Results 1,561-1,580 of 24,635 for speaker:Mary Harney

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (10 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: Under the Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act 2001, any employee whose normal hours of work constitute at least 20% of the normal hours of a comparable full-time employee is entitled to access to a pension scheme. My Department has been informed by the Health Service Executive that pension arrangements for home helps employed in the health service are currently being discussed as...

Seanad: Report on Long-Stay Care Charges: Statements. (10 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: I am delighted to have an opportunity to discuss the Travers report in the Seanad. I pay tribute to Mr. John Travers for the excellent job he has done in carrying out an evaluation in the Department of Health and Children as to how, for 28 years, legal advice was not sought in regard to long-term charges for people in public institutions. When I asked Mr. Travers to carry out the task, I did...

Seanad: Report on Long-Stay Care Charges: Statements. (10 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: I did not expect that information to be on the news.

Seanad: Report on Long-Stay Care Charges: Statements. (10 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: May I deal with this question now as I cannot remain for the whole debate? The story this morning was not accurate. Mr. Travers deals with it in page 54 of his report and I intend to publish the documents, namely, the letter that was drafted and sent to the Secretary General on 27 January and the background documentation. They were on file in the Department's line division that prepared them....

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: As the Deputy is aware, the Government gave a commitment in the programme for Government to examine the feasibility of an additional terminal at Dublin Airport. The Deputy has confirmed that there were 13 expressions of interest in respect of that new terminal. The Minister briefed his Cabinet colleagues about aviation matters but no decision was sought from the Government and no decision was...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: I understand the Minister for Transport will bring a memorandum before the Government after Easter. The only issues that are important are capacity and competition. I share Deputy Kenny's view that ownership of such a facility is not the issue, but rather competition which will drive efficiency for consumers and capacity so that the long delays experienced by passengers may be eliminated.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: To deal with the last issue first, I gave an undertaking that the briefing document would be made available. There were four elements to that briefing document. Two of them are published in the Travers report and the other two relate to the South Eastern Health Board legal advice. That contains advice other than in relation to long-term charges. It contains advice on matters that are about to...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: The Government committee met this morning and I will bring a memorandum to the Government at our first meeting after the Easter recess, on 6 April. We examined the possibility of deleting references to the other issues in the legal opinion, but as the matters are all intertwined that would have been impossible. It would not have made sense. A number of cases are pending, as I am sure the...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: ——are the legal advice, extending to more than 80 pages, and a shortened version of it in the form of a memorandum. The other two documents are in the report. Mr. Travers found that no Minister had been appropriately briefed. I went to the Department of Health and Children on 30 September and was not briefed about this matter. It was only after the intervention by Deputy Kenny that I...

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: A substantial investment has been made in education in recent years. The priorities have been resource teachers, special needs teachers and areas of disadvantage. When all those teachers are included, the overall national average has fallen from 22.2:1 in 1996-7 to 17.44:1. If a school has a class of more than 30 pupils, it means it has many fewer——

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: Yes, but overall in the school there cannot be those averages. It means there are low numbers in some classes. That is how some schools——

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: The Department of Education and Science appoints and pays for a teacher for 29 students; that is a fact. We must do more but we must have a sense of priority.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: Over the last seven years, 4,000 extra teachers have been employed.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: Contrary to what the Deputy said, there is no embargo on teacher recruitment. If we did not have multiple classes, many of the rural schools would close. We will strive to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio for all students but the priorities will clearly continue to be special needs and areas of disadvantage.

Leaders' Questions. (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: There are students in classes of 15 and apparently the literacy levels are no different so it is not just about more teachers, it is about new teaching methods.

Order of Business. (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: It is proposed to take No. 7, motion re referral to select committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the terms of the Convention on Social Security between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; No. 8, motion re referral to select committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the accession by Ireland to the...

Order of Business. (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: There would be a more in-depth and thorough discussion in the committee.

Order of Business. (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: On behalf of the Government, it gives me great pleasure to welcome our two new Deputies to Dáil Éireann. Although I do not anticipate that either of them will be supporters of the Government, I wish them well. It is a great day for them and their families. In the case of Deputy McEntee, it is a great day for his party, Fine Gael. It is always refreshing to have another female Member of this...

Order of Business. (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: I genuinely congratulate Deputy Murphy on her election in Kildare North. I hope she enjoys her time in Leinster House. We will not always be as civil to them as we are today. We should remember the two Deputies whose resignation from the House caused the by-elections. Former Deputy John Bruton is now the EU ambassador in Washington, while former Deputy Charlie McCreevy is the EU Commissioner...

Order of Business. (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Harney: The inquiry has been given until 31 March to complete its work. I have been assured that I will have a report on that date. Clearly, if further work is required, I hope the information made available to the tribunal of inquiry could be made available to some other forum. That would be the intention, if necessary.