Results 8,581-8,600 of 26,901 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 483. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has identified any educational merits to the proposed merger between Cork Institute of Technology and the Institute of Technology Tralee, County Kerry; the purpose of the prerequisite for institutes to merge prior to being considered for technological university status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10369/15]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (10 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 484. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the fact that students currently attending institutes of technology will receive a higher level of education if the institutes have their status changed to that of technological universities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10370/15]

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: If it is okay, Deputy Clare Daly will take five minutes and then I will take ten minutes.

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Deputy Clare Daly only wants five minutes.

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: As Deputy Clare Daly stated, this is a happy occasion because we are further expanding the boundaries of freedom, equality and self-determination and placing another example of bigotry in the dustbin of history where it belongs. I very much welcome the Bill and look forward to the referendum campaign we will conduct in the weeks ahead. I hope and confidently believe we will achieve a...

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I will be sharing time with Deputies Shane Ross, Paul Murphy and Michael Fitzmaurice. I have a quiz for the Minister of State. Which dangerous political force in the Middle East is in favour of beheading, summary execution and the indiscriminate killing of civilians? One answer is "ISIS" but the other is "Israel". That is now official. This week, the Israeli foreign Minister called...

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: More expansionism.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Operations and Functioning of National Lottery: Discussion (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank the witnesses for their submissions. I was one of those who opposed the sell-off and it does not altogether surprise me that since privatisation, what the witnesses appearing to be hinting at is occurring. Since the national lottery was first established 27 years ago, we have had 27 years in which the lottery worked perfectly and which never experienced an outage. Its brand...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Operations and Functioning of National Lottery: Discussion (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Perhaps, as he stated, Mr. Jennings does not wish to shake up the glass too much but implicit in what he is saying is that these operators have come in and they simply wish to milk the brand that has all this credibility, while cutting investment and running the thing down in a manner that potentially could derail and damage the entire credibility of the national lottery. Does Mr. Jennings...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Operations and Functioning of National Lottery: Discussion (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am wondering whether this is what Mr. Jennings suspects. The witnesses are ringing the alarm bells.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Operations and Functioning of National Lottery: Discussion (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I have two further brief questions. Mr. Jennings drew a distinction between the lottery management and the company standing above it. If it is not the management, about who specifically are we talking? Does Mr. Jennings think the problems are with Camelot or the people above it, that is, with PLI?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Operations and Functioning of National Lottery: Discussion (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Are the witnesses getting evidence from customers that they are fed up with all of this and that their attitude towards the lottery may change?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Role and Remit: Office of the Ombudsman for Children (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Are we allowed ask general questions about what the Office of the Ombudsman for Children does?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Role and Remit: Office of the Ombudsman for Children (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The main point made by the Ombudsman for Children in his submission is that he is worried about the fact the office is funded by the Department rather than the Oireachtas, and this needs to be addressed so it is fully independent.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Role and Remit: Office of the Ombudsman for Children (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: At present the Ombudsman for Children is not allowed to do anything about this.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Role and Remit: Office of the Ombudsman for Children (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: And a remit to look at all issues to do with accommodation and administrative processes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Role and Remit: Office of the Ombudsman for Children (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Good luck with that. Can we do anything to help in this regard? We should be agreeing with the Ombudsman for Children; I certainly do.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Role and Remit: Office of the Ombudsman for Children (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Until it is abolished completely.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Role and Remit: Office of the Ombudsman for Children (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The role of the Ombudsman for Children includes generally monitoring the situation of children in the country and advising the Government on policy and legislation to ensure the protection of children. I wish to ask about the position of children in families being pushed through homeless services or having housing difficulties. Is this a significant feature of the complaints the Ombudsman...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Role and Remit: Office of the Ombudsman for Children (11 Mar 2015)

Richard Boyd Barrett: People should not be in this situation because there should be sufficient housing stock. However, given that a crisis does exist, a simple measure that could be taken is to allow self-referral for families in that situation. In other words, instead of being told by the local authority to move to some completely unsuitable hotel or hostel because the Dublin homeless service happens to have a...