Results 521-540 of 873 for speaker:Averil Power

Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)

Averil Power: As Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan could ask.

Seanad: Direct Provision System: Motion (17 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I think this is his first visit since his elevation to ministerial office. He is very welcome. He has certainly hit the ground running over the last few weeks. I have been reading in the newspapers about the various commitments he has been making. I would like to wish him all the best in his new role. I know he has a genuine interest in this...

Seanad: Direct Provision System: Motion (17 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: I commend Senators Mullen and Bradford on the tabling of this motion today. We have discussed this matter in the House on several occasions over the last two years. I have been working with Senators van Turnhout and Ó Clochartaigh and other members of the cross-party group on this issue for some time. We have been trying to get a cross-party consensus to deal with it. I think issues...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: I begin by welcoming the Minister to the House. I think it is the first time she has been here for an education debate since her appointment and I wish her all the best in her work. If the section relating to institutions marketing themselves as universities outside Ireland but not within the State is to remain, certainly the changes need to be made as suggested by Senator Barrett. Like...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: The "person" referred to in amendment No. 6 is different. The amendment refers to arrangements entered into "with any person outside the State for the purposes of participating in a collaborative project".

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: On the Minister's statement on WIT, I accept that this piece of legislation can be used only by one institution, the RCSI. WIT is far from having 40% international students, and no other institution in the country comes anywhere near the figure. In some respects it could be seen as a slap in the face for the institutes of technology, which have been involved in a torturous process over a...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: To pick up on Senator Norris's point about the RCSI and its graduates in Bahrain, we have not had an opportunity to discuss that issue directly with the Minister to date, although it was discussed in the education committee some months ago as the college is looking for accreditation from the Irish Medical Council for its programmes in Bahrain. It is an area of considerable reputational risk...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: -----even though the independent commission set up by the Bahraini Government has acknowledged that torture did happen in Bahraini hospitals. The human rights environment in which the RCSI is operating is very poor in Bahrain in particular. In terms of the training, we would not allow Irish medical students from Trinity College, UCD, the RCSI or any other college train in this State in a...

Seanad: Access to Educational and Other Opportunities for People with Disabilities: Motion (24 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: I move amendment No. 2: To delete all words after 'Seanad Éireann–' and substitute the following: notes that - inadequate funding and a lack of appropriate supports are negatively impacting on people with disabilities of all ages; - many children with special needs have no access to appropriate preschool services; - many children with special needs are being denied access to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: I welcome the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy O'Sullivan and the Minister of State, Deputy English, to the committee. I wish to focus on the priorities for the budget for next year, and particularly on areas that have had a cut over the last few years. What will be the Minister's priorities if indeed the Government does have more resources in the next budget? One of the areas...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: The question was about the 85% cap. Provision is no longer based on educational need but is subject to an arbitrary cap.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: The key point in the report from May concerned the evaluation of the existing year. It does not recommend evaluating the existing year because of quality problems with what is being offered. One of the biggest issues in the sector is actually quality, which is on the Minister's side rather than that of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: The accepted wisdom in rolling out the ECCE year was that it would be particularly good for children in disadvantaged areas whose parents could not afford private child care. The evaluation actually shows that this is not true. The ECCE year did not close the gap at all because those children were just getting the same interventions as everybody else. Everybody was lifted a little bit, but...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: The budget is one area of concern. It is a separate question to ask how much money was spent on training.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: It is about choices.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: I am keen to raise the issue of priorities as we head into the budget discussions for next year. The figures in the presentation we have relate to cuts announced previously that will come into place in 2015. One of these is the €350 increase in the student contribution, something that has put considerable pressure on families that do not qualify for the grant. These people are just...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: I have another question for the Minister on entry to medical education. As the Minister is aware, the health professions admission test was introduced some time back. It was supposed to reform the entry process and ensure it would not be altogether based on people cramming for tests and getting the ultimate 600 points in the leaving certificate or 625 points with bonus points for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: Does the Minister have any information on the number of schools that have become one-teacher schools?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: It depends on the year really. In some years, they have been given grants and in others they have been given nothing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Averil Power: I wish to make a brief observation on the school building programme. The European Central Bank interest rate is now down to virtually zero - it is 0.15%. With the cost of borrowing so low, this is a key time for us to be investing in infrastructure like housing and schools. I would hope that the Minister would stress that point as part of the budget negotiations. Such infrastructure...