Results 6,901-6,920 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Finance Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2013)

Damien English: Sinn Féin's costings did not add up. There is the magic pen again.

Finance Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2013)

Damien English: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to say a few words on the Finance Bill which is another important part of the process of recovery of this country as we get there bit by bit. I will address a couple of issues in the few minutes available. The Minister stated that we are now in a position where we can be optimistic as a country. That is an important point to get out there....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ICT Skills Report: Discussion (19 Feb 2013)

Damien English: Does Mr. O'Sullivan have any additional comments?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ICT Skills Report: Discussion (19 Feb 2013)

Damien English: If there are no other comments we will leave it at that. We will engage with the Minister and with the efforts of the witnesses and everybody else, we might see some action with the action plan for jobs. This version will continue the efforts of last year. There are many issues on which we can engage with the witnesses on a more regular basis and we will focus on this area as a committee....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ICT Skills Report: Discussion (19 Feb 2013)

Damien English: There were a couple of questions. Mr. Cunningham said employers are willing to train people. How engaged are employers across the board for all the different levels? The witnesses are specifically talking about the high-level end, but there are many other jobs along the way. I know employers want to do it, but are they doing it or are they restricted? Is there anything we can do as a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ICT Skills Report: Discussion (19 Feb 2013)

Damien English: Is Mr. Cunningham saying we do not offer them the chance to study higher level maths or that they do not choose to study it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ICT Skills Report: Discussion (19 Feb 2013)

Damien English: Is it sufficient to encourage the take-up of higher level maths or is there a need to encourage the study of applied mathematics?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ICT Skills Report: Discussion (19 Feb 2013)

Damien English: I would have presumed that Mr. O'Sullivan would have been consulted about the cloud computing course to which he referred before places on it were first offered. However, he was obviously not consulted at any stage.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ICT Skills Report: Discussion (19 Feb 2013)

Damien English: Was the course provided to attract students or was it to obtain funding for the institution involved?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ICT Skills Report: Discussion (19 Feb 2013)

Damien English: Do any of Mr. O'Sullivan's colleagues wish to make comments before we move on to questions? I call Senator Clune first because she wrote the report.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ICT Skills Report: Discussion (19 Feb 2013)

Damien English: The action plan for jobs will be out soon. That might help him in answering.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: ICT Skills Report: Discussion (19 Feb 2013)

Damien English: The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the report produced by Senator Deirdre Clune entitled, A review of the ICT skills demand in Ireland, and future developments in the ICT sector. I welcome Mr. Sean O'Sullivan, managing director of Avego and founder of Open Ireland; Mr. Joe Cunningham, chairman, Ammeon; Mr. Paul Sweetman, director, ICT Ireland; and Mr. Colin Donnery, FRS Recruitment and...

Water Services Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2013)

Damien English: I thank the Acting Chairman for allowing me to speak on the Water Services Bill 2013. The Bill is a reforming measure and is long overdue - even the Deputy who spoke before me would agree to that much. A Bill with reforms of this nature was needed a long time ago and could have saved the State a great deal of money. Water is everywhere in Ireland. It is often a curse, coming endlessly...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Services (14 Feb 2013)

Damien English: To ask the Minister for Health the actions taken to tackle overcrowding and the use of trolleys in the accident and emergency department in Connolly Hospital, Dublin; the impact of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7568/13]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Services (14 Feb 2013)

Damien English: To ask the Minister for Health the actions taken to tackle overcrowding and the use of trolleys in the accident and emergency department in Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan, County Meath, and the impact of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7552/13]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Rural Communities Report: Discussion with Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (12 Feb 2013)

Damien English: I thank the Minister for that. On behalf of the joint committee, I first wish to apologise to the Minister for starting late and moving the Minister's time. This also is the reason some members have been obliged to leave and is not a reflection on the Minister or his officials. I thank the Minister, his officials and team for their attendance, which has been very worthwhile. There are a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Rural Communities Report: Discussion with Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (12 Feb 2013)

Damien English: Very well. In addition, we wish to compliment the labour activation schemes. The joint committee's own report is coming out next week on the range of new schemes to tackle youth unemployment and the new county council scheme will be complemented. Members also have some suggestions the joint committee might feed into the Department for future reference.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Rural Communities Report: Discussion with Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (12 Feb 2013)

Damien English: That is great. I again thank the Minister and his team and again thank him for his help with the joint committee's report on the black market, which we appreciate.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Rural Communities Report: Discussion with Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (12 Feb 2013)

Damien English: This is not the appropriate forum for dealing in detail with a specific case. The Deputy may briefly raise the matter and the Minister may wish to provide a written reply after the meeting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Rural Communities Report: Discussion with Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (12 Feb 2013)

Damien English: RGDATA is appearing before the committee next week to discuss town centre development and we will send our recommendations from that meeting to the Minister. We are meeting today about the rural challenge. I accept there are town centres in rural areas but we are slightly straying from the topic.