Results 61-80 of 881 for speaker:Peter Power

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed). (17 May 2006)

Peter Power: I wish to share time with Deputies Grealish, O'Connor, Keaveney and Carey.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed). (17 May 2006)

Peter Power: I welcome the Labour Party motion moved by Deputy O'Sullivan as it gives us an opportunity to again focus on the changing priorities of education in 2006. It also gives us a chance to focus once again on the fact that we are in the middle of the largest ever Government expenditure on education since the foundation of the State. It gives us a chance to examine the policies, proposals and any...

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed). (17 May 2006)

Peter Power: Deputy O'Sullivan should look at the facts. Expenditure on education is running at double the rate of most other Departments, with the exception of the Department of Health and Children. This is a considerable amount of money. Compared to the capital programme of the last Government, this Government's expenditure has been five times greater in terms of capital expenditure.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed). (17 May 2006)

Peter Power: We should examine what the Government is doing and what the Opposition would do with the same resources because this debate concerns the prioritisation of the considerable resources currently available. We should not conclude this debate unless the Opposition clearly states what it would do within the context of the available resources. Where would the Opposition shift its priorities and from...

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed). (17 May 2006)

Peter Power: Should I tell the parents of a student in Limerick, a town with which Deputy O'Sullivan is familiar, who are seeking additional resources for special needs that their child is not entitled to additional time, resources and resource hours because the money is being diverted into another area? Am I to tell a school in my constituency, such as Gaelscoil Sairseal, which the Minister visited and...

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed). (17 May 2006)

Peter Power: The problems facing schools such as Gaelscoil Sairseal result from the size of classrooms, rather than class size. Such schools must accommodate 35 people in grossly overcrowded classrooms. They are not interested in the minute difference between pupil-teacher ratios of 22:1 and 20:1. They simply want new schools and new classrooms. This is why we have diverted the resources in this fashion...

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed). (17 May 2006)

Peter Power: To do so would be the political equivalent of the three-card trick. It is not possible for the Opposition to say one week that it wants to solve problems in the disability sector or education for children with special needs and say the next week that it wishes to put all its money into reducing class sizes.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed). (17 May 2006)

Peter Power: It is a chicken and egg situation. It behoves the Opposition in the limited time left in this debate to set out exactly the areas in which it would cut funding. Both Deputy O'Sullivan and the Minister have been actively engaged in dealing with the issue of school places in Limerick. No Deputy could condone schools cherry-picking students over and above other schools, which has resulted in...

Courts (Register of Sentences) Bill 2006: Second Stage (Resumed). (31 May 2006)

Peter Power: I thank Deputy Ardagh for sharing time but take issue with his comments on the relative affluence of Limerick when compared with Dublin. I would like to bring the Deputy to Limerick to show him the city's affluence relative to some of the places I have seen in Dublin. It would make a poor comparison.

Courts (Register of Sentences) Bill 2006: Second Stage (Resumed). (31 May 2006)

Peter Power: Deputy Finian McGrath might like to visit Limerick as he would return more enlightened than he was last week when he made unfortunate comments to the media. That is, however, an issue for another day. I compliment Deputy Jim O'Keeffe on bringing the Bill before the House. While I and the Deputy do not agree on whether it will achieve its intended objectives, the Bill gives Deputies an...

Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed). (1 Jun 2006)

Peter Power: I wish to share time with Deputy Moloney.

Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed). (1 Jun 2006)

Peter Power: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on this important legislation. In years to come when it is used in respect of some of the largest infrastructural projects in this country, such as the metro or major environmental infrastructural projects, this Bill will be regarded as one of the most important passed in this Dáil term. The fact the Bill, when enacted, will allow these...

Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed). (1 Jun 2006)

Peter Power: The professor said that, as inevitably as night follows day, if one does not compress the project, costs will begin to escalate in profound ways, as we have seen in respect of infrastructural projects such as the tunnel and so on. Another issue relates to the delivery of projects rather than to the Bill, that is, the necessity to introduce fixed price contracts to deliver projects on time...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (7 Jun 2006)

Peter Power: Question 237: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when broadband will be provided to the townlands of Pallasgreen and Old Pallas, County Limerick. [21615/06]

Human Rights Issues: Motion (Resumed). (14 Jun 2006)

Peter Power: I thank my colleagues for sharing their time on this important debate. I welcome the opportunity to address the issue of extraordinary rendition, a practice which is virtually unknown outside the context of the US war on terrorism. The concept of extraordinary rendition is alien to me. It is also alien to the legal system which we operate in Ireland. As a country, we cannot agree in any shape...

Human Rights Issues: Motion (Resumed). (14 Jun 2006)

Peter Power: In the same way, it is simply not permissible in this country for our authorities, in any shape or form, to enter and inspect any property or premises without due cause. They can only do so when there is concrete information on the basis of a warrant obtained through the judicial process. Are we to abandon the concepts we apply to entering property in this State and apply different ones for...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (27 Jun 2006)

Peter Power: Question 77: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her plans for aiding digesters and other new technology to deal with pig and poultry manure arising from the application of the Nitrates Directive. [24469/06]

Written Answers — Live Exports: Live Exports (27 Jun 2006)

Peter Power: Question 139: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her views on live cattle exports and cattle slaughterings in meat plants here to date in 2006 compared with the same period in 2005. [24470/06]

Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)

Peter Power: In the brief time available to me I am delighted to address this motion which is divorced from the reality of modern Ireland and based on the politics of cynicism. It does not refer to the fact that this country is the envy of every other economy in Europe and sadly, it is a motion that does not refer to the Government's record and achievement in bringing about lasting peace in Northern...

Government Record: Motion (Resumed). (5 Jul 2006)

Peter Power: ——the future of Shannon Airport. They will look at what the Opposition has to offer.