Results 5,621-5,640 of 6,163 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Children in Care (11 Apr 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 805. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when a supervised residential unit (details supplied) in Letterkenny, County Donegal will be reopened; and if her attention has been drawn to the distress that this prolonged closure has caused. [17697/17]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Employment Initiative (11 Apr 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 811. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the evaluation of the youth employability initiative; when she expects to receive the report of the evaluation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18087/17]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Youth Services Funding (11 Apr 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 812. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the proposed review of the youth service grant scheme; the purpose and timetable for this review; if she will ensure consultation and engagement with the youth work sector throughout the process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18088/17]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Expenditure Reviews (11 Apr 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 813. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the actions of her Department with regard to the comprehensive spending review announced in October 2016, including engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; her plans to review specific budget lines as part of this review and if so which; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18089/17]

Topical Issue Debate: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (5 Apr 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank the Minister. I recognise that she has a long and well-known background in early years services dating back to An Cosán. There are two major parts - the short and long terms - to this issue. In the short term, we were trying to address the urgent matter of access to funding. A commitment was made in that regard. I welcome that some of that funding will come on stream this...

Topical Issue Debate: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (5 Apr 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: It was a very stark presentation. I have raised this issue with the Minister previously. I thank her for her presence. There are 13 services looking at potentially closing in September 2018 and seven of those are concerned they will have to close this September. They offer a vitally important service to children aged from naught to three years. It is at that age that early intervention...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Apr 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank all of the witnesses for their presentations. We have had a very good discussion. I shall make three observations on specific heads and then I shall make some general observations. In terms of head 6(6), we have had a lot of discussion on the cross-examination of parties. There is a clause to the effect that the GAL may not request specific professional assessments for the purposes...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Apr 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I will begin by qualifying what I intend to say. There are a great many positive things in this legislation. In many ways, it will leave the area far better regulated and monitored. However, our responsibility in this committee is to try to work with the Minister to improve it. The concerns we have heard today and last month from several organisations are in two or three primary areas....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Apr 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: It is under head 6. The relevant line states a guardian ad litemmay not request professional assessments.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Apr 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I return to my point about constitutionality. Let us say someone took a case on the basis that a judge exercised his or her discretion not to appoint a guardian ad litem. Five or six years later, because he or she was not offered the services of a guardian ad litem, the person might return to court and claim that his or her rights under Article 42A were not vindicated. What defence could...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: General Scheme of Childcare (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Apr 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Yes. That question has been raised by speakers previously. Is it open to constitutional challenge and what would be the defence to a constitutional challenge on that basis?

Topical Issue Debate: Bus Éireann (4 Apr 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The Minister's policy is wrong because it is crippling Cork, other regional cities and rural Ireland and it is putting workers in an impossible position by asking them to accept outrageous pay cuts. It is monumentally short-sighted because at a time when our cities are becoming more and more clogged up with cars, we need more investment in public transport. Such investment is the right...

Topical Issue Debate: Bus Éireann (4 Apr 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: There is a bit of a dichotomy in the media between rural and urban Ireland that misses the fact that this dispute has brought Ireland's second largest city of Cork and many other of our major cities to a standstill. The Cork Business Association estimates that footfall in that city has fallen between 30% and 50%. That would not be allowed to happen in Dublin. The Minister's response and...

Direct Provision: Statements (30 Mar 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Given that there are ten minutes until the Order of Business, is there any possibility that the Minister of State could respond?

Direct Provision: Statements (30 Mar 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: That is fine.

Direct Provision: Statements (30 Mar 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Cuirim fáilte roimh an deis caint ar an ábhar seo - soláthar díreach. Ba chóir go mbeadh níos mó plé ar an ábhar agus ba chóir go mbeadh an t-ábhar seo ag barr ár smaointe agus sinn ag plé mí-úsáid agus leatroim stairiúla agus sárú cearta daonna mar atáimid le roinnt seachtainí anuas. ...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Éireann: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: My questions are relatively straightforward. The Minister states discussions, whatever form they take, cannot take place during an industrial relations dispute or when a strike is being threatened. Why on earth not? It is only within the gift of the Minister to change the conditions on many of the issues surrounding the subsidy, pay and all the rest. The capacity of Bus Éireann to...

Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Mar 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: On the same matter, the programme for Government speaks to the need for investment in our public transport to uphold the principles of smarter travel and policies. How will that be possible if the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is satisfied to allow one of the most important pieces of strategic public transport to be undermined by a management determined to cut routes as well as...

Other Questions: Child Care Services (28 Mar 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: That is fine.

Other Questions: Aftercare Services Provision (28 Mar 2017)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 29. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has carried out or is carrying out a review of aftercare services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15214/17]