Results 401-420 of 2,867 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: EU Agreements (29 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The memorandum of understanding, MOU, the Senator refers to covers co-operation on trade, transport and the export of gas to the European Union. The MOU is not an Irish MOU but rather it is between the EU, the State of Israel and the Arab Republic of Egypt. The MOU was signed at the East Mediterranean Gas Forum, of which Ireland is not a member and at which the EU is an observer. High...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: EU Agreements (29 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: My answer concentrated on energy security because that is what my Department is responsible for. The person who is best placed to answer questions about foreign affairs policy is the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs. I am sure he would be happy to answer the Senator's question. My understanding, however, is that there has been no change of policy. On the question of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Third Level Fees (29 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senator for raising the issue. I am answering on behalf of my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Harris, who of course has gone to great lengths to reduce the cost of further and higher education for students. The Senator will be aware that budget 2024 contains a package of measures to support households with the cost of living. These cost-of-living measures include a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Third Level Fees (29 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senator. I understand the feeling that the students must have that this is something they were counting on, and that some courses are funded and some are not. It is open to Marino Institute of Education, as a private, independent institution, to reduce the fees in line with the Government decision, but the budget decision agreed by all parties was for the €1,000 fee to be...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Media Sector (29 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this matter. Print media and radio play an essential role in sharing reliable and relevant news and bringing communities together. The wider media sector in Ireland, which is a vital element of our democracy and society as a whole, is undergoing fundamental change. This is in part due to the increased digitalisation of news and media content generally and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Media Sector (29 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The principle is that justice should be seen to be done. Sometimes judges refer to the media as the eyes and ears of the court. It is important that what happens in a court is reported. If it is a local issue, it may not be reported nationally, so we may have no visibility of what is going on in our justice system. It is a part of our justice system and, equally, it is important that what...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Admissions (29 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I am taking this question on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, who is out of the country. I thank the Senator for raising the matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline the position on school capacity reviews in County Galway, including Ballinasloe, and the use of the ArcGIS system to assist the REALTs in their work of sourcing school places. As...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Admissions (29 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I welcome the young people who are in the Gallery and hope they are able to follow what is going on. The Senator is asking me about making sure the Government is providing enough school places for students in Ballinasloe; whether there will be enough places for the students who are coming; and why we cannot build schools faster. I think that is roughly the Senator's question. The Minister,...

Capital Supply Service and Purpose Report Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (29 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I sincerely thank the Deputies for tabling what is a constructive Bill. This is not something they are moving for effect. The legislation actually contains some good proposals. I am happy to discuss the Bill; it is worthy of debate. To Deputy Shanahan, I must say that I love County Waterford. This is partly because it was the location of my childhood holidays in Dunmore East. When I go...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Youth Work Projects (29 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I agree with everything the Deputy has said. I want to underline the Government's strong commitment to youth justice services. That is shown by the fact that the budget for youth justice services has increased by 10% for next year, with an extra €3 million in the budget for same. This funding will be deployed with the assistance of the best available research and expert evidence to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (29 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy. He has made his case very clearly and very well. As he said, I am a Deputy as well and I face requests from parents for school places for their child coming up to the next school year. As the Deputy knows from the census results, every county has a growing population, so there are demands all around the country for new schools and 300 school projects are happening at...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Youth Work Projects (29 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Deputy very much for raising this matter. I am responding on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and the Minister of State, Deputy Browne. Youth diversion projects, or YDPs, are community-based multi-agency youth crime prevention initiatives. They primarily seek to divert young people who have been, or are at risk of becoming, involved in antisocial or criminal behaviour....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Childcare Services (29 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: It is the local childcare committee that should be liaising directly with these childcare facilities. I will mention it directly to the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. He was in Cork at the time the flooding happened, or immediately afterwards, and he has taken an interest in it. There is a fund for continuity of service. I ask the Deputies to ensure any affected childcare services have...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (29 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Deputy Stanley for raising this important issue. It gives me an opportunity to outline to the House the current position on the large-scale, major devolved project under delivery at Coláiste Dhún Másc, Portlaoise. I am providing this response on behalf of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, who, as the Deputy says, is out of the country. Coláiste...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Childcare Services (29 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The Minister, Deputy O’Gorman, and the whole of the Government are conscious of the disruption caused to a number of early learning and childcare services owing to the recent floods in Cork. The local childcare committee has been engaging with impacted services. With regard to financial supports for these services, they have been made aware that any service forced to close due to the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Labour Court (28 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: What the Minister would say is that this is primarily a matter for the Minister for Health, as I presume the HSE is the employer. Since the person is a public sector employee but not a civil servant, he or she is likely to be able to raise his or her dispute through the Labour Court system. The Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform would not be the deciding person....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Labour Court (28 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I am glad that the Deputy is going to take it up directly with him. Everyone agrees that the Labour Court and the WRC have served us well. There are a relatively small number of industrial disputes in Ireland and those that do happen are often resolved amicably. The Labour Court plays a role in being able to decide and recommend on what is fair. It is then up to the employer and employees...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Risk Management (28 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: I agree it takes too long to reach decisions on these schemes. It is similar to a planning application. An application is made, and there is a period of time for submissions and public consultation. If additional information is required, we have to go back out, take submissions and listen to the public again. When the public consultation periods and additional information are over, the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Civil Service (28 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: The current Civil Service disciplinary code applies to all civil servants. The code sets out the arrangements for dealing with disciplinary matters in the Civil Service. It is ensures that all civil servants are aware that if there is a failure to adhere to the required standards of conduct, work performance and attendance, the disciplinary procedure set out in the code will apply. Senior...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Civil Service (28 Nov 2023)

Ossian Smyth: Listening to this debate people may get the impression that Secretaries General are not subject to any kind of disciplinary framework or oversight. That is not true. Under the Civil Service disciplinary code 13 separate sanctions are outlined covering everything from verbal warning, written warning, final written warning, extension of the period of validity of a warning, deferral of an...