Results 3,321-3,340 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Budget 2016 (3 Nov 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: 283. To ask the Minister for Finance for the full year cost of the tax breaks given in budget 2016 to those earning, €70,000; €100,000; and €150,000, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37162/15]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (3 Nov 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: 1024. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the central funding released to each local authority, by total released; by category; by total spend, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37163/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: 3. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason his Department allocated just €24 million to the Department of Education and Skills in budget 2016, outside of pay restoration agreements, from a total fiscal space available of €1.5 billion; and the reason he is directing expenditure to that Department, between current and capital expenditure, to fall between...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: Why, out of a total fiscal space in the budget of €1.5 billion, did the Minister just direct €24 million or less than 2% of that to the Department of Education and Skills? Why does the budget documentation show that he has directed that total funding to the Department between this year and next year should fall by €29 million?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: Under the Government, the higher education system has seen cuts of 20% per student; there has been a 15% cut in the number of resource teachers since 2012; we have the second highest class sizes in the European Union; more than half of teachers under the age of 30 years are on short-term, part-time and substitute contracts; and there has been a 25% cut in funding for DEIS schools since 2010....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Minister. He has said my figures are wrong, but the figures I have read out in black and white are taken from his budget document. They most certainly are not wrong.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: To suggest class sizes have been protected under the Government is an insult to every teacher, principal, child and parent in the country. Class sizes have not been protected by the Government, as well the Minister knows. I will ask the question one more time. I accept the argument about one-off non-recurring payments and I did hear it. Nonetheless, the Minister had €1.5 billion...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Expenditure (19 Nov 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: The Government cut capital investment by €70 million.

Developments in Mental Health Services: Statements (19 Nov 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: I accept the Minister of State's bona fides in terms of tackling youth mental health but reading her speech today it would be unclear to anyone that we are facing a crisis in mental health services. I spoke recently at a conference held by the Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health. I spoke to youth mental health workers and psychiatrists beforehand. One of them told me there...

Developments in Mental Health Services: Statements (19 Nov 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: I will finish on this point, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Young people should not be entering the system via health centre waiting rooms but via suitable access that is stigma free. We must remove the siloed access that only kicks in at critical stages for young people and move to early detection and a comprehensive suite of services. We must move from a paternalistic approach to youth mental...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme (19 Nov 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: 73. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the monitoring process in place for the implementation of the capital investment programme; if there is an accountability mechanism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40744/15]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing Appeals Mechanism (24 Nov 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: 474. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it is acceptable for the primary staffing appeals board to remove a teacher of a junior infants class of 37 students, including several with special needs, in a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow; the actions the school can take to seek to have the teacher reinstated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41384/15]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (1 Dec 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: 65. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality given the controversy surrounding advice given to the Minister for Finance relating to the Commission of Investigation into Certain Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Transactions, and the timing and content of this advice, if she will review the Official Secrets Act; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40608/15]

Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: Yesterday we learned that three people in five renting in Ireland have given up on ever owning their own home. We learned that half of Dublin tenants are in fear of losing their home. Somehow the Government has managed to preside over a housing crisis, a rental crisis, a homelessness crisis and a mortgage crisis all at the same time.

Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: A total of 330,000 men, women and children today are living in homes, on which repayments are in arrears.

Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: The number in arrears for more than two years continues to rise and represents those most at risk of being in court and losing their homes.

Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: After years of inaction and just a few weeks before the election, the Cabinet this week agreed to a bankruptcy change that could only be described as a quarter of what is needed, four years too late. Last week, the Social Democrats published a comprehensive policy response to the mortgage crisis. It introduces one year bankruptcy with a maximum of an additional two years income attachment...

Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: It includes a set of mandated solutions for borrowers should they qualify. It would allow courts refuse possession orders if it can be demonstrated that there is a sustainable solution to the mortgage difficulty.

Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: It also includes a realistic way of scaling up the mortgage to rent scheme. David Hall of the Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation stated that in his opinion, working with borrowers and lenders every day, if the Social Democrats proposals, which are all perfectly sensible and achievable, were implemented, the mortgage crisis would be over for those 330,000 people in 12 to 18 months.

Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2015)

Stephen Donnelly: The Minister, Deputy Alex White, just stated that demonstrating leadership means a suite of policy proposals. I agree. Will he bring the Social Democrats' proposals to Cabinet and help end the mortgage crisis once and for all for 330,000 men, women and children living in fear and stress in this country?