Results 2,221-2,240 of 5,534 for speaker:Maureen O'Sullivan

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (28 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: It strikes me as illogical. Surely the concerns of the staff have to be addressed now and not at a later date. If there had been all the engagement and discussion the Minister of State mentioned, surely it would have led to some kind of resolution that staff would have bought into. The staff fears still feature. Definitely, the staff do not feel confident that they will have an...

Standing Orders: Motion (28 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: I was part of the Constitutional Convention which discussed Dáil reform. It was all about making the Dáil more accountable, more democratic and more efficient, so I have to ask if this proposal will do that. Is it going to be positive and progressive in the spirit in which it was discussed? Is what is being proposed really any different from the system we have? If a party or...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Redundancy Payments (28 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: 57. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to report on the management of the redundancy scheme fund for the period 1967 to 2015, during which time it was known as the Redundancy Fund from 1967 to 1984 and the Redundancy and Employer’s Insolvency Fund from 1984 to 1991, after which the Redundancy and Employer’s Insolvency Fund merged with other funds within...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Redundancy Payments (28 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: 58. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to report on the income, into the costs borne by, the year-end surplus or deficit of, and the cumulative reserve built up; and whether the cumulative reserves have been used for the purposes set out in the redundancy legislation from 1967 to date and the employer insolvency legislation from 1984 to date; under the redundancy...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Redundancy Payments (28 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: 59. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if the redundancy scheme fund has been managed at all times in a manner that is accountable, transparent and subject to independent third-party scrutiny; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3876/16]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Redundancy Payments (28 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: 60. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if the operation of the redundancy scheme fund is a vital measure to provide mitigation, by way of rebates on the statutory payment made to employees for enterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, as providers of employment, as revenue collectors for the Exchequer, as a vital component of the economy and as...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Redundancy Payments (28 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: 61. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her assessment of the redundancy scheme fund as a governance stabilising measure for the employment market, especially in the small and medium-sized enterprise sector here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3878/16]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Redundancy Payments (28 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: 62. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she has acted effectively as the trustee for the stewardship of the redundancy scheme fund; if she has effectively and prudently managed the fund and its surpluses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3879/16]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Tobacco Control Measures (28 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: 232. To ask the Minister for Health if further stakeholder engagement, particularly with the independently owned companies in the vape product sector, is planned as the transposition of the tobacco product directive progresses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3463/16]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Tobacco Control Measures (28 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: 234. To ask the Minister for Health to acknowledge the harmful nature of tobacco smoking, and to keep an open mind to Vape products, as a means to counter tobacco smoking; to acknowledge that Vape products are providing a non-carbon monoxide, non-tobacco and non-tar alternative to cigarette smoking, and therefore regulation should be carefully examined, and the scientific evidence of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Tobacco Control Measures (28 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: 233. To ask the Minister for Health if members of the Health Information and Quality Authority report group examining the implication of vape products will be made public by his Department. [3464/16]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (28 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: 310. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will introduce standardised reading texts to determine the need for readers for leaving certificate examinations to ensure equality; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3489/16]

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: I am speaking to amendments Nos. 13 to 16, inclusive, in particular, where mergers can go ahead without the agreement of the staff trade unions. We were discussing this last night. If there is reform in any sector, the staff are vital and must be on board for anything to succeed. One can see, even with the junior certificate reform, the need for engagement of the staff and the staff to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (27 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: 26. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of legislation on community courts including progress to date and when she will introduce it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3003/16]

Social Housing: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: Many foreign national people who are seeking to access housing are being passed on to a different office, the new communities unit in the Department of Social Protection. If the homelessness figures do not include those foreign national people on the homeless list, then the numbers are being understated. There are concerns about this significant understatement of the figures because these...

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (26 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: There is no doubt about the anger outside tonight from representatives of the TUI. Their anger relates to the conditions of service, which we will discuss in a later amendment. It comes back to the respect for the staff trade unions. There seems to be more concern to include staff associations, of which we have none, to allow them to make an appearance at some stage, than respect for the...

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (26 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: We agree on the value of the institutes of technology. From my life before coming to the House, I know very well about the great work that has been done. My dealings were with DIT, Blanchardstown, Tallaght and Dundalk. The ladder system and progression routes were valuable. Someone could progress from a certain level right up to PhD level through the institutes of technology. Their...

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (26 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: I thank the Minister for the engagement and extensive discussion on Committee Stage and the follow-up meeting with officials, as promised by her. It was good that some of the points we made on Committee Stage were taken on board for Report Stage, but there are still major concerns. I was outside tonight at the protest organised by the Teachers' Union of Ireland and there is clearly a great...

Leaders' Questions (26 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: On 1 January in Dublin Castle, there was an impressive flag-raising ceremony to start the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising. An amazing array of launches and events is being held not just in Ireland, but also abroad, by a wide number of organisations. A number of restorations are ongoing, for example, Kilmainham court and Pearse's cottage. It appears to me and others that this and...

Leaders' Questions (26 Jan 2016)

Maureen O'Sullivan: The Government had the power to designate Nos. 14-17 Moore Street as a national monument. Why was this designation not extended to the rest of the terrace? Why has the Taoiseach abandoned what he called the "laneways of history" and why are we leaving it to a vulture capitalist to look after the rest of the battlefield site?