Results 181-200 of 11,483 for speaker:Niall Collins

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Services (21 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: I thank Senator Sherlock for raising this important issue and for offering the opportunity to respond. Home visiting programmes provide support and guidance to expecting parents and parents of babies and young children. Home visiting is a prevention and early intervention strategy used to support parents to promote infant and child health, foster educational development and school...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Services (21 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: Home visiting programmes are recognised as having positive outcomes for families who receive them. The intention of the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman's Department with the additional funding from the children's fund is that an increased number of children and families will benefit from such a service. As mentioned earlier, Traveller and lone parent families will initially be targeted. Based on...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (21 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of our colleague, the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, who is in the midlands this morning. The Department would like to thank the Senator for raising this matter, which provides me with an opportunity to outline the position on Castlebar Educate Together National School. I would like to first state to the Senator that officials in the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (21 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: I once again thank the Senator for giving me an opportunity to outline the position to the House on Castlebar Educate Together National School. As I have outlined, the Department is engaging with Educate Together on the accommodation that is required in the short, medium and long term. I can assure the Senator that the Department is working to provide a long-term accommodation solution for...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Recycling Policy (21 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: The deposit return scheme, DRS, was introduced to incentivise more people to recycle plastic bottles and cans to help deliver on our ambitious EU targets for the recycling of these products. Under the single-use plastics directive, we are obliged to recycle 90% of our plastic bottles by 2029 with an interim target of 77% by the end of next year. The deposit return scheme will increase the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Recycling Policy (21 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: I have no problem speaking to Leigh Gath. As the Senator will know, she is a constituent of mine. I have spoken to her regularly previously. She did not contact me about this matter. I would be delighted to speak to her afterwards. Re-Turn continues to engage widely with all stakeholders and has committed to reviewing accessibility practices considering the needs of customers. There...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fuel Prices (21 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: I thank the Senator for raising this issue for discussion. The Government is acutely aware that increased energy prices have posed significant challenges to households and firms. The drivers of inflation are global in nature and, accordingly, it is not possible for any one government to fully absorb the costs. Therefore, Government policy is focused on temporary and targeted measures aimed...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fuel Prices (21 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: The Government recognises that the decision by the UK Government not to restore its excise rates means that the differential for petrol, in particular, will increase between Northern Ireland and this jurisdiction. The Senator will be aware that Ireland and Northern Ireland operate significantly different tax regimes. For example, the VAT rate in the UK is 20% and the UK does not have a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Strategies (21 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: I thank Senator O'Reilly for raising this very important issue. Encouraging mothers to breast-feed is a priority, both for the Department of Health and for the HSE. National health policy, including the Healthy Ireland framework, the Healthy Ireland strategic action plan, the national maternity strategy, the obesity policy and action plan, and the national cancer strategy, emphasises the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Strategies (21 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: I thank Senator O'Reilly for raising the very important issue of restricting digital marketing of infant formula. Research indicates that breast-feeding gives a child the optimum start in life and that increasing our breast-feeding rates will contribute to improvements in child and maternal health and can contribute to a reduction in childhood obesity and chronic diseases. The Senator's...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Second Stage (20 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: I am grateful for the opportunity to address the House and present the Research and Innovation Bill 2024 here today. As Members are aware, this Bill is vital legislation which will provide for the establishment of a new research and innovation agency, Taighde Éireann. The purpose of this Bill is to create an agency with the capacity to address the very real issues society faces, in...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Second Stage (20 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: I would once again like to thank the Senators for their engagement here today, for their careful consideration and for the work they have undertaken throughout the process of developing the legislation and bringing this Bill towards enactment. We have great ambitions for Taighde Éireann. This Bill is the foundation of a new agency that will be built upon. I value this process, which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (20 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: 347. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills what actions she has planned to deal with calls from a number of primary school principals in Tallaght for enhanced supports for disadvantaged schools under DEIS plus classification; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11540/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (20 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: 365. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she can address the issues raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11708/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (20 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: 482. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she can advise on a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12577/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (20 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: 507. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she can expedite a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12777/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (20 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: 508. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she can provide assistance and advice on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12780/24]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (20 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: 926. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 434 of 30 January 2024, when contact will be made with the person; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12507/24]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (20 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: 980. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the distance land needs to be outside of a special protection area before forestry planting can occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12033/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (20 Mar 2024)

Niall Collins: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1546 and 1547 together. The Education and Training Boards (ETBs) contract Specialist Training Providers (STPs) to provide intensive, tailored training programmes and supports in specific settings for people with disabilities, whose needs that may not be catered for through non-specialist vocational training provision. The total allocation from SOLAS for...