Results 6,841-6,860 of 8,649 for speaker:Seán Crowe

School Curriculum (27 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: Did the council state why it did not recommend the expansion of the programme throughout all schools? The Minister said it does not compare to the British model and what is taking place there but other models exist throughout Europe. There is reference to a knowledge-based society and the importance of having a second or third language for skills and so on. All the literature and research...

School Curriculum (27 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: There is an issue with non-availability. Is there a problem with Project Maths in the Irish language? I realise there is a similar difficulty in the North. Is there co-operation between the Department and the education system in the North to try to fill the gap? It makes sense to reach some sort of agreement.

Third Level Grants (27 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: When we discussed this before, the Minister said he would know the drop-off rates in October. Is that still the position?

Teaching Contracts (27 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: This was a technical question and, with the exception of teachers affected by it, people are not interested in it. I have come across a number of cases of this. It may involve teachers with contracts of indefinite duration who do not have 22 hours of teaching. I know of a teacher who has five hours and 20 minutes paid by the Department, with the rest paid by the school. Now that another...

Teaching Contracts (27 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: In this example, the person is in the job for five years. At this stage, the person should be moving towards a full-time contract. Lo and behold, once a teacher is redeployed, the teacher has been reduced to five hours and 20 minutes and has lost the support she received from the school. Are there many such cases? With the pressure in the system, we will get more and more of these cases....

School Uniforms (27 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: This is a racket. I do not know how many companies are involved but, in some cases, a school jumper costs €75.

School Uniforms (27 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: Yes, it is lost or damaged. The same jumper could be bought online for €15 instead of €75. Clearly, somebody is making a huge profit off the requirement for jumpers to have a badge or crest. Are the Minister's hands tied on this issue? Is it a matter for each school to decide its own uniform policy? I understand that in some cases, the school itself receives part of the profit, which...

School Uniforms (27 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: The Minister has at his disposal a very big stick in the form of an ability to withhold funding. Is he prepared to use it to encourage action on this issue? It would be helpful to know exactly how much is being charged in every school in the country. It is unacceptable, in the current economic climate, to have this type of racket being carried on by a small number of companies.

Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (27 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: Question 2: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration has been given to using the database of survivors of residential abuse who applied for compensation to the Redress Board as a way of directly consulting with them on the drafting of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Bill, 2012. [31185/12]

Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (27 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: This is one of the suggestions put forward by the Munster survivors group which I considered to be practical. It is a pity the legislation cannot be used in that way. One of the major criticisms of some of the groups about the redress process up to now is about how to get the message out. They are saying the same about this scheme. It is probably a smaller cohort but one of my major...

Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (27 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: The difficulty is to try to get the information across. I accept there will be detailed discussion on this on Thursday but I would like to be convinced that everybody who is entitled to access this fund will be made aware of it. The issue is to fill that gap and ensure we do not compound the hurt. Can the Minister assure us that every effort will be made? Aside from advertisements and so...

National Cultural Institutions: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: I thank Fianna Fáil for tabling this Private Members' motion. I add my voice and that of Sinn Féin to endorsing the ongoing positive contribution made by the arts and culture sector to our economy and our society. Arts and culture should not be seen as an add-on or an afterthought. Arts and culture is about who we were, who we are and how we see ourselves. Our culture is not stagnant...

Local Government (Household Charge) (Repeal) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (20 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: I will not lecture anyone, particularly those listening at home to this debate. This is a genuine attempt to highlight the issue. Most people who have not paid the household charge believe it is unjust and unfair. The majority of those who have contacted me on the issue say that is why they have not paid it. I missed the debate last night because I was meeting groups dealing with the...

Local Government (Household Charge) (Repeal) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (20 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: That is what the ESRI states.

Local Government (Household Charge) (Repeal) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (20 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: The Labour Party claims our economic policies are nonsensical, but the ESRI, an established group, states the opposite. The figures in its publications confirm this. Government Deputies are talking about fairytales and cynicism. I have heard a lot of fairytales and the people are sick to the back teeth of them. No one has a monopoly on the way forward or on alterative suggestions to get...

Local Government (Household Charge) (Repeal) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (20 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: Most people would accept that, although the Labour Party might not. Reference was made to people being cynical during the last election but it has been stated that Sinn Féin voters did not support the party on this issue, which is absolute nonsense. That is another fairytale. Reference was also made to credibility.

Local Government (Household Charge) (Repeal) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (20 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: Let us look at what the Labour Party and Fine Gael said prior to the last election about what they would do and the changes they would bring about.

Local Government (Household Charge) (Repeal) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (20 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: They did not promise people they would implement these taxes. Deputy Gilmore promised "Frankfurt's way or Labour's way". Angela Merkel's way has stepped forward. At the end of the day, we have policies rather than the fairytales the Government has made up. The legislation attempts to reverse this unfair tax. People who deal with poverty every day of the week are saying the Government has...

Local Government (Household Charge) (Repeal) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (20 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: We believe there should be a wealth tax. The household charge imposes the greatest percentage loss on those on low incomes, according to the ESRI. How can the Government and, in particular, our comrades in the Labour Party justify a tax, which ordinary people with meagre incomes are expected to pay on the same basis as millionaires? That is unfair. People ask me why they should have to...

Local Government (Household Charge) (Repeal) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (20 Jun 2012)

Seán Crowe: Part of the problem in the House always is that Government parties have a pact and no one listens to anyone who has an alternative view. Government Members would want to start listening because people are starting to think for themselves.