Results 5,541-5,560 of 6,728 for speaker:John Curran

Community Development. (4 Mar 2009)

John Curran: I will try to be as helpful as possible. The scheme fell into three sections, with refurbishment grants to upgrade premises used for community benefit in the ownership of the local community and voluntary organisations. That goes to 95%, up to a maximum of €60,000. There was also a maximum grant of €10,000 towards the cost of equipment for community facilities, with a third section...

Community Development. (4 Mar 2009)

John Curran: I agree with the Deputy and that is what we are trying to do. The maximum is €60,000 and it is not like a couple of hundred thousand euro is being spent on a sports facility. In some cases people in my Department work with people in the community to try to afford them the opportunity to complete the applications or get the additional information rather than telling them they are out...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (3 Mar 2009)

John Curran: As I previously advised the Deputy, an indicative allocation in the amount of €300,000 has been approved under the Dormant Accounts Fund for the final two phases of the Dial to Stop Drug Dealing campaign in 2009. The campaign will be run in a number of Local and Regional Drugs Task Force areas, including the Midwest RDTF, which covers Limerick. I hope to have Government approval shortly...

Investment of the National Pensions Reserve Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (3 Mar 2009)

John Curran: There is very little evidence of it having worked anywhere else.

Investment of the National Pensions Reserve Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (3 Mar 2009)

John Curran: Other jurisdictions have underlying failures. We have not lost a bank in this country yet.

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (25 Feb 2009)

John Curran: As previously advised to the Deputy, the Dial-to-Stop Drug Dealing Campaign was officially launched on 30 September 2008. The first phase was rolled out across five Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces areas with funding being provided by my Department (€100,000) and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (€50,000). As highlighted during the launch, the confidential number...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (17 Feb 2009)

John Curran: As the Deputy will be aware, the Dial-to-Stop Drug Dealing Campaign was officially launched on 30 September 2008. The first phase was ran across five Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces areas with funding being provided by my Department (€100,000) and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (€50,000). As highlighted during the launch, the confidential number used in the...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (17 Feb 2009)

John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 331 and 333 together. Work on the development of the new National Drugs Strategy to cover the period 2009 — 2016 has been ongoing in my Department throughout 2008 and is continuing as a priority in 2009. The Steering Group, established to develop proposals and to make recommendations to me on the new Strategy, is chaired by my Department and is meeting...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (17 Feb 2009)

John Curran: The Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces report to the National Drugs Strategy Team (NDST), which is a cross-Departmental body which operates under the aegis of my Department. In addition, a member of the Team acts as liaison person on each of the Task Forces. The NDST reports to my Department and to the Inter-departmental Group on Drugs (IDG), which I chair. The IDG reports, through my...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Motion (17 Feb 2009)

John Curran: In regard to mass cards, I inherited this legislation when I was promoted last summer and it was one of the first matters to come across my desk. The issue of door-to-door collections and mass cards were cause for considerable concern among the public rather than the charitable sector or vested interests. I do not have a legal background and would not claim the technical expertise necessary...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Motion (17 Feb 2009)

John Curran: I thank the Cathaoirleach and Members of the House for affording me this early opportunity to return to the House on this technical matter relating to the Charities Bill 2007. I will set out briefly why it is necessary, on legal advice, to make a further amendment in the Dáil to the Government amendment originally approved by this House. As Members might be aware, the Street and House to...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Motion (17 Feb 2009)

John Curran: The motion before the House tonight pertained to a technical amendment. The Bill formerly put an onus on non-charities to display a charitable number, which simply could not be done. The amendment regularises an anomaly that existed in the Bill. The evening would not have been complete without the intervention of Senator Norris. He raised a point in regard to the size of the print. He is...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Motion (17 Feb 2009)

John Curran: The provision states: "in a prominent and clearly legible manner" but it does not specify the size.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Motion (17 Feb 2009)

John Curran: We are helping the Senator out.

Written Answers — Charities Regulation: Charities Regulation (12 Feb 2009)

John Curran: The practice of collecting goods, and particularly clothing, door-to-door, supposedly for charitable purposes, is an issue of concern. I am particularly concerned in relation to certain collectors of clothing and bric-a-brac who convey the impression in their promotional literature that they are a charity, when this may not actually be the case. This may lead some people to donate to such...

Charities Bill 2007: From the Seanad (Resumed) (11 Feb 2009)

John Curran: The Bill is designed to enhance the security of both cash and non-cash collections and thus bolster public confidence. To this end, the Bill provided that cash collectors must use a sealed box. This was intended to address the open bucket method, which can give rise to concerns about the security of the collection. However, this gives rise to concerns in the charity sector that were...

Charities Bill 2007: From the Seanad (Resumed) (11 Feb 2009)

John Curran: I thank Deputy Ring. In fairness, it was he who initially brought the matter to my attention and I am glad to have been able to deal with it.

Charities Bill 2007: From the Seanad (Resumed) (11 Feb 2009)

John Curran: I move amendment No. 1 to Seanad amendment No. 71: Section 91: In paragraph (d), to delete all words after "a collection box shall" and substitute the following: "(i) in the case of a cash collection on behalf of a charitable organisation, bear the name and registered number of the charitable organisation on behalf of which the collection is being made, and (ii) in the case of a cash...

Charities Bill 2007: From the Seanad (Resumed) (11 Feb 2009)

John Curran: I consider it key to this legislation that organisations that are not charitable in nature should be prevented from presenting themselves to the public as charitable. I want to be sure that donors to charity can be sure that their donation for the benefit of a good cause is not diverted for personal profit. In this context I am very aware of the disquiet that both Deputies and Senators have...

Charities Bill 2007: From the Seanad (Resumed) (11 Feb 2009)

John Curran: I acknowledge that Deputy Ring highlighted this on a number of occasions, as did many other Deputies. When the Charities Bill was first mooted, every Deputy was aware of issues related to mass cards, the scams that go on and the malpractice. It did not prove easy to effect this change. If it had, we would have accepted amendments earlier. I am not a legal person, but this Bill, and this...