Results 461-480 of 4,787 for speaker:Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Education Budget: Discussion with Minister for Education and Skills (6 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Unfortunately, I am in between two committee meetings - this one and the Select Sub-Committee on Finance, which is dealing with the Finance Bill. If the Minister wants to respond to some of the issues that have been raised, I might come in afterwards.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Education Budget: Discussion with Minister for Education and Skills (6 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Yes. I thank the Minister for attending the committee and I apologise for being late. Four of us were over in Finland last week. It was fascinating to see the difference between what we have - which is effectively a State-funded system - and what they have, which is a State system. In Finland, all children in a particular school district attend the one school. It was interesting to see...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I suppose what people find difficult to understand with regard to the universal social charge is that self-employed workers who earn over €100,000 pay 10%, yet those who are not self-employed do not. People find it difficult to understand the rationale behind the reluctance to equalise the payment for workers, whether self-employed or not. I understand that if the universal social...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: It would be beneficial if a copy of the response the Minister read out to me could be forwarded to all the members of the sub-committee. Can he confirm that the €71 million figure, which was mentioned after I asked how much would be gained if the universal social charge were increased to 10% for PAYE workers earning more than €100,000, is accurate?

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Finance: Finance Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The reality is that 40% of third level students are on some level of grant, such as the maintenance grant if not a complete grant. That is a large number of students who are outside the bracket.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Service Staff (7 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: To ask the Minister for Health the reason six trainee medical scientists in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, who are close to the completion of their five month clinical placement which is a compulsory part of their training, have yet to receive their monthly trainee allowance of €903.98 despite the Health Service Executive memo dated 6 February 2013 outlining that all trainees were entitled...

Order of Business (12 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The Government has confirmed to the Council of Europe that it intends to legislate for the X case, that the legislation will be published next month and passed by July. Can the Taoiseach confirm that to the House?

Topical Issue Debate: Services for People with Disabilities (12 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this important issue of the restrictions announced by the Health Service Executive, HSE, Beechpark services for autistic children in north Dublin and the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, for being here in person to discuss it with me. When I previously raised it several months ago, I was told there was an ongoing review with which...

Topical Issue Debate: Services for People with Disabilities (12 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I am impressed not just by the Minister's attendance in the Chamber but also his willingness to move off script to give an impressive and impassioned defence of the services the children in question need. I take it at face value that he will communicate with the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, on this issue and revert to me in due course. We are agreed on the need for the children...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (12 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to the social, personal and health education programme currently run in second level schools as a compulsory part of the curriculum, his plans to maintain this as a mandatory subject; and if he has any plans to reform the said programme. [12931/13]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Tackling Childhood Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I thank the Chairman for allowing me time to make a few brief remarks, and I thank the witnesses for their presentation. To consider international comparators with regard to the area-based approach, I am most familiar with West Dunbartonshire in Glasgow, where, as opposed to waiting for the national government to churn out a policy eventually, local solutions were found when an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Tackling Childhood Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I am tweeting everyone.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Tackling Childhood Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The reason I cited the West Dunbartonshire model was not necessarily the outcomes it had or the methodology it used but the ambition it had and terminology it used about eradicating child illiteracy. Mr. Candon mentioned Finland. We went on a trip to research Finnish education. A Conservative MP who is chair of the education committee there lectured us about the centrality of equality in...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Foreign Adoptions (20 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will clarify the situation whereby couples who commenced their international adoption of children prior to the ratification of the Hague Convention by Ireland cannot register their children with the Adoption Authority of Ireland despite being the de facto parent and legal guardian to said child; if her attention has been drawn to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Business of Joint Committee (27 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I will now call the meeting to order. Apologies have been received from Deputy Joanna Tuffy. At the request of the broadcasting unit, can members please ensure that their mobile phones are turned off completely for the duration of the meeting and not just left in silent mode. For the information of members, the broadcasting unit will broadcast the public session of this meeting live. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Whole-School Approaches to Mental Health and Bullying: Discussion (27 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: We are resuming in public session and I am conscious of the time. I once heard a story about a fellow who, when he was told during a public meeting that the Deputies had to go to the Dáil Chamber to vote, said "We did not vote for you to be in the Dáil voting". It is part of the job. I apologise for the delay. We welcome the officials from the Department of Education and Skills...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Whole-School Approaches to Mental Health and Bullying: Discussion (27 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Due to time constraints I might bank some questions. I call Deputy O'Brien followed by Deputy Bannon.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Whole-School Approaches to Mental Health and Bullying: Discussion (27 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Can we focus on questions, please?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Whole-School Approaches to Mental Health and Bullying: Discussion (27 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Interagency collaboration was mentioned. What has been the input of the Special Education Support Service and CAMHS to the various guidelines produced recently on bullying and mental health strategies? Continuous professional development for teachers was touched upon by Senator Moran. With regard to NEPS, a number of schools have access to private assessments. How is NEPS focusing on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Whole-School Approaches to Mental Health and Bullying: Discussion (27 Mar 2013)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: We have that question.