Results 1,641-1,660 of 6,728 for speaker:John Curran
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (16 Feb 2010)
John Curran: The Office of the Minister for Drugs (OMD) was established under the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 to facilitate greater cohesion in policy-making and service delivery. All financial matters are now overseen by the OMD which includes the allocation of annual budgets to the Drugs Task Forces and associated payments. The OMD formally approved funding to the Drugs Task Forces in regard to...
- Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (16 Feb 2010)
John Curran: As I outlined previously to the House, my Department has seen the need to re-design 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. Both programmes had a community development element and...
- Controlled Drugs Sales. (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: I propose taking Questions Nos. 2 and 5 together. I have voiced my concerns about the activities of head shops and substances represented as "legal highs" sold in these outlets on numerous occasions since my appointment as Minister of State with responsibility for the national drugs strategy. My concerns about these substances centre on the potential health hazards arising from the use of...
- Controlled Drugs Sales. (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: I thank the Deputy for his comments, but I would like to clarify a few points. He mentioned my colleague, Deputy McDaid. I take a completely different view to Deputy McDaid on the issue. I am concerned at the proliferation of these shops and the threat they pose, due to the sale of the individual substances and the health risk involved, but also due to the fact that they could be a gateway...
- Controlled Drugs Sales. (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: Yes. To ban a substance, it must first be clearly identified and shown to have a negative and detrimental effect on health. A process must be completed to ensure the legislation is robust. Shortly before Christmas a range of products was added to the list of banned substances in the United Kingdom. While I am not familiar with the technical names, some designer cathinones such as...
- Controlled Drugs Sales. (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: Deputy Wall makes a good suggestion on providing information on websites. I will ask officials in the relevant Department to take action in this regard. I am not sure whether legislation will be necessary or if the measures can be taken by ministerial order and statutory instrument under existing legislation. It is intended to add this range of substances to the Schedule of the Misuse of...
- Security of the Elderly. (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: My Department has funded and operated the scheme of community support for older people since mid-2002. Grant aid provided under this scheme allows for the installation of socially monitored personal alert systems and other items of home security and has supported more than 100,000 older people in recent years. This scheme was reintroduced last October after being suspended for a period...
- Security of the Elderly. (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: I will try to be helpful as possible to the Deputy.
- Security of the Elderly. (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: I am sure it is all relevant to the Deputy. In regard to the question ruled out of order, the Minister advises me that if the Deputy has a word with him quietly at the end of Question Time, he will advise him on how to put down a question on that issue that might be in order.
- Security of the Elderly. (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: As I said, we provided funding for more than 6,500 individuals last year under the community supports for older people scheme. We expect a greater number to apply this year and a new scheme will be implemented shortly. One of my main concerns in regard to the scheme is that there are rural areas which are not adequately covered under it. In other words, we must actively promote the scheme...
- Security of the Elderly. (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: Before the end of the month.
- Hospital Accommodation. (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: I am replying to this matter on the Adjournment on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. I thank Deputy Ring for raising this issue which provides me with an opportunity to update the House on this matter. The Government is committed to supporting people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible....
- Local Authority Housing. (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter, which I am taking on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The enactment of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 is a milestone in the development of social housing policy in this country. The Act will improve housing services and their delivery by giving effect to a range of reform...
- Computerisation Programme. (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, as it provides me with an opportunity to outline to this House the way in which the ICT infrastructure grant for primary schools, which was issued last November, may be utilised. In November last year the Taoiseach launched the Smart Schools = Smart Economy...
- Schools Building Projects. (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: I am happy to respond on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, who cannot be present, unfortunately. I thank Deputy Perry for raising this matter and giving me an opportunity to outline to the Dáil the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and the current position in respect of Carn national school, Gurteen, Ballymote, County Sligo. As...
- Written Answers — Substance Misuse Strategy: Substance Misuse Strategy (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: The Office of the Minister for Drugs (OMD) was established under the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 to facilitate greater cohesion in policy-making and service delivery. All financial matters are now overseen by the OMD, which includes the allocation of annual budgets to the Drugs Task Forces and associated payments. The OMD formally approved funding to the Drugs Task Forces in regard to...
- Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: Following on from the winding-up of the former local development company for the Dublin 12 area, KWCDT Ltd, my Department has continued its commitment to the area by identifying and supporting the transfer of a number of key projects to Rathmines/Pembroke Partnership on an interim basis. An initial allocation of some â¬0.3m in additional funding has been provided in this regard under the...
- Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 25 together. 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 good international practice and to support the ongoing evaluation of the programmes....
- Written Answers — Substance Misuse Strategy: Substance Misuse Strategy (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: I welcome this report by the Health Research Board. It is a follow-on publication from the National Drugs Related Deaths Index (NDRDI) which was completed in late 2008. The NDRDI identified deaths in the 1998-2005 period that were directly and indirectly related to drug-taking and the recent publication goes into more detail on the indirect deaths. The data presented shows an increasing...
- Written Answers — Substance Misuse Strategy: Substance Misuse Strategy (18 Feb 2010)
John Curran: As the role of the Drugs Task Forces is to facilitate greater local/regional focus on drugs issues and provide a more co-ordinated response to them, I recognise that raising awareness is a key element of their work. The Deputy will be aware that each Drugs Task Force has an annual funding allocation from my Department for community-based drugs initiatives. From that allocation, each Task...