Results 23,801-23,820 of 26,228 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Written Answers — Rent Supplement Scheme: Rent Supplement Scheme (26 Jun 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: Question 306: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm that persons with special needs such as those with disabilities or those coming from situations of homelessness may have higher rent levels under the rent supplement scheme due to their specialised housing requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30831/12]

European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Second Stage (7 Jun 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: I welcome that people passed the treaty. It provides an absolute guarantee of access to the ESM fund. The current situation in Europe revolves around Spain. From media reports, it appears that any rescue fund for Spain is being done as a banking rescue package as distinct from a sovereign rescue package. I would expect if such decoupling happens with Spain, any such solution should be...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (6 Jun 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: Question 143: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason ICT is not an examination subject for the Junior and Leaving Certificates in view of the growth of the ICT industry and the necessity of being ICT literate in today's work environment; his views on the fact that ICT forms part of the school examination curriculum in other countries; the plans he has to address this issue;...

Credit Guarantee Bill 2012: Second Stage (16 May 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: I am delighted to speak on the Bill. Deputy Boyd Barrett made reference to public sector jobs in, for example, hospitals. I agree with what he said but we must not forget that enterprise provides the taxes to pay for public services. It is my fundamental view that we must support private enterprise. It provides jobs as well as taxes. It enables us to provide public services and to look...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (24 Apr 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: Question 251: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a person who holds a masters degree from a university outside the State and which did not attract grant aid from either Ireland or the UK will qualify for a maintenance grant for a professional diploma in education at University College Cork, due to commence in September 2012; his plans to review the third level grants system; and...

Written Answers — Water Services: Water Services (18 Apr 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: Question 798: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding the establishment of the Irish Water Authority; the timeframe for its schedule of work to be carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17819/12]

Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: I am delighted to contribute to this debate. I am surprised that Deputy Donnelly is undecided because he is normally a man of great certainty. I know him as a fellow financial economist and I have no doubt if he was advising a client in the morning and Ireland Inc., or the Irish Government was the client, he would advise everyone to vote "Yes" for the treaty. He is increasingly entering...

Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: -----not one that is politically oriented but in terms of the hard facts. The public want it to be based on facts. People are aware that under the IMF-EU programme there are major constraints. We have to get down to under 3% of debt to GDP by 2015. Deputy Donnelly and I agree that too much debt is effectively an anti-growth measure in itself. It is a regressive measure. We need to get...

Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: The structural deficit is 0.5% and that is an issue to be measured. We have to get our debt to GDP ratio down to 60% and that will be done over a period of time. What needs to be explained to people is that this is not about getting debt levels down to 60% of gross domestic product overnight. We have to bring down by one twentieth per year the difference between the 60% and what the debt...

Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: Once again the Deputy is not presenting all the facts. Growth will be a key ingredient. If we achieve a reasonable level of growth, that will take care of that particular measure. Furthermore, as the Deputy will be well aware, most debt is never repaid by governments, they roll over the debt. We are in a difficult bind at present. We are in the IMF-EU programme and to access funding we...

Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: I know what will happen when we vote "Yes". If we vote "Yes" we are putting in place in a structured form what we have already agreed; it is good housekeeping. We also get a guarantee, if required, as an insurance policy, that we will have access to the ESM, if we need it. If we vote "No" we are in a situation where there is a huge degree of uncertainty for both Ireland and Europe.

Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: That is right. If 12 member states wish to go ahead, they can do so. If Deputy Donnelly was advising people, would he advise them to vote "Yes" or "No"? I think he would advise them to vote "Yes".

Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: I think he would.

Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: The example I gave is that of multinational companies that wish to set up here. Multinational companies look for certainty in any market. With the fiscal compact in place, they get it. We have already brought in very difficult measures so I commend the Bill to the House. Deputy Donnelly is a reasonable man and when he looks at the cold facts of the case in a pragmatic way, he will come out...

Job Losses (29 Mar 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: I welcome the staff and managers from GAME Ireland to the Visitors Gallery. It is a worrying time for them and their families. We cannot lose sight of the human dimension. Early on Monday morning, they were informed without warning that they would need to close their shops. The shop in Limerick city has been one of the landmarks on Cruises Street for more than 16 years. Of its nine...

Job Losses (29 Mar 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: I want to break the issue into two parts, the first of which is the notice that Game UK provided to its employees. We need to put in place procedures that ensure proper notice is given and that every alternative is explored, including the possibility that people could take over some of the stores. I understand that in other countries where Game operated such alternatives have been explored....

Mahon Tribunal Report: Statements (Resumed) (28 Mar 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: I have not read all of the report, but I have read the key sections. When making my contribution, I want to be objective and to look at the issues dispassionately. As public representatives, we must link in with what ordinary people see in the report. There is nothing really new in the report. The only aspect in any way new is what it says about the former Taoiseach. The Mahon tribunal...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (27 Mar 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: Question 296: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the arrangements in place to ensure the prompt processing of individuals in receipt of a jobseeker's payment who have the opportunity of undertaking casual employment; the length of time it takes to administer a person's case where that person has to sign off temporarily to undertake work, and then sign back on again once the work has...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (27 Mar 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: Question 380: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a cost benefit analysis has been carried out by him vis-a-vis the following methods of providing social housing, local authority tenancy provision, rental accommodation scheme, rent supplement; the result of that analysis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16169/12]

Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Mar 2012)

Kieran O'Donnell: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. In discussing the Bill and agreeing to an additional bailout programme for Greece we are showing our solidarity with the Greek people. It is extremely important that Greece, like Ireland, meet its requirements under the programme. In the limited time available to me I would like to touch on Ireland's solidarity with its European...