Results 24,861-24,880 of 28,255 for speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The access road the Deputy refers to was examined under Scéim na mBóithre Áise by an official of my Department on 11 July 2002 and again on 14 November 2003. As there was no dwelling house on the road, it was deemed to be ineligible under the terms of the scheme.

Written Answers — Benchmarking Awards: Benchmarking Awards (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: As the Deputy will be aware, benchmarking is carried out by an independent Benchmarking Body whose function it is to review and compare work practices, jobs and pay rates across the economy. The last review carried out by the Public Service Benchmarking Body was in 2007, and it examined the work, pay, benefits and conditions of employment of employees in the public service and the private...

Written Answers — Teangacha Oifigiúla: Teangacha Oifigiúla (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Mar is eol don Teachta, is go príomha ar mhaithe le heagraíochtaí deonacha, coistí pobail agus a leithéidí a chuirtear cúnamh ar fáil ó Chiste na Gaeilge chun a chumasú dóibh an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn agus chun a gclár oibre a chur i gcrích. Tá Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann ar cheann de na eagraíochtaí sin a mhaoinítear go bliantúil tríd an Chiste, eagraíocht atá go...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Education has the lead role in the promotion and support of the use of school facilities by community groups as outlined in the Agreed Programme for Government. The Government recognises the opportunity in appropriate cases where school premises could be made available to the wider community. I should also mention that improved use of school...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: A high-level group has been established at Secretary General level between my Department and the Department of Education and Science and meets periodically to consider matters of common interest in the context of the Irish language and the Gaeltacht. Joint actions arising from the work of the group are advanced through regular engagement at Assistant Secretary level between the two...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The cost of providing incremental pay increases in respect of staff at my Department in 2009 is estimated to be in the order of €112,000. This amount includes provision for departmental staff seconded to the National Drugs Strategy Team, the National Advisory Committee on Drugs, the Office of the Commissioners for Charitable Donations and Bequests and Oifig An Coimisinéir Teanga. In...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The average number of sick days annually per head of staff in my Department, based on the total amount of sick leave taken for the period 2006 to 2008 (to date), is as follows: Year Average Days 2006 9.17 2007 9.35 2008 to date 8.48 The average number of sick days annually per head of staff in my Department, excluding long-term illness cases where an individual has taken in excess of six...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: My Department was established in June 2002 and details regarding consultancies since that date to the end of last month are published on our website, excluding those of minor value (i.e. less that €5,000, excl VAT). The relevant link is: www.pobail.ie/en/CorporateSupportServices/Finance/Consultanc ies. I am arranging for details relating to such consultancies to be forwarded directly to...

Written Answers — CLÁR Programme: CLÁR Programme (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The CLÁR Programme was set up as an innovative programme to deal with the infrastructure deficits in the most peripheral communities in Ireland, to qualify under the CLÁR Programme, an area had to have lost since 1926 an average of 35% of population. Poor infrastructure is one of the major challenges faced in such areas. For this reason, the CLÁR Programme has focused on those elements...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The RAPID Programme aims to ensure that priority attention is given to tackling the spatial concentration of poverty and social exclusion within the 46 designated RAPID areas. The Programme is managed on behalf of the Department by Pobal. The Government has given a commitment to continue to prioritise investment in the existing RAPID areas and no area currently included in the Programme will...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Funding for my Department is provided in the main by the Exchequer, with specific allocations from the Dormant Accounts Fund. In addition, EU funding has been received in the form of Appropriations-in-Aid as follows: Source of Funding 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 (€000s) (€000s) (€000s) (€000s) (€000s) EU 6,118 22,649 13,233 25,298 24,280 National Lottery funding is also available...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 397 to 399, inclusive, together. The Deputy will be aware that under the legislation, credit institutions and insurance undertakings are required, each April, to transfer to the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA), all moneys falling dormant in the previous year. Under the Dormant Accounts Acts, disbursement of unclaimed dormant accounts are used for...

Rural Transport. (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Deputy should join Members on this side of the House as he is aware of my views on these issues. I have replied many times to criticism of providing rural services to the effect that attempts to provide services in rural Ireland always appear to be dear, while the cost of equivalent services provided in more urbanised locations never seems to be an issue. However, the seven pilots are...

Rural Transport. (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: At the outset, the only action I took, with which I hope the Deputy will agree, was to state they were obliged to charge a minimum——

Rural Transport. (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: ——for people who did not have free travel passes. Those with free travel passes travel free. My thinking was the more I could encourage rural communities to charge a reasonable fare, the more likely that it would be possible to offer a wider range of services. My experience of rural Ireland was that ordinary people with jobs who wish to go out for the night would not complain about...

Rural Transport. (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The bids came from the existing rural transport groups around the country because we did not wish to duplicate bureaucracy. I insisted on a small proportion of the money going on administration and this was laid down. The operators could not spend much on administration. As for the groups involved, West Cork Rural Transport is in Munster, as is Avondhu Development Group in east County...

Rural Transport. (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: However, I agree with Deputy Wall's remarks on the future possibilities. The point is to keep it attached to some existing structures, either the Leader partnership companies or, more probably, the existing rural transport groups. Perhaps in time they should realign themselves because the overheads should be kept down. There are many ways to deliver this service. Some operators do so with...

Rural Transport. (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Absolutely. One must consider an appropriate pricing mechanism. Young people spend quite a lot of money when they go out for a night. If charging them €15 for a safe way of getting to and from places means that one can provide more services, that is fair enough. Many parents would be more than willing to pay out such sums to ensure their children came and went from discos or wherever...

Inland Waterways. (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: As I have previously stated on the record of the House, an independent investigation into allegations of bullying and harassment and related matters in Waterways Ireland was carried out jointly in 2005 on behalf of my Department and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland. A joint statement on behalf of the Departments was issued on 4 April 2005 regarding the findings...

Inland Waterways. (18 Nov 2008)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Everything done by my Department had been done jointly with the Northern Ireland Department, so there is no solo run here. It is joint action in all respects because that is the way the body is set up. My information is that the actions agreed to were delivered by the CEO to the satisfaction of the Departments. The Deputy has raised a question regarding subsequent legal actions. Following...