Results 1,421-1,440 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (12 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will respond to concerns that up to 40 plus teaching posts have been placed at risk as a result of the decision announced in Budget 2013 to increase the pupil teacher ratio form 19:2, 19:1 in post leaving certificate courses; if he will provide details of any findings by his Department carried out in advance of this decision. [55901/12]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Reform of Third Level Education: Discussion (12 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: I welcome those in attendance. As I have to be in the Chamber at 2.30 p.m., I apologise in advance for having to leave. My colleague, Deputy Sandra McLellan, will pass on the answers to my questions. Mr. Costello spoke about selection and admission. I have read the reform document which goes into some detail on issues such as the expansion of bonus points. Would the delegates like to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Reform of Third Level Education: Discussion (12 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: I have one other question. Obviously, there are significant obstacles in terms of funding. We heard earlier from the witnesses about non-Exchequer funding, which in some instances is 33% and in others is 50%. What action is being taken by the universities to increase their funding? For example, are they reviewing the role of the alumni and giving consideration to the development of online...

Order of Business (13 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: By next week.

Social Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: I do not know whether the Minister has ever been a carer. I can only presume she has not, given the cuts she proposes to implement. My mother was a carer. I say "was", because she used to care for my father who passed away last August. She never went on a holiday while she was caring for him but used the respite care grant to subsidise my father's medical care so that we could keep him at...

Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (13 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: The Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, is well aware of the challenges facing the parents of children with special needs in Cork and their concerns in regard to the process of reconfiguration of service delivery that is now under way. I attended the meeting at which she outlined in great detail what is proposed in this regard and attempted to allay some of the fears that were raised...

Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (13 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: I do not, for one moment, doubt the Minister of State's sincerity about trying to improve the service. I genuinely mean that, because I know her track record in this area. It is very welcome that she has acknowledged today in the Chamber that this project cannot be done on a cost-neutral basis. That is a big fear people have, as the Minister of State will know from the meeting. I...

Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (13 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: The Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, is well aware of the challenges facing the parents of children with special needs in Cork and their concerns in regard to the process of reconfiguration of service delivery that is now under way. I attended the meeting at which she outlined in great detail what is proposed in this regard and attempted to allay some of the fears that were raised...

Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (13 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: I do not, for one moment, doubt the Minister of State's sincerity about trying to improve the service. I genuinely mean that, because I know her track record in this area. It is very welcome that she has acknowledged today in the Chamber that this project cannot be done on a cost-neutral basis. That is a big fear people have, as the Minister of State will know from the meeting. I...

Finance (Local Property Tax) Bill 2012: Second Stage (14 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: He does so every morning during Leaders' Questions.

Finance (Local Property Tax) Bill 2012: Second Stage (14 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: The Deputy should vote against it so.

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Services (18 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of children who used the services of the out-of-hours projects in counties Donegal and Cork each month since they were established; the number of children who repeatedly used the services during each of those months; the number of children who used the emergency place of safety service and separately, the crisis intervention...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Special Care Placements (18 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the waiting time that applied in the cases of the three young persons who were approved and are awaiting a special care placement and the one young person approved and awaiting a high support placement on 23 October 2012; if those young persons had received their placements on 23 November 2012; the number of children awaiting placement in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide copies of the minutes of meetings held between is Department and professional bodies representing behaviour analysts over the past decade, as his Department researched and devised its policy on the education of children with autism. [56442/12]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Post-Leaving Certificate Courses (18 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the claims (details supplied) of the CEO of Cork City and County Vocational Education Committee that changes announced in Budget 2013 to the pupil teacher ratio will mean a reduction of 25 full time equivalent or 50 part time teachers across the three further education colleges in County Cork as well as the closure of specialised...

Private Members' Business - Care Services: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (19 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: I had expected the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, to be present and had intended to appeal to her to look into her heart and revisit her conscience. However, the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, is present and there is not much point in appealing to him to look into his heart. I do not know if he has one. I do not mean that in a bad way, but we have seen some of the...

Private Members' Business - Care Services: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (19 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: You seem to presume an awful lot.

Private Members' Business - Care Services: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (19 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: If I could continue without interruption-----

Private Members' Business - Care Services: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (19 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: I will not take lectures from the likes of-----

Private Members' Business - Care Services: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (19 Dec 2012)

Jonathan O'Brien: Can I finish?