Results 2,241-2,260 of 7,652 for speaker:Joanna Tuffy

Standing Orders: Motion (17 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: On a point of order, the average Deputy, like me, has been excluded from the debate on Dáil reform, which is totally inappropriate. These decisions have been made by leaders and they have never really consulted with people like me. I object to that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: Anybody who wishes to make a comment at this stage may do so.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: We have had a very good meeting here today. This is an ongoing thing. Today is the initial meeting for a report that we will write on the issue. We will be in touch with all of you again. I would like to thank you for your contribution today, and I thank committee members as well. At our next meeting we will begin hearings on the Gender Recognition Bill 2013. I hope that committee...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: I have some questions in that regard. One of the issues for us as politicians is that this is a difficult subject politically. Sometimes when a proposal is made, there is a campaign against it and it is difficult to try to persuade people to shift the way they look at the issue. Does the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, work with the parent councils or with SNAs and different...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: Yes, but also the debate about encouraging people to be more open-minded and to examine whether they are doing things the right way.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: A delegation from this committee went to Finland and attended a discussion on its system for dealing with special needs. Finland seems to have a flexible system along the lines of what Ms Griffin suggests, whereby a child is removed temporarily from the class and then brought back. The system there seems to be based on the child's needs more so than here. Children there might have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: Any there any other questions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: I will not move on to supplementary questions yet, but will take any other speakers who wish to put questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: We could do that. We can invite submissions. A consultation process is ongoing currently, so we may hold off for a month or so. We intend to produce a report on this issue and will seek further submissions. Today's discussion has been a very good start.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: The Senator has gone over the three minutes allotted so I ask her to conclude.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: Perhaps replies can be given in a different order this time, so I call Mr. Robinson to commence.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: We have agreed to take questions in order from the spokespersons, with a limit of three minutes per speaker and no supplementary questions until everybody has spoken, after which people may speak again if time permits.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: I now invite Ms Áine Lynch to make her opening statement on behalf of the National Parents Council Primary.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: I now invite Mr. Jim Moore to make his opening statement on behalf of the National Parents Council Post Primary.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: SOLAS: Discussion with Chairman Designate (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: As there are no further questions, that concludes our consideration of the appointment of Mr. Delaney as chairperson of SOLAS. I thank Mr. Delaney for his presentation and wish him well in his new position. The committee will be following the development of SOLAS with interest and will no doubt be speaking to Mr. Delaney again at some point in the future.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: We will move on to the next item, a discussion on the role of special needs assistants, SNAs. As part of the work programme agreed by the committee, Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin will prepare a report on the role of SNAs. Policy briefs on this issue have been circulated to all members. The remainder of today's meeting will be devoted to initiating the preparation of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: SOLAS: Discussion with Chairman Designate (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: Mr. Delaney used the phrase “walk away from its history”. I presume he was alluding to the bad press FÁS received in recent years. In my community, FÁS courses were much sought after and there was obviously a lot of good work done by the organisation. I am sure others have experienced this. In reality, most of FÁS's work was good work, although there were...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Business of Joint Committee (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: Apologies have been received from Senators Marie Moloney and Marie Louise O'Donnell. At the request of the broadcasting and recording services, I ask members to ensure their mobile telephones are completely switched off. For the information of members, the broadcasting unit will broadcast live the public session of this meeting. The proceedings are carried on UPC channel 207.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: We are meeting to discuss EU legislative proposals. It is proposed that the proposals listed in schedule B do not warrant further scrutiny. Is that agreed? Agreed. COM (2013) 430 is a proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on enhanced co-operation between public employment services. It is proposed that the proposal does not warrant further scrutiny. Is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: SOLAS: Discussion with Chairman Designate (9 Oct 2013)

Joanna Tuffy: I welcome Mr. Pat Delaney, the chairman designate of An tSeirbhís Oideachais Leanúnaigh agus Scileanna, SOLAS, the new State training agency. I advise him that, by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to this committee. If they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a...