Results 6,441-6,460 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board: Discussion with Chairperson Designate (20 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: How often will that take place? Is it something the board will decide or is it something prescribed in the legislation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board: Discussion with Chairperson Designate (20 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: It will be up to the board. Is that the case?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board: Discussion with Chairperson Designate (20 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I also wish Ms Langford the best in her new role. It is clear from her opening statement that she brings much valuable experience to the table, particularly in terms of her role in the preparation of the implementation plan and her role within the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. This will be a challenging time for the board because its work carries an enormous amount of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (20 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Can I come in on the issue of the consultants' letters versus GPs' letters? One of the significant issues coming across my desk is the length of time people must wait to get a consultant's letter, which adds to the delay. We have had contact from people who are under pressure and who have been waiting up to five weeks just to get a letter from a consultant. This adds to the delays. I know...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (20 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide a detailed report of the recent informal meeting of EU Development Ministers in Dublin; and if a unified EU approach to the development of a new set of international targets for human development post-2015 was reached. [8848/13]

Mortgage Restructuring: Motion [Private Members] (19 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Some of the figures we have heard are unacceptable. I do not know the Minister of State's political history but I am sure he served on a local authority like I did, and he would know better than me the pressures faced by local authorities in trying to provide adequate social housing to meet demand. My local authority area of Cork City Council has 9,000 applications for social housing and...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Homeless Persons Supports (19 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Sport if he will give an undertaking that the Irish Homeless World Cup soccer team will receive funding for 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8610/13]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Sports Capital Programme Applications (19 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason funding applications by Dublin City Council under the sports capital programme were rejected for Brickfield Park; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8608/13]

Order of Business (14 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Not agreed.

Order of Business (14 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Yes.

Order of Business (14 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: When the legislation on Anglo Irish Bank was rushed through last week, we were promised a full and open-ended debate on the promissory notes. I ask the Government to lift the guillotine on that debate because it is important that all Deputies have an opportunity to speak. When I sought time to speak I was only given five minutes due to the guillotine. As a Deputy elected to this House I...

Order of Business (14 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I ask the Minister to lift the guillotine to allow Members to speak on the matter for as long as they require.

Order of Business (14 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: When will we return to the debate?

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Service Staff (14 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Health the way he intends to deliver on the reduction of fees payable to health professionals of some €70 million as outlined in the National Service Plan 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7468/13]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (14 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Health the way the waiting list for the nursing home support scheme will be administered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7469/13]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Digital Literacy: Discussion (13 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I am surprised to hear the ratio was 1:8. I would have expected it to be higher. Two of my children, who are aged ten and 13 years, have smart phones. All of their friends also have smart phones. I do not know many ten to 13 year olds who do not have a smartphone or some other mobile phone, or at least access to some type of technology. I am surprised the ratio is that low.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Digital Literacy: Discussion (13 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: When my daughter sends me a text, I am often unable to understand it. For me, text messages are gobbledygook but they make perfect sense to someone of my daughter's age, which is frightening.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Digital Literacy: Discussion (13 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: There are huge advantages also. My son who is eight has an active learning device. We have seen a huge improvement in his ability to use technology and to read and write. What is important is not the device but how it is used. While there are huge positives in this regard, there are also huge negatives.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Digital Literacy: Discussion (13 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I will address a comment made by Mr. Gallagher. If I heard him correctly, he stated that his organisation had examined the cost of providing technical support. What was that cost?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Digital Literacy: Discussion (13 Feb 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: One of the answers related to short courses. Ms O'Mahony mentioned that it will depend primarily on schools' own resources. If we are relying on schools' resources, there is a significant danger that one could end up with a two-tier system in terms of digital learning. What is the Department doing to ensure this does not happen?