Results 3,601-3,620 of 3,895 for speaker:John Halligan

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: National Risk Assessment (11 Jul 2019)

John Halligan: Two issues arise. The Senator mentioned Brexit on a number of occasions. That is in the risk assessment. Brexit is separate and distinct from a Border poll. Brexit is not a method of unifying Ireland. There have been two distinct opinion polls on this issue. Opinion polls have been taken consistently in Northern Ireland. The latest one taken last March by The Irish Times indicated that...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: National Risk Assessment (11 Jul 2019)

John Halligan: Only 32%% of people would favour reunification at this time.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: National Risk Assessment (11 Jul 2019)

John Halligan: The Senator is not reflecting the views of people in Northern Ireland, which have to be reflected.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Proposed Legislation (11 Jul 2019)

John Halligan: I thank Senator Devine. I certainly do not think she is naive. On behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, who is abroad this week on Government business, I thank the Senator for asking this very important question. As she will know, the expert group review of the 2001 Mental Health Act was completed in 2015. The group’s final report had 165 recommendations, most of which...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Proposed Legislation (11 Jul 2019)

John Halligan: I again thank the Senator for allowing me to update the House on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Daly. In sending the draft heads to the Mental Health Commission, we have reached a position that Oireachtas Members wanted us to reach - if the Senator recalls, that is what was being asked of us. Oireachtas Members have been requesting this for some time. We are obliged to await the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products Availability (11 Jul 2019)

John Halligan: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris. I commend Senator Noone on the wonderful work she did as Chair of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, where her direction was incisive and very progressive. As I am sure the Senator is aware, the issue of access to contraception has been the subject of particular attention in recent...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products Availability (11 Jul 2019)

John Halligan: I would like to make three points very briefly. The level of use of long-acting reversible contraception is still quite low, despite the advantages I know it has. There are different reasons for that. There is no question but that cost is a factor. At the same time, we should not lose sight of the fact that the Irish contraception and crisis pregnancy study showed that 88% of respondents...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Training Fund (6 Sep 2019)

John Halligan: The National Training Fund (NTF) was established by the National Training Fund Act, 2000, as a dedicated fund to support the training of those in employment, and those seeking employment.The Act also provides for the funding of research to provide information on existing and likely future skills requirements of the economy. One of the key features of the NTF is its flexibility and the way it...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Data (6 Sep 2019)

John Halligan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 and 237 together. School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2018/2019 school year over 117,500 children, including over 13,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Brexit Supports (6 Sep 2019)

John Halligan: The Clear Customs Scheme is a new support measure launched on 7 August 2019 to help customs agents, intermediaries and affected Irish businesses develop the capacity to deal with the additional customs requirements due to the UK’s departure from the EU. Clear Customs has been designed by industry for industry as they prepare for the new customs requirements post-Brexit. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Post-Leaving Certificate Courses Fees (6 Sep 2019)

John Halligan: An Annual Student Contribution (ASC) is levied on all students attending Institutes of Technology (IoTs).  Previously this ASC was paid by FÁS/SOLAS with apprentices themselves paying the part of the contribution relating to examination fees. As part of Budget 2014, SOLAS ceased making payments to IoTs and apprentices pay the full pro rata ASC. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (6 Sep 2019)

John Halligan: Capitation amounting to €1.4 million was paid in 2019 in respect students attending PLC courses.In addition to this, SOLAS, the further education authority provided enhanced capitation of €2.5 million. To increase the total paid by 5% would cost €195,000. The Department provides funding to  SOLAS to provide for further education programmes such as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (6 Sep 2019)

John Halligan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 339 to 342, inclusive, together. This Government is committed to the ongoing expansion and development of our national apprenticeship system, as is evident by a year on year increase in the budget allocation. This year’s allocation for apprenticeship training is €142m which represents an increase of over 16% on the 2018 allocation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Data (6 Sep 2019)

John Halligan: The average annual cost to train an apprentice in one of our craft apprenticeships is €7,159 per annum.  Consequently, the estimated cost of providing an additional one thousand apprenticeship places is approximately €7.16 million in a full year. 

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (6 Sep 2019)

John Halligan: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.  In the 2018/2019 school year over 117,500 children, including over 13,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Professional Qualifications (6 Sep 2019)

John Halligan: The regulatory requirement in order to become a registered electrical contractor in Ireland is to hold an Advanced Craft Certificate following completion of a statutory apprenticeship.  The registration of electrical contractors is undertaken by Safe Electric and any recognition of foreign qualifications for that purpose is a matter for that body. Foreign qualifications may be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (6 Sep 2019)

John Halligan: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.  In the 2018/2019 school year over 117,500 children, including over 13,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (6 Sep 2019)

John Halligan: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.  In the 2018/2019 school year over 117,500 children, including over 13,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (6 Sep 2019)

John Halligan: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.  In the 2018/2019 school year over 117,500 children, including over 13,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Soláthar Iompar Scoile (6 Sep 2019)

John Halligan: Oibríocht shuntasach is ea Iompar Scoile, a bhainistíonn Bus Éireann thar ceann na Roinne.  I scoilbhliain 2018/19 iompraíodh breis is 117,500 páiste - 13,000 páiste le riachtanais speisialta oideachais ina measc - in os cionn 5,000 feithicil gach lá chuig bunscoileanna agus iar-bhunscoileanna ar fud na tíre, thar 100 milliún ciliméadar,...