Results 3,201-3,220 of 4,869 for speaker:Seán Haughey

Land and Conveyancing Law Reform (Review of Rent in Certain Cases) (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: I can keep going until 8.15 p.m., if he wants. Normally, at what time would the time slot finish?

Land and Conveyancing Law Reform (Review of Rent in Certain Cases) (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: I wish to be helpful, given that the Labour Party has sponsored this piece of legislation.

Land and Conveyancing Law Reform (Review of Rent in Certain Cases) (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: In general terms, the Government is committed to doing all that it can to address the problems of the retail sector. However, Government can only act within the appropriate legal and constitutional parameters. Our opposition to the Labour Party's Bill is informed by that reality.

Land and Conveyancing Law Reform (Review of Rent in Certain Cases) (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: The Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, spelled out clearly last night the legal and constitutional reasons this Bill cannot be supported by the Government side. He went into a deal of detail in that regard. It is not fair to say during the course of the debate here this evening that the legal and constitutional issues were not seriously debated by the Government side. The Minister put forward...

Student Support Schemes (4 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 20 together. The post leaving certificate, PLC, provides an integrated general education, vocational training and work experience programme for young people who have completed their leaving certificate and adults returning to education. Its purpose is to enhance their prospects of gaining employment or progressing to further or higher education....

Student Support Schemes (4 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: I accept the PLC programme is a very important one, in particular in the current context and having regard to our economic situation. As a result of that, we were able to increase the number of PLC places by 1,500 last year. As I said, the work of the PLC colleges and the additional enrolments are very much appreciated by my Department. I am not in a position to say what the position will...

Student Support Schemes (4 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: Some 1,000 PLC places cost €8 million. That is taking into account maintenance grants and so on.

Student Support Schemes (4 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: We had a very good exchange of views at the Aontas lobby for learning seminar last Friday on this issue of the payment of the back to education allowance and the maintenance grant. This must be seen as a duplication of income support payments. It must also be seen in the context of the reduction in the rates of social welfare introduced in budget 2010 last December. I undertook to clarify...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (4 Mar 2010)

Seán Haughey: The majority of schools include among their pupils, children with disadvantaged backgrounds. In general most schools address the individual needs of these children without recourse to additional targeted resources. Evidence has shown that disadvantage associated with poverty and social exclusion assumes a multiplier effect where the levels are highly concentrated in schools. DEIS (Delivering...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (25 Feb 2010)

Seán Haughey: It is my Department's policy to seek to encourage and facilitate the participation of all adults, including those with dyslexia, in further education. There is a range of courses, both full-time and part-time at FETAC Levels 1-6, funded by my Department and provided by Vocational Education Committees (VECs) across the country. Specifically in relation to adults with dyslexia, my Department...

Seanad: Community Development (24 Feb 2010)

Seán Haughey: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. The Minister and I would like to thank the Senator for raising this important issue. The RAPID programme was first launched in February 2001, with the aim of prioritising and co-ordinating State assistance in some of the most deprived areas. Originally, 25 areas were targeted and this number...

Seanad: Community Development (24 Feb 2010)

Seán Haughey: The Minister has not made a final decision yet.

Seanad: Higher Education Strategy (24 Feb 2010)

Seán Haughey: It is appropriate that there are graduates of Trinity College, Dublin, in the Gallery. As a former graduate myself, I welcome them. In February 2009 the Minister for Education and Science launched a process to develop a new national strategy for higher education. The process is being led by a high level strategy group under the chairmanship of Dr. Colin Hunt, comprising national and...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (24 Feb 2010)

Seán Haughey: As the Deputy is aware, School Transport was approved by Government as a topic for inclusion as part of the 2009-2011 round of Value for Money Reviews. This review is looking at the original objectives of the scheme, whether these objectives remain valid today, the extent to which the objectives are being achieved, and whether there are possibilities for economies or efficiencies that would...

Unemployment: Motion (Resumed) (24 Feb 2010)

Seán Haughey: I wish to share time with the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, Deputies Conlon, Collins, Michael McGrath, White and the Minister, Deputy Ó Cúiv. It is clear that two of the key pillars that will underpin our future economic growth are a recovery in our competitiveness and the skills base of our labour force. Given that the issue of competitiveness is broad ranging, we are adopting a...

Seanad: George Mitchell Scholarship Fund (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Feb 2010)

Seán Haughey: I thank Senators for their contributions in this constructive debate. They have rightly raised a number of questions regarding the Bill's aims and objectives and how to proceed. I will endeavour to deal with their questions as best I can. I was asked how many additional scholars will come to Ireland as a result of this legislation. I want to be clear, in that it is not proposed that any...

Seanad: George Mitchell Scholarship Fund (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Feb 2010)

Seán Haughey: I am sorry. The Senators are correct. I am glad they-----

Seanad: George Mitchell Scholarship Fund (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Feb 2010)

Seán Haughey: Questions were asked about investment advice fees. According to our information, the alliance secured the best advice available regarding its investment of Government funds. An examination carried out by the Department some years ago showed that the returns received were as good as those achieved by a number of pension funds. It must be acknowledged that the reduction in the fund's nominal...

Seanad: George Mitchell Scholarship Fund (Amendment) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Feb 2010)

Seán Haughey: Amendment No. 1 ensures that accountability arrangements for the annual audit of the fund are further strengthened. This amendment ensures the auditor, which the fund manager is obliged to appoint each year, is appointed with the consent of the Minister. The George Mitchell Scholarship Fund is held, controlled and managed in the United States by a fund manager, currently the US-Ireland...

Seanad: George Mitchell Scholarship Fund (Amendment) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Feb 2010)

Seán Haughey: There has been protracted discussions between my Department and the alliance on all of these issues and satisfactory safeguards have been put in place with regard to oversight. We have given this serious consideration. There is absolute co-operation between the alliance and the Department and these things are dealt with in a spirit of co-operation. The consent of the Minister will be...