Results 5,661-5,680 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Information and Communications Technology (10 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I thank the Senator for raising this important matter. I convey the apologies of my senior Minister, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, who could not make it here. We appreciate that quality Internet connectivity is essential for good teaching and learning using ICT. While great progress has been made at post-primary level where every school will shortly have a high-speed connection, I am aware that...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: School Funding (10 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I am in the House on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, who was unable to attend. I am glad to have the opportunity to outline to the House the funding arrangements for the Educate Together organisation, an issue which is well recognised. I visited one of its excellent schools in the Senator's area recently...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: School Funding (10 Dec 2014)

Damien English: Some 57 are schools for which Educate Together is the patron, with the remaining 12 being affiliated to it. Since 2012,15 primary schools have opened under the patronage of Educate Together, 11 through the new school process and four through the divesting process. At post-primary level, Educate Together is or will be involved in a total of eight schools between now and 2016. For five of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Fees (10 Dec 2014)

Damien English: Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department, has advised that the child referred to by the Deputy is not eligible for school transport under the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme. Children who are not eligible for school transport may avail of transport on a concessionary basis only subject to a number of terms and conditions...

Seanad: Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (9 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I thank all the Senators for their contributions and Senator White for her kind comments and for her support in the early part of my career, which was a major addition and pointed me in the right direction. That applies to my party colleagues as well. This is an important Bill and we have had the opportunity to have a good engagement on it. On Thursday we will discuss any proposed...

Seanad: Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (9 Dec 2014)

Damien English: She got me the job.

Seanad: Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (9 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I am grateful to the Senators for having me here again. The House has been like a second home lately. I am pleased to bring the Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014 before the House. Although quite short, it is a significant Bill, amending intellectual property legislation as well as addressing some minor technical issues arising from the implementation of the recently...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (9 Dec 2014)

Damien English: The purpose of my Department's Primary and Post Primary School Transport Schemes is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school or education centre. The annual charge for children availing of school transport services is €100 and €350 for primary and post primary children...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Applications (9 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department has sanctioned a Special Transport Grant for the family in question for the 2014/15 school year.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (9 Dec 2014)

Damien English: The purpose of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest education centre. Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes. Bus Éireann endeavours to ensure that each eligible child has a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Administration (4 Dec 2014)

Damien English: As the Deputy is aware, Bus Éireann operates the school transport scheme on behalf of the Department. Bus Éireann has advised the Department that in response to the expressed wishes of many school bus drivers - both Bus Éireann and private contractor school bus drivers - who wanted to remain in the position upon reaching retirement age at sixty-five years, and following the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Expenditure (3 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 103 together. The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability. Children are eligible for transport where they: - have special...

Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2014)

Damien English: While I understand the Deputy’s concerns, they are slightly flawed because the protection is already in the Constitution and legislation. There is much discussion about TTIP and many concerns, some genuine and some misconstrued. I would have no problem having greater public discussion about TTIP. In recent months, I attended some events. Given that very few of us attended them,...

Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I move amendment No. 4:In page 5, after line 37, to insert the following:“(3) The Competition Acts 2002 to 2014 and section 4* may be cited together as the Competition Acts 2002 to 2014 and shall be construed together as one Act.”.

Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I thank the Members for their broad support for the Bill, particularly for facilitating the technical changes we had to make. While they caused concern, it was an opportunity for others to say a few words that they missed before. This is part of the nature of democracy. It was an opportunity to clarify that the amendments were only technical and nothing about which to be concerned. While...

Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Order for Report Stage (2 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I move amendment No. 1:In page 3, line 7, after “1996;” to insert “to amend the Competition Act 2002;”.This amendment relates to the Long Title of the Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014 and seeks to provide for amendment to the Competition Act 2002, as amended by the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014. Amendment No. 2 contains a...

Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I move amendment No. 2:In page 5, between lines 32 and 33, to insert the following: “Amendment of Act of 20024. (1) The Act of 2002 is amended—(a) in subsection (4B) (inserted by section 59 of the Act of 2014) of section 22, by the insertion of “and paragraph (b) (inserted by section 4of the Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014) of section...

Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I understand the Deputy's concerns and will try to put him at ease again, as I tried to do on Committee Stage. The patents are but one form of intellectual property rights, which term includes copyrighted trade marks, industrial designs and so forth. At national level, the various laws that govern these intellectual property rights provide saving provisions, of the type with which the...

Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Instruction to Committee (2 Dec 2014)

Damien English: A question was raised about media mergers and consultation on the guidelines. The guidelines are with the Minister in draft format and when they are published, a period of 30 days will be provided for consultation. We dealt with most of the issues raised by Deputy Finian McGrath on Second and Committee Stages. The reason I asked for clarification earlier was because I thought we were...