Results 6,741-6,760 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: I am very proud of the staff in the Department of Social Protection in County Donegal. The Deputies have no right to sneer and laugh at them because they work in the Department of Social Protection.

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: They give an excellent service. They have seen a reduction in the amount of USC paid. It is capped at people earning €70,000. That is the way it has been arranged.

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: Those people have seen the beginning of the rolling back of financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI, measures taken by Fianna Fáil when it wrecked the economy. That will be rolled back over the next 24 months. For the significant number of public sector employees in County Donegal, the new year has begun on a positive, if modest, note. If we are returned to...

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: -----we will be able to improve that position every year for the next five years.

Order of Business (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: It is proposed to take No. 17a, motion re: referral to joint committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Companies Act 2014 (Section 1313) Regulations 2016; No. 17b, motion re: referral to joint committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (Section 95(3)) (Variation of title: Optician) Regulations 2016; No....

Order of Business (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that Nos. 17a, 17band 17cshall be decided without debate; the proceedings in relation to No. 17 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 20 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply: the speech of a Minister or Minister of State and of the main spokespersons for Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin...

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: -----for suggesting it did less than looking after the children in it. We have some of the finest paediatric nurses, doctors and consultants in Crumlin who are dealing with children with scoliosis.

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: In a specific reply to a specific part of the Deputy's query about additional resources, I have said that as a result of the initiative under way, some 100 extra scoliosis operations were carried out last year. That was a 51% increase on the figure for the previous year. I also said a further 33 patients had been transferred to the Blackrock Clinic and the Royal National Orthopaedic...

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: Work is under way on a new theatre in Crumlin hospital that is specifically being provided to assist in the treatment of scoliosis. Its construction is due to be completed in April this year. In addition, we are providing for the appointment of two consultant orthopaedic surgeons, an anaesthetist and support staff. Just because the Deputy has read up on the issue and been listening to...

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: I am a mother and, like everybody who has children, I have plenty of experience of children who have experienced various illnesses at different times in their lives. There is no parent - the Deputy is also a parent herself - whose heart does not go out to these parents. However, we are providing extra staff and an additional theatre. We are calling on resources available in the private...

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: Those children will be dealt with as quickly as possible.

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: They are being dealt with. There have been 100 additional operations. I do not think the Deputy actually knows much about scoliosis as a condition or the times at which such patients can be operated on.

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: I thank the Deputy for that commentary on County Donegal where he mentioned many people depended on social transfers. That is the reason, as Minister for Social Protection, I was delighted to be able to restore the Christmas bonus, particularly for older and retired persons in the county who relied on their State contributory or non-contributory pension. I was delighted to increase the...

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: I also had the opportunity to attend a number of tourism fairs and the commentary from County Donegal is that the marketing of the county, particularly to people in America and Europe, including the United Kingdom, has been highly successful. I am sure Deputy Thomas Pringle saw this during the summer. Also, because of the strength of sterling and the dollar, taking a holiday in County...

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: Thanks to the Labour Party and Fine Gael being in government, we now have 135,000 more people back at work in this country.

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: We have the fastest growing economy in Europe and we have the prospect of building on the recovery to provide more funding for education and health, and to address the difficult issues that undoubtedly face a number of different areas of our society. I am happy to say that because of the fact people are going back to work and the economy is recovering, we have been able to give people back...

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: -----on the kind of manifesto and vague promises those in Sinn Féin have put forward. I believe that is a risk many families are simply not prepared to take. Specifically with regard to scoliosis, I discussed this at length with a number of Independent Deputies in recent months. Scoliosis is a very difficult condition that is particularly difficult as children grow and as they...

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: The Sinn Féin suggestion is what its Minister for Education said in the North, when he advised young people not to study to be teachers because he could not provide jobs in education.

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: What Deputy McDonald is suggesting now goes against a clearly laid out plan in regard to the scoliosis initiative in the paediatric services. In 2015, 100 scoliosis surgeries were carried out, including 67 at Crumlin. A further 33 of those on the Crumlin waiting list were treated in other hospitals. This is a 51% increase on the number of such surgeries carried out in 2014. Some 39...

Leaders' Questions (21 Jan 2016)

Joan Burton: Has the Deputy finished her tsunami of hate and invective? Is she sure she is finished or does she want to rant a bit more?