Results 401-420 of 743 for speaker:Jim D'Arcy

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy: Statements (23 Oct 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: Ba mhaith liom, ar son muintir na hÉireann agus feirmeoirí na hÉireann go háirithe, buíochas agus comhghairdeachas a ghabháil leis an Aire as an obair mhór a rinne sé ar ár son i dtaobh an Comhbheartas Talmhaíochta. It was a great achievement to have been able to sort out the Common Agricultural Policy during our Presidency. It went a long...

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy: Statements (23 Oct 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: -----if he attended. His presence would provide a great boost to those farmers whose livelihoods were decimated early in the millennium and who are now getting their confidence back and developing both the breed and the brand. There is a need for a national agri-environmental scheme - this is a matter to which the Minister referred - with a specific element relating to mountain regions. The...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Nov 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: Further to my raising this issue in the House, supported by Senator Bacik, I was very pleased to hear the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, state in the Dáil yesterday that he would amend the section in the Finance Bill dealing with the single parent tax credit. He intends to introduce an amendment on Committee Stage to allow a transfer of the credit to the other parent where the...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Nov 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: -----mainly separated fathers. It will mean every family, regardless of its make-up, will be entitled to claim one benefit.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Nov 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: Not all separated fathers are ne'er-do-wells or reprobates. They play a significant role in the care of their children in general, even though they are not the principal carers most of the time. This is a good decision for the family. We need to recalibrate the role of men in our Constitution as regards the family, in legislation and in our attitudes and assumptions to support and...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: I welcome the fact that the ASTI and the Minister are now talking about resolving the issues between them. I congratulate the ASTI standing committee and its central executive committee on the responsible attitudes to planned industrial action. It has been kept to a minimum. For the good of the students of the country, I hope an early resolution can be brought to the dispute. The Minister...

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (13 Nov 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: I heard on the radio this morning that a painting by Francis Bacon sold for several million euro. I do not know whether it was for €20 million or €60 million.

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (13 Nov 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: When it comes to millions, I am like the rabbits in Watership Down, in that I cannot count past five, but I know it was many millions of euro. In any event, that was a great deal of money, but Eamon de Buitléar was priceless. He was known, back to front, upside down and inside out, by every school child in Ireland because of the advent of the overhead projector and film strips. The...

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (13 Nov 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: Of course it was.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Back-to-School Costs and Schoolbook Rental Schemes: Discussion (13 Nov 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: I congratulate Deputy Ó Ríordáin on his report. As I have said before, it is good that the patrons are at arm's length from school management. I would not welcome their interference in the management of the various aspects of school affairs because that would allow a hard line to be taken on ethos or some other matter. It is just as well that they are at arm's length. A...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Nov 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: The Minister for Education and Skills spoke eloquently this morning on radio about junior cycle reform. The new junior cycle programme will begin for students in 2014 and among the key features will be a focus on literacy, numeracy and other key skills. The changes will be made incrementally and the first subject to be affected is English, with the first assessment in 2018. The Minister...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Dec 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: Gach trí bliana, foilsíonn an OECD torthaí a léiríonn cumas litearthachta déagóirí atá cúig bliana déag d'aois thar 65 tíortha ar fud an domhain. It collates the data and produces league tables known as PISA, which results have in recent years indicated a decline among Irish 15 years olds in Irish, mathematics and science results....

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: Is the Minister of State saying that Irish Water must consult local authorities about future plans?

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: I thank the Minister of State for his answer.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: Will staff retain their current level of pension? If so, who will pay their pensions, the local authorities or Irish Water?

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: I welcome the Minister of State. He referred to the economic backdrop against which the budget was set. I am pleased to note that the projected growth rate for 2014 is 2% or more and domestic demand is expected to pick up. The target of achieving a general government deficit of 4.8% is prudent and in line with what has been long planned. It is also noteworthy that 2014 marks the first...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: I particularly welcome sections 5 and 6, which deal with the home renovation incentive and the business start-up measure, respectively. I was not particularly pleased with the abolition of the one-parent family tax credit and its replacement with a new single-parent child carer credit, as provided for in section 7. It has been said that this change was recommended by the Commission on...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: That was my point.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Dec 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: I thank the Minister for introducing an amendment to the original budget proposal, which had a one-parent tax credit changed to a single person credit for the primary carer. The Minister has listened and proposed an amendment that a secondary claimant, in certain circumstances, can avail of this very important tax credit for separated people. How can it be proven that a secondary claimant...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Dec 2013)

Jim D'Arcy: While I thank the Minister for his clarification that the person’s word on the 100-days residency requirement will be taken by the Revenue Commissioners, I still believe it should not be in the Bill. The Minister has explained the logic from the financial point of view. From a social point of view, it is an absolute disaster and a kick in the teeth for separated fathers. Let us call...