Results 681-700 of 743 for speaker:Jim D'Arcy

Seanad: Public Policy and Planning: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: Ba mhaith liom ar dtús failte a chur riomh an tAire isteach sa teach seo. I agree with my colleague, Senator Cullinane, that decisions should be based on the criteria he outlined. I do not want to make a party political point but I stated here last week, or even yesterday - the iron chains of memory are failing me - when Senators said that jobs would be lost here and there as a result of...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: I welcome the Keane report as a first step in dealing with the big problems of people who are unable to pay their mortgages in full. In the Dáil yesterday the Taoiseach asked for further suggestions. I support Senators Darragh O'Brien, Byrne and others in calling for a wide range of measures to deal with the issue. They mentioned the suggestions from New Beginning. We should be able to...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Oct 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: Does the Leader agree that it is time to end the blather and congratulate the Fine Gael-Labour Party Government on the great work it is doing to restore our reputation? We are now the poster boy of Europe for recovery.

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Oct 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: The point I am making is that when we talk about rationalisation, all I hear is talk about jobs and money. The objective is to provide services, not jobs. We must move with the times and try to provide a sustainable economy and not try to fool the people with talk about decentralisation, etc. We are trying to provide robust leadership. It ill-behoves anybody-----

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Oct 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: -----to talk about jobs for this one and that one rather than rationalising and putting in place a proper structure.

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Oct 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: I know it.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: Will the Leader invite the Minister for Education and Skills to the House for a question and answer session on education? The education of our children is the most important issue facing us. Our universities are slipping in the world ranking not because their standards are falling but because they are not keeping pace. The religious institutions, for all their faults, led the process of...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: Yes. That is my question.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: Many people in Haggardstown want to know the answer to that question.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: Yes. That is what he wants to do.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Sep 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: I refer to an event which took place yesterday and is also taking place today and tomorrow, namely, the ploughing championships that celebrate their 80th birthday. President McAleese has described agriculture as the star of the Irish economy in tough financial times. We have record levels of Irish food exports and increased numbers entering Teagasc for farming courses. I ask the Leader to...

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Sep 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: I just asked the Leader a question. I did not hear what the Minister for jobs said.

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill, 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Sep 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Aire ar ais chuig an Seanad. Tá sé iontach maith le teacht anseo agus molaim é as sin. Ba mhaith liom freisin, mar aon leis an Seanadóir Power, fáilte a chur roimh an Bille seo, not least because for the first time it brings the universities into the same orbit as other third level and further education institutions. It is also cost effective in...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill, 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Sep 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: I have resigned. Why?

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill, 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Sep 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: One has to confront these issues. In one university, Senator Averil Power referred to students getting power, that is, having a say and I agree with that. They had what is called "a black Monday" where everyone went to the bar. The days of Brideshead Revisited third level education is gone. The name of the authority is unwieldy as the Minister said, although it is too short....

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill, 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Sep 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: It does not sound good. It should have an operational name.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Sep 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: Like Senator Barrett, I revert to the discussion paper published today by the Irish Universities Association in which it is stated there is a need to reassess the points system of entry to college and its impact on learning at second level. I do not know the seven members of the Irish Universities Association council, but I know the chairman of the working group which produced the report,...

Seanad: Innovation at the Heart of the Jobs Challenge: Statements (14 Sep 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: I apologise for interrupting the Senator, but she has only one minute left.

Seanad: Innovation at the Heart of the Jobs Challenge: Statements (14 Sep 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Innovation at the Heart of the Jobs Challenge: Statements (14 Sep 2011)

Jim D'Arcy: I welcome the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton. We will begin with a statement by him on innovation at the heart of the jobs challenge.