Results 24,281-24,300 of 34,745 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Recognition (26 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: 432. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when full-time recognition will be provided to a school (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2939/16]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (26 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: 459. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to review the school transport arrangements for a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3277/16]

Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2016: Motion (21 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: I welcome the Government's U-turn in allowing this debate today. Earlier in the week, the Government published a schedule indicating that this would be taken without debate. I issued a press release at that time stating that the practice for the past ten years has been to refer it to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform for a detailed discussion on the...

Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2016: Motion (21 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: That is all right, the Minister of State is busy on other matters. I am pleased that the Government last night agreed to our Whip's request that we would have a short debate. Everyone accepts the principle of what is involved. The speech the Minister of State, Deputy Harris, just read out is the greatest piece of whitewash I have ever seen from the Government. What is at issue today is...

Finance Act 2004 (Section 91) (Deferred Surrender to the Central Fund) Order 2016: Motion (21 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: There is €6.644 million unspent by the Garda Síochána on its capital programme. It is no wonder that we have a crime issue when voted money from this House is not being utilised. I welcome this short debate in order to put those matters on the public record because that is the information the Minister of State chose not to mention. That is why we are here. We agree...

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: The glass is broken.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Repatriation Costs (21 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: 101. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the funding schemes in place through her Department or through non-Government agencies funded by her Department to give a grant to non-Irish persons who are being repatriated to their own country and who agree to go voluntarily; if such a grant scheme is available in relation to the costs of returning home and the cost of flights; if any other...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (21 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: 143. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of schools amalgamating and the Special Needs Assistants in these schools, if they have a right to continue employment in the new amalgamated school or the options and positions in relation to these situations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2644/16]

Public Sector Standards Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: There are legal services to protect the institution, not to help Members. We deal with them at the Committee of Public Accounts and other committees all the time and they will advise on legal procedure. However, they have never been available to me to advise on whether legislation is legal.

Public Sector Standards Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: Perhaps the legal service needs to be beefed up next time. I have heard the Minister make that reference recently also, but in my experience it has never been available to assist us. It tends to state what a committee can or cannot do, including in guiding the banking inquiry, inquiries by the Committee of Public Accounts, or where we receive something from a whistleblower. It seems to...

Public Sector Standards Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: I like that.

Public Sector Standards Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: It was sorted out at the last minute. Where stands this Bill in respect of people's right to elect a person of bad repute? They are entitled to elect such a person if they choose to. That is democracy. Some might say that thumbing a nose at the system is a good thing, others might say it is outrageous that somebody should have the cheek to do that and the person should not be here. That...

Public Sector Standards Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: One only goes to limbo for it, not even to purgatory.

Public Sector Standards Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: Suspension from the House needs a broader debate. If one receives a sentence of longer than six months for a criminal offence, one has to leave the House. That is utterly at the discretion of a judge and may or may not be appropriate. If everybody here was superhuman and had no failings at all, they would not be representative of the people. We should operate to the highest standards and...

Public Sector Standards Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: I would like to see a bit of consistency with the gravity of the situation because I agree with proportionality and the graduated approach in the legislation. The Schedules to the Bill deal with categories. Category A refers to persons to whom people are to refer reports. It deals with Deputies, MEPs, the Attorneys General and special advisers. According to the Schedule, the chief executive...

Public Sector Standards Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: Our party requires it to be a candidate. I will not say I was being presumptive. I thought we could kill two birds with one stone and get them on for being-----

Public Sector Standards Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: I will not go there as a particular Senator in my county would not like to hear anyone talking like that. I think we know what we are talking about. I prefer if Revenue gives it to me anyway. As I mentioned previously, this proportionate and graduated approach is very important because there are different levels of different aspects of declarable interest that must be declared by...

Public Sector Standards Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Public Sector Standards Bill 2015 and I have listened carefully to the Minister's comments. As he has made clear, this matter was discussed as part of the pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill with the Oireachtas finance and public expenditure committee some time ago. There was a useful discussion in that respect and I hope our discussion on Second...

Public Sector Standards Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: Who knows? We will not go there with this one. The context of this Bill is addressing corruption risk through an appropriate disclosure of interest regime and the regulation of conflicts of interest, which is critical in maintaining trust in the reputation of public institutes. Trust is fairly high in Ireland and relative to other countries, we do not have a bad name. Perhaps the...

Leaders' Questions (20 Jan 2016)

Seán Fleming: It is the Taoiseach's job to answer questions.