Results 7,961-7,980 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: It is very unfortunate that as a result of the collapse of the Sammon Group, 200 employees, and their families, have been impacted, as well as a number of subcontractors. It is a very serious fallout for those individuals. I have personally expressed my sympathy with them. We have 11 projects which we must now proceed to finish. Some are under the Dutch Infrastructure Fund, DIF, which has...

Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy knows, in the last budget we expanded the Exchequer provision by €50 million. We also provided an additional €50 million from the National Training Fund, and in future years we will increase the fund, trebling that amount over the next three years. In addition, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has provided a trebling of our capital budget for higher...

Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: Student loans were an issue that was part of the Cassells report. We have acted on the other two areas. It was referred to the Oireachtas committee. The Oireachtas committee earlier this year asked our Department to do further economic evaluation of this, and that is being done.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Magdalen Laundries (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this matter. I will put this into context before I come to the script I have provided. There was an indemnity deal, which the Senator referred to. That meant the Residential Institutions Redress Board awarded €1.5 billion to the victims of abuse in residential institutions, although this figure would need to be checked with the Comptroller and...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Magdalen Laundries (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I will bring Senator Boyhan's concern to the attention of the Caranua board that the closing date should not be inflexibly applied. Its intention is to support victims of abuse in residential institutions. Caranua has published this because it recognises that the money is finite so it will have to ensure that it knows as soon as possible the potential new applications that can come on board...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Garda Resources (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank Senator Clifford-Lee for raising this issue.The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Charles Flanagan, apologises for not being able to attend. He has provided data that show that the strength of the Dublin metropolitan region, north division, is 678, of whom 80 are assigned to Balbriggan Garda station. There are also 42 Garda reserves and 40 civilians attached to the division....

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Garda Resources (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: Clearly, people will always cite statistics to suit their own case, but we have to bear in mind that the policing of north Dublin, as indicated in the reply, is influenced very much by the operation of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau. As indicated by the Minister, 140 extra gardaí have been involved in some of the special crime operations since 2017. Therefore, in...

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Acting Chairman and am delighted to have the opportunity to introduce this Bill. It has been a long time in gestation but, in that time, we have managed to develop elements. There was consensus in the Lower House that an admission Bill was required, specifically on the matter of religion being used in selection and to provide the Minister with the power to intervene and make an...

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Bill has 13 sections. Basically, section-----

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: A text?

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I do not have a copy.

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: Historically-----

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I see.

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: Yes. We will arrange to have a copy provided for Senators.

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: My common practice is not to use a script. It is only in this instance that I have one.

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: The reason I have a script is to go through the Bill section by section. It is close to what is contained in the explanatory memorandum, which has become the convention.

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I will. Section 3 updates section 9 of the Education Act 1998, replacing the phrase "maximum accessibility", which was there as a provision of what the school should do to observe the Act. In this Bill, we are moving away from that phraseology to one that deals more comprehensively with admission policy. Section 4 updates section 10 of the Act. A technical change, it requires a patron to...

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: At 7 p.m. Three minutes is very little time to do this debate justice .

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I ask the Acting Chairman to tell me when my time has elapsed. Senator Ó Domhnaill and other Senators raised the issue of the religion barrier being related to a shortage of schools and stated that other children will lose out. I refer them to Senator Higgins's comments in that regard. It is important that we have a fair system of access to whatever places are available but I strongly...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Facilities (13 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: There is ongoing engagement between the OGP and its public sector clients so that the necessary contracts and frameworks are put in place to meet their requirements. My Department liaises with the OGP in this context. The OGP has established a Multi-Supplier Framework Agreement for the supply of Natural Gas to Public Service Bodies in Ireland including schools. This Framework...