Results 121-140 of 7,970 for speaker:Hildegarde Naughton

Seanad: Forestry Bill 2013: Second Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. The Council for Forest Research and Development, COFORD, all-Ireland roundwood production forecast 2011-2028 illustrates the increasing production potential from Irish forests, which will almost double to 7 million cu. m from the current 3.79 million cu. m. The harvest from private forests is forecast to increase tenfold within this timeframe....

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (2 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I wish to raise the Irish Hotels Federation quarterly barometer survey which was published on the 26 September. It revealed a very strong year for the tourism industry in Galway and beyond. The IHF report highlights the fact that 87% of hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation proprietors have increased their business this year. The overall tourism figures are up 10%. It is also good to...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (7 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I welcome yesterday’s announcement by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on the new requirements for the management of grant funding provided out of public moneys. These new rules will ensure transparency, accountability and value for money. It should be noted the new requirements apply to all funding received out of the Exchequer, no matter how that money is distributed....

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I wish to raise the positive news that joblessness has fallen by nearly 10% in Galway City and county over the past 12 months. The national trend is similar, with another decrease indicated in the recent CSO figures, bringing the unemployment rate to 11.1% from a high of over 15% when the Government came into office. By my reckoning, the national decrease in August was the largest monthly...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Proposed Special Educational Needs Model: Discussion (8 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I welcome the witnesses. I also welcome the proposed new model for the allocation of resources. I understand the new model would be cost neutral as it would be based on current numbers and would not result in the creation of new posts. Is that the case? On the rationale for not relying solely on the medical model, is it the case that some students who may not have a medical need will...

Seanad: Forestry Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Forestry Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: At 1.15 p.m. next Tuesday.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I, too, welcome Senator Craughwell and congratulate him on his election to the Seanad. I wish him every success during his tenure and I look forward to working with him. It is a great honour for him and his family and I wish him every success.

Seanad: Budget 2015: Statements (14 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: Today’s budget means we have managed to turn the economy around. The economy is growing again, and it means we have righted the sinking economic ship left to us three years ago. The Government took some very difficult and unpopular decisions in order to do so. We have had three years of deflationary budgets. Every year for the past three years, the Government took money out of the...

Seanad: Budget 2015: Statements (14 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: Let us be clear: to implement such a promise would leave a €1 billion hole in our finances over the next two years. What we have done is provide additional supports to those in need, including our pensioners. Will the Minister of State consider an issue relating to motor tax? If one pays one's motor tax quarterly, it works out far more expensive than if one pays it annually. A...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: Yesterday's budget was a modest and prudent one. The objective was not only to sustain our economic recovery but also to reduce the deficit. We are acutely aware of the sacrifices the people have made over recent years. This budget is the first step in ensuring the benefits trickle down throughout the country. I am particularly delighted with the tax reliefs for the farming sector, which...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Pathways to Work: Department of Social Protection (15 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I welcome the officials and thank them for the presentation. I welcome the roll-out of the Intreo offices and the slow but steady reduction in our unemployment rates. We are definitely going in a very positive direction. I would like to hear the views of officials on whether case officers should be able to impose reduced welfare payments on those who fail to engage with the process. Would...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Pathways to Work: Department of Social Protection (15 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: Yes, that was my question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Pathways to Work: Department of Social Protection (15 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I would agree with that, that the person should be encouraged to engage but in cases where there is no success after several attempts would a penalty be imposed and who would have the power to impose one?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Pathways to Work: Department of Social Protection (15 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: Would the case officer do that in conjunction with the deciding officer to have a team approach?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Pathways to Work: Department of Social Protection (15 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: They may need support.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Water Tariffs: Commission for Energy Regulation (21 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: It is my understanding - I think this was stated earlier - that the CER has no role in setting the actual salary packages in Irish Water. However, it does set the level of costs, and salary plays a part in that. How can the CER, in the public interest, ensure that the utility is paying the appropriate levels of remuneration and getting value for money for the salaries it pays? It seems to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Water Tariffs: Commission for Energy Regulation (21 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: Have the delegates indicated to management that the company's cost of labour is high?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Water Tariffs: Commission for Energy Regulation (21 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: What will be the timeline in respect of approval for the call-out charges that will apply when the consultation period has ended?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Role of Primary School Boards of Management: Discussion (22 Oct 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I welcome the witnesses. Given the responsibilities of boards of management, are they ever legally responsible for any act or omission within a school or is it the patron or the Department that takes the risk? The training of boards of management was referred to by Ms McElduff. Do boards receive training currently on risk management and corporate governance and, if so, who provides it? Ms...