Results 4,401-4,420 of 6,030 for speaker:Brendan Ryan

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: I wish to clarify a point with the Minister of State. It is proposed in the amendment, on line 10, after the word "be", to insert the word "to".

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: That will mean that the word "to" will appear in paragraph (a). Does that mean there will be a doubling up in the use of the word "to" or I am missing a point?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: That is fine.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: There is a cohort of people who are unemployed and are not receiving jobseeker's allowance because a spouse is working and they are means-tested. In many cases such people are excluded from programmes on the basis that they are not receiving a payment. Will the amendment address that situation?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: Is there any way to look at the issue more proactively? There are a group of people who deserve further training in order to get back into the workforce. They are excluded because means-tested payments are not available to them. They need to be supported.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: Amendment No. 19 is a technical amendment. It does not deal with the content of the Bill. I cannot understand why agreeing to amendment No. 19 means amendment No. 20 is excluded.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: For the life of me I cannot see how defining one of the functions of an tSeirbhís Oideachais Leanúnaigh agus Scileanna, SOLAS, could get in the way of its operations.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: I wish to make a general comment rather than comment on the amendment. Many of the amendments discussed together deal with the same issues. Therefore, while it may seem that many amendments are being withdrawn, just one or two amendments on Report Stage would cover all the issues.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: The Minister might tell us if he is going to accept any of the amendments.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: I also wish to seek clarification on this point. Some of the appointments will be for three years, some for four and some for five. Will it be clear from the outset which board members are appointed for three years, which for four and which for five?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: It will be clear from the outset?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: Can board members who are appointed for three years be reappointed after three years?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: With the insertion of the new section, will section 46 become section 47?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (15 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: I thank Ms Faughnan and her team for their presentation. I add my voice to those who said the caps are too low. The average rent in Fingal, which I represent, is €1,200 for two to three-bedroom homes, which is well in excess of the cap of €775 for a one-parent family or a couple with one child and €825 for a one-parent family or a couple with two children. The gap is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (15 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: On that, someone referred earlier to waiting times, etc. The advantage of having a decision made locally was that there were no waiting times. Decisions were made very quickly. Someone looked at a form and if a person did not have relevant documentation, he or she could be helped there and then to complete the application. There are real advantages to that system.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (15 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: I wish to address Deputy Ó Snodaigh's question on whether a fixed amount of money is available for rent supplement in this year's budget. How would any increase in the caps associated with a review be decided? Is there scope for an increase? In comparison, if 1,000 people are made redundant, God forbid, the Department must find social welfare payments for them. If market rents...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (15 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: This is a general question addressed to Ms Faughnan. In terms of the review under way, does she believe she will be able to address all of the issues raised today?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Report on Child and Family Income Support: Discussion (22 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: In Ms O'Connor's contribution regarding high-earning families, I think she has indicated she would maintain current levels. A debate is under way nationally as to whether, at a time of scarce resources, we ought to be paying this to higher-earning families and I would be interested in Ms O'Connor's thoughts in this regard. As for the recommended threshold of €25,000, when Ita Mangan...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Report on Child and Family Income Support: Discussion (22 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: To summarise, End Child Poverty is in favour of reform, increasing the threshold and maintaining FIS. The National Women's Council wants to leave it as it is and feels there is no real case for reform.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Report on Child and Family Income Support: Discussion (22 May 2013)

Brendan Ryan: I agree with the sentiment on the need for taxing those earning over €100,000 a bit more to pay for these services. However, how does one make that an attractive idea to the electorate? From the Labour Party’s experience in past elections when it proposed higher taxes for better services, it was targeted by opponents as the party of high taxation. In short, they said do not...