Results 441-460 of 25,304 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell
- Constituency Commission Report: Statements (Resumed) (28 May 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: I thought the purpose of the Chamber was to encourage discourse.
- Constituency Commission Report: Statements (Resumed) (28 May 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: The Minister referred to new legislation to ensure a commission will be established for preliminary census figures. I expect this will happen some time during 2010. Thereafter, the final census figures will be the deciding figures. I ask the Minister to consider carefully breaches of boundaries. Not only did the commission breach the boundary but it annexed half of Limerick into Kerry....
- Constituency Commission Report: Statements (Resumed) (28 May 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: Limerick East has been losing rural areas since 1948. Prior to that date, the full county of Limerick was one constituency. Since then, Limerick East has progressively lost county area and now a substantial portion is being taken. An area of Roxboro which is literally on the boundary with Limerick city has been brought into Limerick West, probably to make up the numbers. Limerick is...
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed) (28 May 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: I wish to share time with Deputies Flanagan, Shatter, Joe Carey, McEntee, Varadkar and Crawford.
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed) (28 May 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: I am delighted to be here to support the motion moved by Deputy Brian Hayes, our spokesman on education. Listening to the Government speakers tonight, one would swear there was no problem. A common theme emerging is that the Government cannot deliver in a year. It gave a commitment in the programme for Government that it would reduce the pupil-teacher ratio from 27 to 26 by 30 September....
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed) (28 May 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: I have been a member of parents' associations for the past ten years. Ten years ago, we petitioned to reduce class sizes. Here I am today pushing the same case. We will not let this go. The Government will have to honour its commitment and, particularly in respect of JFK Memorial School in Limerick, ensure that the 11th teacher is retained. It is vital. There is a very simple solution....
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed) (28 May 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: Its terms of reference should be extended.
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed) (28 May 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: The terms of reference should be extended to deal with hardship cases. This is the key issue. If we had a little bit of imagination and practicality, we would have a situation where these 28 schools that are about to lose a teacher would not lose one. It is ludicrous. The most that is involved here is probably â¬1.5 million. I did a rough calculation before I came out. To put this in...
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed) (28 May 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: Out of 27 OECD countries, we have the fourth worst pupil-teacher ratio. This has been going on for the past six years. The Government came in with a proposal to reduce it below 20 in 2002 for children under the age of nine. It introduced something that was not great but at least gave an incremental reduction of one per year between 2007 and 2012. What has the Government done here? It has...
- Written Answers — Prison Education Service: Prison Education Service (28 May 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: Question 121: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the measures he proposes to take to address the high levels of illiteracy among the prison population here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21136/08]
- Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (28 May 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: Question 163: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he plans to introduce legislation in respect of spent convictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21137/08]
- Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (29 May 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: Question 24: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the contact he has had with the Department of Transport to promote green energy technologies in transport as stated in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21491/08]
- Price Inflation. (4 Jun 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: Question 75: To ask the Minister for Finance if he has monitored the impact of trends in sterling and international commodity prices on Irish price inflation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22279/08]
- Price Inflation. (4 Jun 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: The Minister has not addressed the issue of what the Government is going to do. In a market driven economy such as ours, the large UK multiples will charge higher prices if they can get away with it. Will the Minister instruct the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority to work together? My party believes the two agencies should be combined into one stronger body. By...
- Price Inflation. (4 Jun 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: Will the Minister do anything positive?
- Price Inflation. (4 Jun 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: You were not long getting out the door.
- Price Inflation. (4 Jun 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: The Minister did not deal with my request for him to withdraw his remark on whinging.
- Price Inflation. (4 Jun 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: This shows a lack of understanding on the Minister's part with regard to that with which people in business are being obliged to deal. There has been a 30% increase in the price of diesel during the past year. The people to whom I refer work hard. It is an insult for the Minister to use the term in question and I ask him to withdraw it.
- Price Inflation. (4 Jun 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: What is the Minister going to do about this matter?
- Price Inflation. (4 Jun 2008)
Kieran O'Donnell: What is the Minister going to do?