Results 621-640 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — Ombudsman for Children: Ombudsman for Children (12 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Ombudsman for Children was appointed by the President on 18 December 2003 following a resolution of both Houses of the Oireachtas. The Office of the Ombudsman for Children was formally established on 25 April 2004 and is in temporary accommodation. A number of staff were selected and have taken up duty with the office. Arrangements are currently being put in place to assign the remaining...

Seanad: General Practitioner Co-operatives. (14 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I thank Senator Dooley for raising this matter on the Adjournment. It is a very important matter in County Clare and in what is now the Mid-Western Health Board functional area. One of the key objectives of the Government has been to promote, develop and provide an effective and efficient system of general practitioner out-of-hours co-operatives. This has been an important development in...

Special Educational Needs: Motion. (19 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I commend the Minister on her comprehensive reply to the motion tabled by the Opposition on this matter. The crucial point in her contribution is that a decision was taken by the Government preceding this one in 1998, of the same political complexion, by the then Minister of Education and Science, Deputy Martin, to recognise this need. The bare statistics show that there are now 2,600...

Special Educational Needs: Motion. (19 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: There is no question of the Minister not being fully aware of her responsibility in this matter. However, she requires the co-operation of principals to implement and effect the system. Let us face facts. Some of our difficulties in this area were caused by decisions and applications that were made at local level in the past. The Minister has to put a system in place and bring all aspects...

Special Educational Needs: Motion. (19 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Many of them are now in the workforce.

Seanad: Children Act 2001: Statements. (20 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I thank the Seanad for selecting this important topic for discussion relating to the protection and development of children. I will begin by outlining the context established by the Children Act 2001. That legislation significantly modernises the juvenile justice and welfare systems in Ireland. The Act was developed in response to the recognition that the juvenile justice system had outgrown...

Seanad: Children Act 2001: Statements. (20 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Minister has met the groups who were responsible for organising the system.

Seanad: Children Act 2001: Statements. (20 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Gabh mo leithscéal.

Seanad: Children Act 2001: Statements. (20 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Or the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Seanad: Children Act 2001: Statements. (20 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I thank Senators for their contributions and welcome the House's debate on the implementation of the Children Act 2001. I have not been disappointed by the quality of the contributions. It has been a most informative debate and I appreciate the support extended to me by Members regarding my work in three Departments. Senator Browne queried the necessity of involvement by three Departments but...

Seanad: Children Act 2001: Statements. (20 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: One of the problems with the programme in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is that it is focused exclusively on providing additional places rather than on early education. It is expressly designed, and has been well executed and implemented by the officers of the Department, to increase the number of places. However, it is not designed to address the issues of early...

Seanad: Hospital Services. (27 Oct 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I welcome the opportunity to respond to the issues raised by Senator Wilson. A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting a delegation of local authority members drawn from the same political interest as Senator Wilson on this very issue in Monaghan town. I agree that it is of the utmost importance that we ensure all necessary services can be provided at Monaghan General Hospital. On 28...

Child Care: Motion. (2 Nov 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Every local authority received a playground grant this year. The Deputy should properly research his facts.

Child Care: Motion. (2 Nov 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes: —the considerable progress which has been achieved in the implementation of the recommendations of the national child care strategy over the past five years, through the equal opportunities child care programme and other Government initiatives; —that each county of Ireland has already...

Child Care: Motion. (2 Nov 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy must bear with me for a moment. The Department is indemnified to the extent of €177 million on its expenditure. That comes from the European Social Fund relating to equality and equal participation in the workforce so the equality-driven measure as far as the Commission is concerned is the increased participation of females in the workforce. I agree with Opposition Deputies who...

Child Care: Motion. (2 Nov 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Lisbon Agenda is not driving child care. The Government has adopted a national children's strategy that has been highly commended by the United Nations organisation. The strategy envisaged that children should be at the centre of public policy decision-making. The Lisbon Agenda does not take priority over the interests of children. I was endeavouring to explain to Deputies opposite why...

Child Care: Motion. (2 Nov 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The creation of 30,000 new child care places is likely to lead to the creation of over 3,000 positions for child care practitioners. The opening of quality facilities will afford progression opportunities to trained staff. Such developments will contribute to the creation of a better child care sector in which people can work in well-appointed facilities and seek promotion opportunities in...

Child Care: Motion. (2 Nov 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Measures that encourage greater levels of female participation in the workforce include tax incentives, making child income support more neutral vis-À-vis the employment status of parents and a greater commitment to flexible and family-friendly working arrangements. I was astonished by Deputy Eamon Ryan's reference to a "speculative housing boom". The so-called speculative housing boom was a...

Child Care: Motion. (2 Nov 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: If Deputy Ó Caoláin ever has occasion to sit on this side of the House, he will discover that the supply of houses is a market like any other market. It is a market that has seen exceptional demand in recent years as a result of very high rates of economic growth and inward migration to this country. To describe the increased demand for housing as a speculative housing boom is the kind of...

Child Care: Motion. (2 Nov 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Almost two years ago the OECD undertook a thematic review of early childhood care and education in Ireland on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science. It noted that the launch of the ambitious equal opportunities programme was a real achievement in the Irish context, in which few or no models were available. The OECD, a reputable international observer, praised the efforts of the...