Results 2,461-2,480 of 3,693 for speaker:Lynn Ruane

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: I would like to comment on the Fianna Fáil legislation relating to drugs and some of the conversation that frames it. I am not completely in favour of that legislation. That is not because I am not in favour of protecting children. Sometimes the conversations around the grooming of children in communities regarding drug dealing is extremely short-sighted and misunderstood. We would...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: The Heritage Act was guillotined.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: I had to check in with my office regarding what Senator Norris said. He was actually referring directly to me by saying some idiot said there is more important business to be doing than the main Bills in the House. I will tell the Senator something now. I am no idiot and I believe he should withdraw the remark. There is much more important business to be doing in the House. There is much...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Employment: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: I have several questions. I hope I can remember them all. I will start with Dr. Cannon because she was the last speaker. I have a huge interest in the area of social enterprise. Ireland is very far behind other EU countries when it comes to the culture of social enterprise. I wonder if we are creating another system. I believe in social enterprise and I work in social enterprises, but I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Employment: Discussion (10 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: I do not think there is legal aid for a Traveller to take a discrimination case and there needs to be an avenue for that so employers can be challenged.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: I welcome the Cathaoirleach back. I join Senator Gavan and others who raised the pay scale for secretarial assistants. We cannot go into an election without addressing this matter. I do not know if the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, realises the work these people carry out, especially secretarial assistants to Independent Senators who do not have party...

Seanad: International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Statements (4 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank the Leader for his assistance in facilitating the request from Senator Dolan and myself to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities in the Seanad. Senator Dolan asked me to convey his apologies for being unable to attend the debate. We have worked closely together on this issue and I remind colleagues of the important...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: I have a couple of questions, mostly for Ms Ryan, Ms Bailey and either Mr. Hughes or Ms Sheehan. I will start with Ms Ryan. I remember that there was funding available a few years ago, and colleges were only going to be able to access a particular fund based on how well they were doing in terms of their access rates. Is there is still a tie between university funding and access? If so,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: I refer not to the bursaries as such but difficulties or barriers that have come up in the first year in respect of progression of students who are in path 1 funding. The Irish language has proved in the first year to be a barrier to moving students straight towards the teaching profession to help diversify the profession. They are ending up having to take on, say, arts degrees instead of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: I am sorry, I have one more point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: I emphasise that the aim of DEIS was to narrow the gap. Even though we see successes with more kids completing the leaving certificate, which I do not deny, we must always refocus on the fact that inequality has increased. We need a DEIS system to narrow that gap, not one that sees it widen over the years. That is my main point. DEIS is failing. We see progression to leaving certificate...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: That is why I said that DEIS should possibly follow some children instead of the school.

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: What is the progression level of the 135 Travellers?

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: That is not good enough. I am sorry but we cannot say it is not a failed system when that is the bar.

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: Apologies, but it is just-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: We must address the fact that the Department of Education and Skills cannot comment on the Educational Welfare Service. That is a serious issue. Does Ms Sheehan believe that this service should not have been taken out of the Department? Does she think it should be returned? The relationship between Tusla and many families in communities of high deprivation, particularly the Traveller...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: Would it be of benefit to her as an assistant principal officer in the Department to have control over a particular part of her brief?

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: Some of my questions need a small bit of context but I will do it quickly. My questions are aimed at the Minister, Deputy McHugh, in respect of primary and secondary schools. There was a conversation earlier where I brought up the whole issue of DEIS. Sometimes we are afraid to talk about DEIS and the work it does, out of fear of insulting schools, principals and teachers. Sometimes I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Lynn Ruane: On the Department carrying out an assessment itself, an independent assessment is needed. Some schools are a year behind on the curriculum. Some schools are heading into the leaving certificate, including some of the DEIS schools that need more resources and support. The students are reaching their leaving certificate, only addressing subjects three or four weeks before their mock exams....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Retention of Records Bill 2019: Discussion (26 Nov 2019)

Lynn Ruane: My preferred outcome to this is that the Bill does not go ahead next week. Rather than making statements, I will go straight to questions to get the most out of the time we have. There are two common themes in the submissions, which are access for survivors to their own records from the commission report and the preservation of administrative voluntary testimony for historical education and...