Results 6,401-6,420 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Poverty Issues: Discussion with European Anti-Poverty Network (6 Mar 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I missed the presentation by the delegates but I read the written submission and the reports. I refer to Deputy McConalogue's question about a comparison of welfare rates in different jurisdictions. It is too simplistic to say that people here get a higher rate of social welfare payment than in another jurisdiction. One needs to take into account all the other elements that make up the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Recruitment (5 Mar 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 182 of 29 January 2013, in relation to 68 unfilled positions which she prioritised as critical, if she will list them and confirm if sanction was sought from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to fill those positions. [11374/13]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Arrears Rate (28 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Finance if he considers there is a need for a review of the code of conduct on mortgage arrears. [10582/13]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: IBRC Liquidation (28 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the decision to provide a €1 billion credit facility from the National Assets Management Agency for the use of the special liquidator of IBRC; when the decision was made; the credit facility that is intended to be used for; the way €1 billion if used will be repaid to NAMA; if he had to seek permission to use NAMA for such a credit...

Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Second Stage (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Sinn Féin welcomes the publication of the Bill and will support it. We believe the ethos and spirit of the Bill are welcome and overdue. On Second Stage we simply outline the proposals in the Bill, but on Committee Stage we will bring forward a number of amendments which will improve the legislation. The Bill is part of a package of legislation the Government has brought forward to...

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I do not know if the Minister of State wishes to comment first.

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: This is extremely important legislation. In a few moments we will be discussing the establishment of SOLAS under the Further Education and Training Bill 2013. As stated, the Education and Training Boards Bill 2012 is both ground-breaking and reforming in nature. It is one of three primary legislative measures with which we are dealing. There is cross-party support for the Bill because...

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I move amendment No. 45:In page 50, line 8, after “board” to insert the following:“and that as far as is practicable, serving teachers will be transferred within the boundaries of their current VEC administrative areas and will only be deployed within 45 km of their current VEC place of work or confines of the original VEC area”.We discussed this amendment on...

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: This is another area about which there was much discussion on Committee Stage. One of issues raised was the importance of local knowledge to the ETBs. The Minister admitted during the debate on Committee Stage that this local knowledge is essential to the success of the ETBs and that we need to ensure that local knowledge within communities is reflected in the ETBs. It is for this reason...

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Amendment No. 31 is the one I want to focus on because I understand the process that will be put in place. Even at local board of management level, it is difficult encouraging parents to get involved. Trying to convince a parent representative to sit on an ETB is a significant challenge. This amendment says that every assistance needs to be given to those parents. We need to look at...

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: The amendment states that the education and training board shall promote contact between parent associations in schools and the community.

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Or even supports to enable them.

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I move amendment No. 17:In page 26, lines 36 and 37, after “subsection (2)” to insert the following: “and the local authority will, where practicable, ensure that at least 3 of the 10 elected members will have the capacity to discharge functions in relation to the board in the Irish language”.

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Is it possible to comment on the amendments even though they have been ruled out of order?

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: In that case, I will comment later.

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I intend to press this amendment.

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I echo what Deputy Troy has said. On Committee Stage, we had a good discussion on the possibility of increasing the number of people who will sit on these boards, including in areas where there will be more than one local authority after the amalgamations take place. In fairness, the Minister took many of the issues we raised into consideration. It is difficult to strike a balance between...

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I move amendment No. 14:In page 26, line 28, after "comprise" to insert the following:"of whom a minimum of 8 shall be women and a minimum of 8 shall be men with the remainder to be composed of either men or women".These amendments have been resubmitted on foot of the debate on Committee Stage, when they were the subject of a pretty extensive discussion. The Minister said he would reflect on...

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I completely understand why the Minister of State does not propose to accept these amendments. Following the Committee Stage debate and today's brief discussion, local authorities need to be sent a message to the effect that they should try, where possible, to make sure the gender balance within a local authority is reflected when they are nominating members of the new education and training...

Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (27 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Deputy Troy spoke about Gaeltacht areas, but our growing number of Irish speakers is not just confined to Gaeltacht areas. If one of these speakers contacts an ETB that is not within a Gaeltacht area and wishes to avail of the services through the Irish language, it is important that the facility is there to provide for that. If there are no Irish language speakers on a particular ETB, does...