Results 3,161-3,180 of 13,254 for speaker:Seán Sherlock

Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs Expenditure (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Sherlock: There is no overall reduction in resource teacher numbers for the coming school year. The number of posts available to the National Council for Special Education for allocation is 5,265, which is the same as last year. We must ensure we provide the service. That 5,265 is in addition to the 4,450 learning support teachers provided to all schools to support children with less complex...

Topical Issue Debate: Decline in Town Centres (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I am rather disappointed because I thought there might be some imaginative ideas from the Deputy opposite in respect of discussing the actions the Government is taking to address the decline of town centres throughout the country. The Deputy referred to towns within his constituency which are probably similar in character to those in my constituency. I have analysed the situation in the...

Topical Issue Debate: Decline in Town Centres (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Sherlock: The objective of the guidelines in the manual is to provide a clear framework for the continued development of the retail sector in a way that provides certainty for retailers and communities by strengthening national planning policy requirements for all planning authorities. The remainder of the response will be available to the Deputy. I will respond to Deputy Troy’s supplementary...

Topical Issue Debate: Decline in Town Centres (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Sherlock: What ideas does Deputy Troy have?

Topical Issue Debate: Decline in Town Centres (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I will stay here for a while.

Topical Issue Debate: Decline in Town Centres (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Sherlock: When was that?

Topical Issue Debate: Decline in Town Centres (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Sherlock: How long was Fianna Fáil in government?

Topical Issue Debate: Decline in Town Centres (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Sherlock: Can Deputy Troy not understand the cynicism on this side of the House when we hear proposals of that nature?

Topical Issue Debate: Decline in Town Centres (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Sherlock: The memorandum of understanding, MOU, signed by the troika introduced the property tax. Fianna Fáil negotiated agreement with the troika, which is a sovereign agreement. I do not know the Deputy’s position on the property tax but it should be a significant revenue stream for local authorities and should redress the balance in terms of the burden over many decades that has been...

Topical Issue Debate: Decline in Town Centres (20 Jun 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I beg your indulgence, Acting Chairman. We saw the demise of development contributions which were a major source of income for local authorities during the boom years. Cork County Council spent wisely on building up social infrastructure but the funding has practically disappeared. I agree that one can no longer rely on rate payers – businesspeople – to fund local government....

Other Questions: State Examinations Issues (3 Jul 2013)

Seán Sherlock: Evidence has repeatedly shown that "unless the examination changes, nothing else will." Ireland is highly unusual in international terms in having externally set, moderated and marked examinations at the end of lower secondary school. As some 90% of students now complete senior cycle, the junior certificate is no longer a high-stakes examination for the overwhelming majority of students....

Other Questions: State Examinations Issues (3 Jul 2013)

Seán Sherlock: In general terms, we understand the concerns expressed by the Deputies. There is no intention whatsoever to move away from the model of interaction with parents and that kind of continual monitoring of the students' work and their interaction in the classroom and so on with teachers. We want to ensure we continue to have standardised testing in areas such as English reading, science and...

Other Questions: State Examinations Issues (3 Jul 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I take the points the Deputy made but I do not agree with her that teachers are professionally developed-out; they are not. As in any profession, we must ensure 100% of the profession take up continuing professional development when it is offered, including the various types of continuing professional development which will become available for this very process. This is an evolving process...

Equal Status (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (3 Jul 2013)

Seán Sherlock: In the five minutes available I will do my best to address the contents of the Bill. The Bill proposes to extend the discrimination grounds in the Equal Status Acts, which deal with provision of goods and services, but not in the Employment Equality Acts, which cover employment, by adding five or six new grounds for discrimination which have been articulated by Deputy Stanley. The existing...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Innovation Union Scoreboard (10 Jul 2013)

Seán Sherlock: In the most recent Innovation Union Scoreboard it was most encouraging to see Ireland retaining its position among those member states with above average performance in their research and innovation systems. This complements Ireland's recent ranking of tenth in the Global Innovation Index 2013 which is also a very positive affirmation of our capabilities in this area. In the Innovation...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Innovation Union Scoreboard (10 Jul 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I will be able to answer the second half of the question, relating to copyright review, in the second tranche of the time allocated.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Innovation Union Scoreboard (10 Jul 2013)

Seán Sherlock: The straight answer to that question is "Yes". I will read into the record the issue in regard to the independent copyright review committee. This committee was established in May 2011 and its aim is to examine the Irish copyright framework in order to identify areas that might be considered to create barriers to innovation and to make recommendations to resolve any problems identified,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Innovation Union Scoreboard (10 Jul 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I apologise but I want to answer the question. We want to ensure that if the recommendations of that independent review group state that changes to legislation are needed, we will have to look seriously at what those recommendations are in the first instance. I have not seen the report, although we are expecting it this month. It could be that Ireland wants to place itself ahead of the EU...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Innovation Union Scoreboard (10 Jul 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I would like to come back in if I can.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Innovation Union Scoreboard (10 Jul 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I have not seen the report because it is an independent body and we have absolutely respected the fact it is independent. The terms of reference set out by the Government are to examine current national copyright legislation and identify any areas that are perceived to create barriers to innovation, and to identify solutions for removing these barriers and make recommendations as to how...