Results 1,581-1,600 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Employment Equality (Amendment) Bill 2013: First Stage (21 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I move:That leave be granted to introduce Bill entitled an Act to amend the Employment Equality Acts 1998 to 2011 and thereby extend the general definition of discrimination to include discrimination on the grounds of gender identity, as well as to extend general protection against discrimination on the basis of civil status, gender identity or sexual orientation in, and in connection with,...

Employment Equality (Amendment) Bill 2013: First Stage (21 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

Finance Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I listened to the debate for most of the day yesterday on the monitor in my office. It is clear many Government Deputies believe many of the measures contained in the Finance Bill will help get people back to work and stimulate the economy. A number of measures were announced which the Government feels will certainly stimulate the construction section of the labour force and will...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Cross-Border Enterprise Initiatives (21 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of jobs and the amount of investment achieved by cross border agencies and through cross border enterprise initiatives in the past two years. [9041/13]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Cross-Border Trading (21 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will identify the barriers to micro enterprise posed by the border both in financial terms and with regards internal enterprise administration; if he will identify the steps he has taken to reduce these barriers in the past two years; and the effect this has had on volumes of cross border trade. [9042/13]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Broadband Services Provision (26 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of schools that currently avail of the 100 Mbps to schools project; if he will provide a breakdown by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9969/13]

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: My reading of amendment No. 7 suggests additional powers and oversight for the Minister in respect of the functions of the board. It is not possible at this stage to table a further amendment but it would be useful if the Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection were used more as well. It is well and good to give the Minister additional oversight, but if he requires additional...

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: The Minister may request that particular surveys be carried out. I presume any such surveys would be laid before the House anyway and would be open to scrutiny.

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: The Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection should have an active role in the process.

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Sinn Féin supports these amendments because we think they are positive. We will be giving the boards significant responsibilities and we have to ensure they can access all available expertise. The legislation sets out a range of support services but I presume that is not an exhaustive list. Is a mechanism available for providing additional supports not prescribed in the Bill?

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Amendment No. 17 is similar to amendment No. 5, although it deals with the education and training board system as a whole rather than focusing solely on those which include Gaeltacht areas. It is important that a minimum number of members of a board are able to carry out their functions through the Irish language. When we raised this issue on Committee Stage, we were advised that education...

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I will be making a similar argument on gender quotas in the context of a later amendment. This is why we included the phrase "where practicable" when we drafted the amendment. We are not insisting that three of the ten members be fluent Irish speakers. Where a capacity exists within a local authority, that should be the aim. This is why we tabled the amendment. If we are serious about...

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Deputy Troy spoke about Gaeltacht areas, but our growing number of Irish speakers is not just confined to Gaeltacht areas. If one of these speakers contacts an ETB that is not within a Gaeltacht area and wishes to avail of the services through the Irish language, it is important that the facility is there to provide for that. If there are no Irish language speakers on a particular ETB, does...

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I move amendment No. 6: In page 12, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following: “(b) recognised teaching unions representing staff of an education and training board,”.In fairness to the Minister, he took on board many of the observations made on Committee Stage, particularly with regard to increasing the membership of the boards. We wanted to ensure they are reflective...

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I intend to press this amendment.

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I echo what Deputy Troy has said. On Committee Stage, we had a good discussion on the possibility of increasing the number of people who will sit on these boards, including in areas where there will be more than one local authority after the amalgamations take place. In fairness, the Minister took many of the issues we raised into consideration. It is difficult to strike a balance between...

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I move amendment No. 14:In page 26, line 28, after "comprise" to insert the following:"of whom a minimum of 8 shall be women and a minimum of 8 shall be men with the remainder to be composed of either men or women".These amendments have been resubmitted on foot of the debate on Committee Stage, when they were the subject of a pretty extensive discussion. The Minister said he would reflect on...

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I completely understand why the Minister of State does not propose to accept these amendments. Following the Committee Stage debate and today's brief discussion, local authorities need to be sent a message to the effect that they should try, where possible, to make sure the gender balance within a local authority is reflected when they are nominating members of the new education and training...

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I move amendment No. 17:In page 26, lines 36 and 37, after “subsection (2)” to insert the following: “and the local authority will, where practicable, ensure that at least 3 of the 10 elected members will have the capacity to discharge functions in relation to the board in the Irish language”.

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Is it possible to comment on the amendments even though they have been ruled out of order?