Results 30,061-30,080 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — National Minimum Wage: National Minimum Wage (12 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 362: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of inspections that have taken place in the retail sector to ensure that established pay rates are not being undermined by employers recruiting foreign staff to work at below the agreed rates; the number of cases where evidence was found that workers were not receiving their full entitlements; and if he will...

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (12 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 363: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of work permits which are currently outstanding and their distribution across the main sectors of economic activity; and if there are sectors in respect of which his Department is unwilling to issue work permits currently. [42274/06]

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 378: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason persons in receipt of disability benefit payments from his Department are not entitled to the Christmas bonus payment from his Department, as is the case for other social welfare recipients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42453/06]

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (12 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 469: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she has conducted an audit of the level of youth facilities and youth organisations across the country; if she has put initiatives in place that would seek to develop activities where there are significant gaps in existence and in particular where there is not an established nucleus of people to organise and develop programmes...

Written Answers — Teacher Training: Teacher Training (12 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 491: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on introducing an allowance to support trainee primary teachers in undertaking the six week placement which is a part of their course, in view of the fact that under present arrangements these student teachers have to incur all the cost of the materials for the classroom activities themselves; and if she plans to meet the...

Written Answers — Property Purchases: Property Purchases (12 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 510: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the large number of people who buy homes off plans and pay a deposit at this early stage; if he is satisfied there is adequate protections for consumers in terms of the development being as described, the completion of the house being to a proper standards, the commitment...

Written Answers — Property Purchases: Property Purchases (12 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 517: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he is satisfied persons who buy homes from plans published by developers are sufficiently protected in law and in practice from the home turning out to be different than described in view of a cavalier attitude by builders to the snag list and concealed conditions in terms of the cost of management...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (6 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 104: To ask the Minister for Transport the role which will be played by the Dublin Transport Authority in relation to the regulation of bus services in the greater Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41749/06]

Written Answers — Medical Aids and Appliances: Medical Aids and Appliances (6 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: Question 206: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when she last answered a parliamentary question on the introduction of digital hearing aids; her views on whether since she ceased playing a role in reporting progress to the Houses of the Oireachtas on this project, greater progress has been achieved by the Health Service Executive in delivering this technology; and the role she and...

Budget Statement 2006 (6 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: The Government's policies have not been inspired by the needs of young families, but by the needs of developers who have dominated the Government's thinking on housing development with the cheapest option of sprawling relentlessly out to far-flung towns and villages becoming the norm where young families cannot get child care, transport or facilities. That is the reality of the Government's...

Budget Statement 2006 (6 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: The public will not accept it. That is not the way in which multi-millions in public moneys should be spent. The legacy of the Government will revolve around opportunities presented and not seized. I welcome some of the measures relating to health. These are the product of a health policy that does not treat seriously the needs of older people and that has allowed the grass grow under our...

Budget Statement 2006 (6 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: The Government is tricking around with the idea of changing VRT and adjusting it to reward those who purchase lower-emission vehicles. However, it cannot quite make the commitment in that regard and is intent on awaiting the findings of a few more consultation groups or the compilation of further reports. The Government is putting off until tomorrow the decision it is not prepared to make...

Budget Statement 2006 (6 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: This is the last year in which the Government will have an opportunity to introduce budgets.

Budget Statement 2006 (6 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: A bitter taste has been left for many, since the Government has not confronted reform. We have had neither a serious expenditure review process nor Estimates based on measurable performance targets. We have had Estimates with no programme evaluation. Multi-million euro projects are committed to without any scrutiny. Those are not the arcane concerns of someone with a sharp pencil and a...

Budget Statement 2006 (6 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: I think it is three years since I heard such whooping from the benches opposite. Then it was about decentralisation.

Budget Statement 2006 (6 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: For each of the 53 towns there was a similar litany of whoops and what happened? Within a few months the cheers had turned to tears——

Budget Statement 2006 (6 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: ——and the people gave their verdict in the European elections of 2004. They will give their verdict on today's cheers in a few months time. In many ways these are the best of times, but they are the worst of times too. It is a tale of two Irelands. It is the worst of times for many people for whom the Government should have cared. So many people have been left behind in the onward...

Budget Statement 2006 (6 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: We were promised an end to waiting lists in our hospitals. Instead, there are hundreds on trolleys and thousands on waiting lists.

Budget Statement 2006 (6 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: The reality is that there are 20,000 on waiting lists for treatment and how many more thousands are waiting to see a consultant for the first time?

Budget Statement 2006 (6 Dec 2006)

Richard Bruton: We were promised zero tolerance but instead criminal gangs have got the upper hand in this society. They are a prey on our young people. They are confident in the knowledge that their chances of being caught are low and diminishing.