Results 1,561-1,580 of 6,728 for speaker:John Curran

Seanad: Higher Education Grants (9 Dec 2009)

John Curran: I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy O'Keeffe. I thank the Senator for giving me this opportunity to outline the position of the Department of Education and Science on applications by students for funding under the student support schemes. I am pleased to inform the house that the Department of Education and Science funds four...

Seanad: Higher Education Grants (9 Dec 2009)

John Curran: I reiterate that the difficulties are being compounded by the moratorium on staffing. The Higher Education Authority, on behalf of the Minister, has asked institutions to be flexible in respect of student service charges for those still awaiting a decision on their grant application. Specifically I said Letterkenny Institute of Technology would continue to extend the maximum flexibility,...

Seanad: Community Development (9 Dec 2009)

John Curran: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. My Department was established against a background of concern at the multiplicity of structures and agencies through which local and community development schemes and programmes are delivered. The Department inherited many local and community programmes that had been established and operated under different Departments. There was an inherent...

Seanad: Community Development (9 Dec 2009)

John Curran: It is relevant to the issue of assets, and many others, that the implementation phase runs for a year, particularly because there is a wide range of issues involved. We have been considering this issue for a few months. The Senator referred specifically to the McCarthy report. It is important to point out that the funding made available to our Department in today's budget allows the single...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (10 Dec 2009)

John Curran: As I outlined previously to the House, my Department has seen the need to redesign its community development/social inclusion programmes, particularly the Local Development Social Inclusion (LDSIP) and Community Development Programmes (CDP), drawing on best international practice, and to support the ongoing evaluation of the programmes. The LDSIP and the CDP are my Department's two main...

Written Answers — Garda Training: Garda Training (15 Dec 2009)

John Curran: I am informed by the Garda Authorities that the number of recruits in Templemore on the latest date for which figures are readily available is 326. It is expected that over 100 of these will attest as sworn members in December 2009 with the remainder attesting in 2010. While the moratorium on Public Service recruitment applies to Garda recruitment, I intend to review the position during the...

Written Answers — Bogus Charities: Bogus Charities (15 Dec 2009)

John Curran: The Garda Síochána Act 2005 makes provision for the compilation and publication of crime statistics by the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistical agency, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose. I have requested the CSO to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to the statistics sought by him.

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (15 Dec 2009)

John Curran: As I outlined previously to the House and Seanad, my Department has seen the need to redesign its community development/social inclusion programmes, particularly the Local Development Social Inclusion (LDSIP) and Community Development Programmes (CDP), drawing on good international practice and to support the ongoing evaluation of the programmes. The LDSIP and the CDP are my Department's two...

Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (15 Dec 2009)

John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 282 and 284 together. This Scheme of Community Support for Older People is administered and funded by my Department with the services delivered locally by community and voluntary groups. It currently provides support to these organisations to fund the once-off installation costs of socially monitored alarms, small items of physical security and in the case of...

Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (15 Dec 2009)

John Curran: My Department is responsible for the Scheme of Community Support for Older People. The Scheme supports qualifying older people, aged 65 and older, by providing funding towards personal alarms and other items of security and safety equipment including smoke alarms. Applications should be made through the individual applicant's local community or voluntary organisation. My Department has...

Community Development Programmes. (16 Dec 2009)

John Curran: As I outlined previously to the Dáil and Seanad, my Department has seen the need to redesign its community development and social inclusion programmes, particularly the local development social inclusion programme, LDSIP, and the community development programme, CDP, drawing on best international practice, and to support their ongoing evaluation. The LDSIP and the CDP are my Department's...

Community Development Programmes. (16 Dec 2009)

John Curran: I will try to respond to several of the points made. I refer to the appeals mechanism. The staff involved in the appeals are from completely different sections and have not hand, act or part in-----

Community Development Programmes. (16 Dec 2009)

John Curran: I make this point specifically. While any appeal need not be submitted until the middle of January, the CDPs unsuccessful in the review were not only informed that they were unsuccessful, but they were informed of the reasons. This will subsequently assist them during any appeal. We have also make a commitment to these CDPs to help them with finance and funding during the course of their...

Community Development Programmes. (16 Dec 2009)

John Curran: I refer to the question of meeting various groups. I wish to put that on the record because it is important. Both I and my officials, at different times and in different ways, do this. To clarify one point, I did not select the staff within the Department who were to make the appeals.

Community Development Programmes. (16 Dec 2009)

John Curran: I take the Deputy's point but I wish to clarify this for the record. It was not a question of the Minister coming in and saying, "You, you and you". It was senior management within the Department.

Community Employment Schemes. (16 Dec 2009)

John Curran: I strongly support the participation of recovering drug users on community employment schemes as part of the rehabilitation process. I am aware of the importance of such schemes in the recovery paths of many and I wish to acknowledge the role played by FÁS in that regard. Recovering drug users participate, for the most part, in special drugs-related CE projects, though some participate in...

Community Employment Schemes. (16 Dec 2009)

John Curran: I thank the Deputy for her contribution. I believe these particular CE schemes are crucially important, both for the individuals and their families but also for people who have a drug addiction because they are given hope for the future. I recently met Mr. Paul O'Toole, the director general of FÁS, to discuss this. A point the Deputy might not realise is that there are 1,000 ring-fenced...

Community Employment Schemes. (16 Dec 2009)

John Curran: As I said, I met with FÁS to ask the organisation to review the workings of this scheme and in that context I shall keep this matter under review for Deputy Byrne.

National Drugs Strategy. (16 Dec 2009)

John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 30 together. I am satisfied that the objectives of the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 will be achieved despite the cuts in funding for 2010. When the strategy was launched in September last, it was clear that its implementation would have to be achieved in the context of more limited funding in the short to medium term. At that time I identified...

National Drugs Strategy. (16 Dec 2009)

John Curran: How long do I have to answer these questions?