needs to be addressed and probably is between the Minister and the Minister for housing. It is about people who go over eligibility thresholds for social housing support....

Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: -----to access housing to get out of homelessness.

Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It would be a contribution to addressing the housing crisis were the Minister to look at it-----

Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I took advantage and I am sorry.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 22. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills following the recommendations in the National Review of State Supports for PhD Researchers, the plans to ensure that all PhD researchers, regardless of their funding source, receive at least €25,000 per annum stipend; his views on the issue of giving PhD researchers a worker status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14502/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (27 Mar 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 52. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the additional measures he is planning to introduce to make apprenticeship programmes more attractive given the urgent need to increase the number of people qualified in the trades to address capacity issues; the plans to remove financial barriers to increase take-up of apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14501/25]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Emergency Planning (1 Apr 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 12. To ask the Taoiseach the engagements he has had with the National Emergency Co-ordination Group in the days before, during and after storm Éowyn. [15506/25]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Emergency Planning (1 Apr 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I note the poor oppressed Government backbenchers are getting plenty of opportunities to speak today. As of tomorrow, they will have half the time to raise important issues like our response to storms, despite the Taoiseach's claims that he is standing up for their rights. One group that we will not be able to talk about as much is the ambulance drivers of the National Ambulance Service,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Emergency Planning (1 Apr 2025)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It is less exposure for the Taoiseach.