Results 761-780 of 5,754 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I compliment the Minister on the wonderful job she did and her sensitive handling of an issue that was very difficult. I said some days ago that she is one of the people I hold in the highest esteem, and I must reiterate that today. Let me turn to the people of the "Yes" campaign on the ground. They awakened a political movement that rocked this State to its very foundations. They knocked...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I draw attention to the Web Summit which has started in the RDS. I have often been criticised for being unduly critical of the Government but I compliment the Minister, Deputy Bruton, who went to the summit today. If Senators have not attended, I recommend that they do so. Without doubt it is one of the greatest technological and innovative centres one will find in Europe. There are...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: That is very magnanimous.

Seanad: National Mortgage and Housing Corporation Bill 2015: Second Stage (4 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Hear, hear. I am pleased that the Senator has adopted a decent approach.

Seanad: National Mortgage and Housing Corporation Bill 2015: Second Stage (4 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I commend my colleagues Senator Barrett and Senator Quinn on this sensible and well-thought-through Bill, which offers a practical and easily implementable solution to many aspects of the housing crisis. It is not a panacea for all ills and all that ails us in housing, where the issues are complex and multifaceted, but it offers a reasonable...

Seanad: National Mortgage and Housing Corporation Bill 2015: Second Stage (4 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: The Bill is extremely innovative. Many of its key themes are based on similar legislation models in the US and Canada, where they have been highly successful. Why not learn from other countries and replicate what has worked there? I agree with my colleague Senator O'Brien that the Bill should at least go to Committee Stage. What is wrong with bringing it to Committee Stage? It can be...

Seanad: National Mortgage and Housing Corporation Bill 2015: Second Stage (4 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Indeed.

Seanad: National Mortgage and Housing Corporation Bill 2015: Second Stage (4 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I welcome the provisions of the Bill that would allow external bodies to package mortgages and sell them to corporations. The Bill would also allow other mortgage organisations to avail of low-cost financing through indirect market access, provided they operate within the regulations of the corporation. Surely this would be a great thing for us all. The Bill is mindful of the mistakes of...

Seanad: National Mortgage and Housing Corporation Bill 2015: Second Stage (4 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: He should take a chance, allow the Bill to progress to Committee Stage and tell the Minister for Finance that he took an executive decision on the Minister's behalf because, had he been here, he would have allowed it to progress as well. The Minister of State would be hailed all over Mayo. He would probably get a seat in Galway as well.

Seanad: National Mortgage and Housing Corporation Bill 2015: Second Stage (4 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: Hear, hear.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: JobBridge and the Youth Guarantee: National Youth Council, Ballymun Jobs Centre and Department of Social Protection (4 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the witnesses for their attendance. My questions are addressed in the main to Mr. Carroll and Mr. Corcoran. I had some serious difficulties with the JobBridge scheme. The plan itself was good and offered potential to people to experience work for which they may have just upskilled or whatever. However, in some cases at least, I believe it was grossly abused. I am referring to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: JobBridge and the Youth Guarantee: National Youth Council, Ballymun Jobs Centre and Department of Social Protection (4 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: With all due respect to the Senator, I mentioned the education sector, in which people were employed as teachers, special needs assistants and porters.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: JobBridge and the Youth Guarantee: National Youth Council, Ballymun Jobs Centre and Department of Social Protection (4 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: In fairness-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: JobBridge and the Youth Guarantee: National Youth Council, Ballymun Jobs Centre and Department of Social Protection (4 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: -----there is no point in the Senator and I arguing about it. Mr. Carroll knows exactly what I am talking about.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: JobBridge and the Youth Guarantee: National Youth Council, Ballymun Jobs Centre and Department of Social Protection (4 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: As we go through this each time I come here - it is good of Senator O'Donnell to be here today - we should hear from Mr. Carroll.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: JobBridge and the Youth Guarantee: National Youth Council, Ballymun Jobs Centre and Department of Social Protection (4 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: It now has been a year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: JobBridge and the Youth Guarantee: National Youth Council, Ballymun Jobs Centre and Department of Social Protection (4 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I accept fully what Mr. Carroll has said and reiterate a great job has been done in some places under JobBridge. There is little or no doubt that in parts of the public service the moratorium on recruitment meant that job vacancies went unfilled. Some of them were filled through the JobBridge scheme. I accept that people took these jobs voluntarily, but there were no prospects when they...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: JobBridge and the Youth Guarantee: National Youth Council, Ballymun Jobs Centre and Department of Social Protection (4 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: The Chairman is taking up my point incorrectly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: JobBridge and the Youth Guarantee: National Youth Council, Ballymun Jobs Centre and Department of Social Protection (4 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: I owe the further education system my entire career. I am one of those who has come through it and was supported well by it. I have no difficulty whatsoever with the back to education allowance and the vocational training opportunities scheme, VTOS. They are tremendous schemes and I have no doubt about it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: JobBridge and the Youth Guarantee: National Youth Council, Ballymun Jobs Centre and Department of Social Protection (4 Nov 2015)

Gerard Craughwell: My point is if a caretaker is required a community employment scheme is there to bring one in if one cannot be got some other way.