Results 481-500 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I welcome the announcement by the Minister for Justice on the setting up of a pilot scheme to monitor and protect the rights of the child in family law situations. I urge that the relevant legislation, which is already before the Houses of the Oireachtas, will be expeditiously brought through the Houses. I point to the scandal of the abuse of children and mothers, who in some cases are...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I welcome the Minister and his colleagues. I also welcome his ongoing commitment to the children's hospital. It is the biggest single project of that nature ever undertaken in this State. It is not, by a long shot, the most expensive hospital in the world, despite comments from some people. It is ten times bigger than any similar project ever undertaken in this State. It is very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I am sorry about that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: We should recognise that all my questions are questions. The Chairman knows that. I usually finish on time as well, which often does not apply to everybody.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: Can we start again? We are coming to the most intricate stages of the contract. It is important that everybody, the client and the builder concentrate on that. The smallest of things can cause an alarm and can lead to bigger things. Then, bigger things can go unnoticed. I have had occasion in the past to look at a number of contracts. I was surprised at some of the things that had gone...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: That is understood. I presume the changes are due to changes in regulatory compliance that have arisen since the contract was originally signed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: Is it recognised on both sides that this is a requirement that has to be dealt with.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: We are aware from previous discussions that some of these matters remain unresolved and may have to be dealt with after the hospital is in operation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I happened to have been on the hospital site in a private capacity on numerous occasions in the past 12 months. I learned an awful lot. One can learn from a site inspection. Mine was not an official site inspection, I might add. I was there, and I must say it is a complicated project. Any complicated project will require the minutiae to be dealt with as part of the overall project. ...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I know. Presumably, part of the car park is in the concourse adjacent to the hospital.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: Adjacent to the main entrance to the hospital there is a concourse where one can come up from the car park and go into the hospital. That is part of the hospital's effective design in order that patients, consultants or nursing staff can get to where they are supposed to be in the shortest possible time without going having to ask for directions, etc.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the witnesses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: National Children’s Hospital: Discussion (9 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: That is good. In recent times, this committee has asked particular questions and the contractor has stated that there have been changes to the contract. We know that there have to be some changes. There will always be changes to a contract. Some are instigated by the client and others by the contractor. Is the Minister satisfied that sufficient provision has been made? Is he also...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid (9 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: 151. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when the review regarding income thresholds for the purpose of qualifying for civil legal aid is due to be complete; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40624/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister of State. House-building technology has changed in recent years. The building of structures in factories now takes place to a great extent. Can the Minister of State be sure that we have sufficient numbers available to use their skills to good advantage to support this part of the industry and maximise output in the area, which is obviously one we all have concerns about?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: 10. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects to make extra provision for apprenticeships or third level access routes for those with a technical expertise who wish to improve their skills and options; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40049/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I wish to zoom in on the degree to which the relevant vacancies have been identified throughout industry, both in the public and private sector, with the view to matching up the qualifications and identifying the precise areas in which weaknesses have appeared and the degree to which it is anticipated to be able to address them.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister of State for that reply. To what degree have the individual shortages of skilled operatives been identified precisely? In order to meet that market requirement, it is absolutely essential we can identify the precise number of, for example, crane operators and to what degree they are required at the present time. Have we enough or nearly enough crane operators, or are...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Further and Higher Education (8 Oct 2024)

Bernard Durkan: 5. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of technical or academic students who can expect to improve their respective skills by way of extra higher education options now being provided for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40050/24]