Results 721-740 of 873 for speaker:Averil Power

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Averil Power: I welcome the Minister to the House. In particular, I welcome the report on patronage. An enormous amount of work has been put into it, not only on the part of the Minister but by the group, headed by Professor John Coolahan, which has put significant effort into this work during the past year. It is clear from reading it that there was a strong culture of co-operation among the different...

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Averil Power: It is a huge challenge and requires major change in order to cater for everyone. The Minister has correctly pinpointed the need to ensure it does not have an impact on the quality of education. Beyond the religious question, when one asks what is most important about school, patronage is not in the top three as far as I can recall from surveys. The key is to maintain quality of education...

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Averil Power: They are more passive.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (27 Apr 2012)

Averil Power: I echo many of the comments that have been made. On Second Stage, I made the point that I would support any reform of the one-parent family payment which will make a difference and led to positive outcomes for lone parents. As the Minister is aware, the reforms that were put in train by the previous Government have not fully kicked in yet. There has already been a major change whereby the...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Second Stage (27 Apr 2012)

Averil Power: I welcome the Minister of State. Fianna Fáil is opposing this Bill for several reasons. Senator Leyden touched on some of them and Senator Mooney will deal with others. I will deal specifically with section 4 and its impact on lone parents. The section is particularly ill thought out and unjust. Senator Zappone highlighted the following point in her eloquent contribution. In the absence...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Second Stage (27 Apr 2012)

Averil Power: I am sure the Acting Chairman will be as generous to the Senator as the Chair was to him earlier.

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Apr 2012)

Averil Power: Will the Deputy Leader impress upon the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the need for the Government to use its influence with the banks, particularly those which are in State ownership, to encourage them to take part in the resolution process relating to the residents of Priory Hall? She will be aware that the process, which is...

Seanad: Report of Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments: Statements (24 Apr 2012)

Averil Power: I thank the Minister of State for her opening statement. As all Members will agree, the basic foundation of any political system is confidence that decisions are made through the right processes and for the right reasons. The Mahon tribunal's report massively dented that confidence in its over 3,200 pages. It details the most appalling and outrageous betrayal of trust at all levels in the...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Averil Power: I inadvertently spoke to amendment No. 128 earlier. The amendment seeks to ensure that those awards already aligned to the framework before the coming into operation of section 38 will automatically be deemed to be aligned with the framework under this Act.

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Averil Power: The Minister of State indicated he would accept it.

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Averil Power: The Minister of State believes the principle of the amendment is met by way of his amendments.

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Averil Power: I propose, on the basis of earlier discussion on this issue, to redraft amendment No. 136 and to submit an alternative text for Report Stage.

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Averil Power: I appreciate where Senator Barrett is coming from in terms of a Trinity College perspective and the fact that the college has good places. I served on the board of the academic council and I know the structures have been improved since then. However, I consider external review of the procedures in place across all the universities to ensure the procedures in place are right and there is...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Averil Power: The point of the Bill is to ensure the student experience is as positive as it can be. I understand, from the debate on Second Stage, that it is the intention that standards would be set at national level for student consultation and there would not just be a broad requirement for it. Best practice should be set out at national level because while some institutions have good standards,...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Averil Power: I second the amendment. This House could play a very useful role in approving appointments to governing bodies and State agencies in general. It is one of the key ways in which the role of the House could be reformed. I accept that this could occur on the recommendation of the Minister. For example, the Minister could put a candidate's name before the House and allow Members to discuss it...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Averil Power: I support this amendment. Section 18(3) provides that the chief executive shall not be required to give account before a committee for any matter which is, has been or may be the subject of proceedings before a court or a tribunal in the State. Whatever about a matter that is sub judice, it is extraordinary to rule out discussions afterwards on issues that have been subject to court...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Averil Power: Or woman.

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Averil Power: That is true for this one.

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Averil Power: I move amendment No. 4: In page 9, subsection (1), between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following: " "recognised within the Framework" includes being recognised within, aligned to, included in, or referenced to, the Framework, following adjudication or validation in that regard by the Authority;". The term, "recognised within the Framework" is used quite a lot within the Bill and obviously...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Averil Power: I accept the Minister of State's response on amendment No. 4. I will speak about the rationale for amendments Nos. 77 and 124. Amendment No. 77 is concerned with the recognition of awards granted outside the State. While I accept that section 73 is capable of giving some recognition within the State to international rewards, such recognition does not appear to be as robust as that given...