Results 5,281-5,300 of 6,728 for speaker:John Curran

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (6 Oct 2009)

John Curran: My Department provides annual funding to twenty one volunteer centres across the country. A list of the Volunteer Centres and the funding allocated by my Department in 2009 is set out below. To date in 2009 over 7,600 individuals have registered to volunteer across the network of Volunteer Centres. This represents an increase in registrations on last year of more than 115%. In excess of...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (6 Oct 2009)

John Curran: The LDSIP and the CDP are my Departments two main social inclusion/community development programmes. Both have a community development element and both are delivered through separate local delivery structures. I have already indicated that my strong view is that a single focussed programme with a single integrated delivery structure is now needed in order to maximise the impact of these two...

Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (6 Oct 2009)

John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos 792, 793, 797, 803, 809 and 820 together. I refer the Deputies to my answer to Questions Nos. 125, 161 and 165 from earlier today.

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (6 Oct 2009)

John Curran: While I have responsibility for the co-ordination of the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy, my colleague, Mary Harney T.D., Minister for Health and Children, has responsibility for the implementation of the Misuse of Drugs Acts 1977 and 1984. Regulations made under these Acts control the import, export, production, supply and possession of a range of named narcotic drugs and...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (6 Oct 2009)

John Curran: Funding for Local and Regional Drugs Task Force areas in 2009 will be approx €32m. Of this amount, over €22m is being allocated to the Local Drugs Task Forces while over €10m is being earmarked for the Regionals. In relation to Co. Kildare, which is part of the South West RDTF area, the following allocations have been made: Project Details 2007 2008 2009 *Drug Prevention Education...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (6 Oct 2009)

John Curran: As the Deputy will be aware, the majority of expenditure allocated to community groups through my Department for drugs initiatives is channelled through the Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces. The current allocation for the Drugs Task Forces for this year is in the order of €32m. Capital funding of around €4.5m was also allocated in 2009. This allocation will fund existing and some new...

Departmental Programmes. (6 Oct 2009)

John Curran: As indicated to this House on a number of occasions, the recommendations in the report of the special group on public service numbers and expenditure programmes represent a set of options for consideration in the context of the 2010 budget and will fall to be examined by the Government at the appropriate time. Any decisions on the specific matter referred to by the Deputy will be made in...

Departmental Programmes. (6 Oct 2009)

John Curran: The McCarthy report is an independent report. The Deputy mentioned specific instances in which the report was not supportive of programmes or stated there was little evidence for positive outcomes. I do not agree there is little evidence of positive outcomes from those initiatives. I refer in particular to the local development social inclusion programme and the community development...

Departmental Programmes. (6 Oct 2009)

John Curran: My understanding is that Department officials met with the McCarthy group; neither I nor the Minister did. In case there is any misunderstanding, I reiterate that while the report specifically stated there was little evidence of the benefits of certain schemes, I do not agree with that statement, and I do see their benefits.

Irish Summer Colleges. (6 Oct 2009)

John Curran: It is an independent report.

National Drugs Strategy. (6 Oct 2009)

John Curran: I am confident that the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 will significantly tackle the problem of drug misuse in Ireland over the period of its implementation. As the Deputy is aware, in developing the new strategy I established a steering group comprising representatives of all relevant sectors to develop proposals and to make recommendations to me. The Government subsequently accepted the...

National Drugs Strategy. (6 Oct 2009)

John Curran: Expenditure in this area is considerable at €275 million. As I stated in reply to earlier questions, the budgetary position for next year is not known. However, it is important that these considerable resources are spent in a co-ordinated way to ensure we are achieving maximum output and delivering effective services to the groups that need them. If we believe we can make a substantial...

Seanad: Cúrsaí Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta (24 Sep 2009)

John Curran: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív. As the Senator knows and as the Minister has said many times before, the Government will decide on the various recommendations that have been submitted to it, and which are mentioned in this question, in due course. The Minister understands that Gaeltacht communities view the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht...

Seanad: Cúrsaí Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta (24 Sep 2009)

John Curran: I apologise for my personal inability in this respect. While I have a certain amount of Irish I would not feel comfortable or competent to give an adequate response in Irish. I regard that as a failing. My Irish was learned in school. I did not live in an Irish speaking community. The Senator made a valid point that the question was put in Irish. With the way the business of the Houses...

Seanad: Medical Cards (24 Sep 2009)

John Curran: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. The assessment of eligibility for medical cards and general practitioner, GP, visit cards is statutorily a matter for the Health Service Executive, HSE, and is determined following an examination of the means of an applicant and his or her dependants. Up to the start of...

Seanad: Medical Cards (24 Sep 2009)

John Curran: I do not have those details to hand.

Seanad: Medical Cards (24 Sep 2009)

John Curran: I will do that. I am aware the local offices will have access to information but whether that is by way of a dedicated on-line system I do not know.

Seanad: Medical Cards (24 Sep 2009)

John Curran: I will obtain a response to the two questions raised by Senator McFadden.

Seanad: Legislative Programme (24 Sep 2009)

John Curran: I am responding to this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern. The debate in this House on the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 was useful and informed. It is even more of a shame, therefore, against the background of the grave threat posed by criminal gangs to our communities and the death and destruction they have...

Seanad: Legislative Programme (24 Sep 2009)

John Curran: To reiterate, since the enactment of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill on 23 July, the Garda has launched a series of operations based on the legislation. As I said, the force has sought legal advice on the implementation of this new legislation and a conference took place in Templemore to examine how best to proceed on the basis of its provisions.