Results 36,341-36,360 of 50,909 for speaker:Micheál Martin
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: One of the areas that has escaped any significant attention in the fallout from the budget has been the very savage and targeted approach to colleges of further education in terms of an attack on their pupil-teacher ratio and in the reduction of a variety of allowances to students. The two-point increase in the pupil-teacher ratio for these colleges will have a savage impact on the colleges...
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: -----if it can stand over a cut to a sector-----
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: -----that does the most for those who lost out through mainstream education and who want a second chance? We built up this sector over the past 15 years-----
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: -----in terms of grants for colleges and for students.
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: While the Minister, Deputy Howlin, might smile, it is not a laughing matter.
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: It is not a laughing matter for the students-----
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: -----who are watching this morning. The most the Minister, Deputy Howlin, can think about is having a good guffaw over the plight in which they find themselves.
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: It is typical of how out of touch Ministers have become since going into government.
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: I ask the Taoiseach to outline to the House whether an impact assessment was carried out on the effect of the increase in the pupil-teacher ratio on these colleges and the cuts affecting these students who are participating in those programmes. If so will the Government publish that impact assessment and if not will the Taoiseach commit at a very minimum this morning to have such an impact...
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: The Taoiseach did not answer the question. The answer is not "Yes". The Taoiseach has just told us that the Minister did not carry out an impact assessment before making the cut. The Taoiseach has just said he will ask all the colleges or VECs. The principal of Ballyfermot Senior College said last evening that 10% of her staff will be cut. Ballyfermot Senior College is a fantastic...
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: This sector has been the most innovative of all in responding to the crisis. Likewise Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa in Cork and the City of Cork VEC have already said they will lose up to 50 teachers as a result of this cut.
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: Despite what the Taoiseach has said, it is not disgraceful that I have highlighted this issue this morning and pointed out that the Labour Party, which should be protecting the less well-off and those who want to avail of second level education-----
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: -----should be doing something or standing up for something. That is quite a legitimate point for me to make.
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: However, it is not legitimate for Deputies to be laughing and guffawing about a very serious cut affecting students which will make a difference to their capacity-----
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: -----to get to work and to progress in education. We have numerous examples of students down through the years who may not have come through mainstream effectively or gone to third level, but these courses were labour-market related-----
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: -----focused on jobs and giving people skills and the capacity to gain jobs in a range of areas and have been very effective and successful.
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: It is another unfair targeting of a sector of society that should be helped in accordance with the commitments in the programme for Government and not targeted in a very savage way as the Government has done without any thought or preparation as the Taoiseach has now acknowledged.
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: That is such a con job - such a dishonest proposition. The Government does that - it devolves cutting.
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: It is a different sector
- Leaders' Questions (19 Dec 2012)
Micheál Martin: The Taoiseach does not understand the sector.