Results 5,321-5,340 of 9,894 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: The Deputy is making allegations.

Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: The Deputy just has, and the answer is "No, we do not".

Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: I have to respond to this nonsense.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Local Government Reform (17 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: 82. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to establish town councils for towns with a significant population and for the restoration of former town councils in general. [35233/16]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: 39. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the position regarding a small social housing scheme in Kells, which had been ready to go to tender but has been postponed; and when it will be constructed. [35232/16]

Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: The Deputy should have stuck with Fianna Fáil.

Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: I will share time with the chairperson of the Oireachtas education committee, Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin. She certainly will have an interesting contribution to make as she will be central to much of the debate taking place on this. Fianna Fáil supports this Bill. We are supportive of the overall thrust of the legislation. It is old legislation but it has been brought forward, at...

Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: On a point of order, the attendance here is pitiful. With no disrespect to the Minister, I call a quorum.

Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (16 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: I will happily explain the reality on the ground to the Minister. I had constituents this week who told me that their family had moved from Wicklow to Ashbourne. There are a lot of people moving to Ashbourne. The child needs to go into senior infants. He was offered junior infants in Gaelscoil na Mí, though he should be in senior infants. He was also offered junior infants in...

Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (16 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: I can tell the Minister straight that if he moves to Ashbourne today, there is a good likelihood there will be no place for his child at school. That is not acceptable but it is the reality that we are finding on the ground. We are finding that Irish citizen children are being told to go back a year by officials from Tusla and the Department, or go back a year in another village in another...

Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (16 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: 32. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied with school provision in County Meath, particularly in expanding towns such as Ashbourne. [35027/16]

Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (16 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: This is an issue I have raised with the Minister before. I am not convinced the Department has a handle on the need for school provision in County Meath, especially in the growing areas. I mentioned Ashbourne in the question but it arises throughout the county. I look forward to hearing what the Minister has to say.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: 26. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress being made in his plans to double the number of apprenticeships by 2020; and his views on the barriers to expanding recruitment in the apprenticeship sector. [35412/16]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: This question seeks to ask the Minister to outline the progress he is making to double the number of apprenticeships by 2020 and if he would describe to the House the barriers there to expanding recruitment in the apprenticeship sector. Will he comment on the gender divide in apprenticeships as well? It is a feature about which people are concerned.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister is holding the fort for the Minister of State, Deputy Halligan, with these questions. I will not complain about a senior Minister doing so but Deputy Halligan was absent during jobs questions as well. I know he is doing important business for the State around the world. That is crucial and we welcome that. The programme for Government's ambition is to double the number of...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: Will incentives be put in place for companies to become involved with new apprenticeship schemes? It must be widened not just through demand and new categories of apprenticeships. Companies will have to come on board to provide these. What incentives could be proposed?

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister and perhaps I will come forward with some ideas for incentivisation as this needs to happen and we need to broaden our horizons as a nation. We must get companies used to this, as apprenticeships are traditionally viewed as something that happen in the construction sector. That is important and there are issues there as well but there is potential for this process if it...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Educational Disadvantage (16 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister is right to acknowledge that since we established DEIS, a number of Governments have failed to expand it since 2009. That is a pity because between 2011 and 2013, I think 30 schools were established which have not even been given the opportunity to apply for DEIS status. Since the last identification of schools qualifying under DEIS criteria, communities have changed...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Educational Disadvantage (16 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: When can schools not currently part of the DEIS programme become part of it? Does the Minister have a timeline for that?

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Educational Disadvantage (16 Nov 2016)

Thomas Byrne: 24. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will remove the cap on the expansion of the delivering equality of opportunity in schools programme, DEIS; if he will put in place the measures, suggested by the ERSI review of the programme, to taper funding and enhance supports for urban DEIS schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35411/16]