Results 1,021-1,040 of 5,679 for speaker:Alan Dillon

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Council for Special Education (23 Nov 2021)

Alan Dillon: 349. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 302 of 11 November 2021, the terms of reference within the review of the education provision in special classes and special schools given the fact that the National Council for Special Education has been requested to develop policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57080/21]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (23 Nov 2021)

Alan Dillon: 718. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if membership of a domestic scheme run by a semi-State body (details supplied) will be a requirement for entry in the suckler carbon efficiency programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56903/21]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (23 Nov 2021)

Alan Dillon: 749. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of a project (details supplied); when the project is likely to proceed to construction and the associated timeline; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57417/21]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (25 Nov 2021)

Alan Dillon: 101. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on the changes to the carer’s allowance and domiciliary care allowance announced as part of budget 2022; the efforts being made to ensure they take effect as planned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57701/21]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (25 Nov 2021)

Alan Dillon: I concur with my colleagues in the Chamber. The measures in budget 2022 will bring about positive change to the carer's allowance. Family carers are truly the forgotten front line of this pandemic. This reform to the means test for carer's allowance is a significant step forward. I commend the Minister on introducing this change which will potentially see thousands of family carers...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Nov 2021)

Alan Dillon: There is an urgent need to revisit the requirement for physical distancing in our school transport system. We know that five- to 12-year-olds are now the group with the highest Covid incident rate. I have been contacted by a local private bus operator providing school transport services who has raised serious concern about the removal of physical distancing requirements. The operator...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Nov 2021)

Alan Dillon: 60. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to extend parent’s benefit, announced as part of budget 2022; the efforts being made to ensure they take effect as planned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57702/21]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Support Services (25 Nov 2021)

Alan Dillon: 192. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide details on the improvements being introduced at the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service; if she is giving consideration to further streamlining the granting and renewal of applications relating to healthcare workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57704/21]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (30 Nov 2021)

Alan Dillon: I am asking this question on behalf of Deputy Cannon. We must make every effort to ensure that students can remain in college, even when they are facing financial difficulty. Many of their part-time employment opportunities were removed as a result of Covid-19 and we now see the impact this is having on their personal finances. It is important that we have a clear picture of where funding...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (30 Nov 2021)

Alan Dillon: I thank the Minister and acknowledge the great strides he is making in ensuring that people have access to further and higher education and the options he has put in place over recent months. The recent reform of the SUSI grant and the CAO process are very welcome developments. I would appreciate some further information on the breakdown of the student assistance fund. The Minister gave us...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (30 Nov 2021)

Alan Dillon: I note there is a comprehensive list of approved institutions that can access the student assistance fund. I am seeking clarity on some of the plans progressing in the Minister’s Department. Several technological universities already exist and, as the Minister mentioned, the new Atlantic technological university, ATU, is coming on stream, driven by the Minister’s excellent...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (30 Nov 2021)

Alan Dillon: I am asking this question on behalf of Deputy Carroll MacNeill. As the Minister will recall, Speak Out is an online, anonymous reporting tool for incidents of bullying, harassment, discrimination, assault, sexual harassment and sexual assault. It is being led by the Psychological Counsellors in Higher Education Ireland, PCHEI, group. Following the Minister’s launch last month of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (30 Nov 2021)

Alan Dillon: It is a great initiative and it is fantastic to see a national roll-out of this tool. That is certainly aligned with the ethos of cross-institutional collaboration in response to misconduct in the higher education institutions. This aspect is very welcome. Depending on the impact of the initiative, and its success in combating this behaviour, I hope that we will see the number of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (30 Nov 2021)

Alan Dillon: I thank the Minister. We must ensure that the Speak Out tool will be therapeutically beneficial to those speaking out. The hope is that engagement with the tool will encourage those using it to seek support. Support and intervention in this regard are crucially important. Most important of all, however, support services must be provided to those speaking out, once they have submitted a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (30 Nov 2021)

Alan Dillon: 81. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline the work undertaken by SOLAS in the establishment of the further education and training capital and property working group; and the way this forum will support the delivery of capital projects in education and training boards. [58655/21]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (30 Nov 2021)

Alan Dillon: 87. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the development of the Atlantic technological university; and the level of Exchequer funding that will be provided in 2022 for this technological university. [58656/21]

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Dec 2021)

Alan Dillon: On a similar matter, our hotels, restaurants and bars have been heavily impacted by recent changes to public health measures. I am aware of many businesses throughout Mayo that have had their Christmas trading significantly reduced, with high levels of cancellations, following those changes. It is one thing to see a change in public behaviour but the reduction in the EWSS is rubbing salt...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (3 Dec 2021)

Alan Dillon: 6. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the plans for increased funding for his Department delivered as part of budget 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59467/21]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (3 Dec 2021)

Alan Dillon: 13. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of the National Action Plan for Childminding; the engagement that has taken place with representative bodies; the actions that are being put in place to ease the burden on parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59466/21]

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Chapter 7 - Oversight of Funding for the European Capital of Culture 2020 (25 Nov 2021)

Alan Dillon: I welcome our witnesses. My first question is on the welcome funding for the sports sector. At a time when it was desperately need, the Government stepped up and provided much-needed resilience funding to our national sporting organisations. Will the witnesses provide a breakdown of the funding that was allocated in 2020?