Results 9,421-9,440 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: This is the second vote of confidence in the Taoiseach to be considered this year. A motion of confidence in any Taoiseach involves a questioning of his ability to govern the country and his capacity to lead Ministers. It is a question of confidence in the leadership of someone in steering the society and economy of Ireland on behalf of the people. It involves deciding whether to give a...

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The people made their decision on election day in the knowledge of what they had heard in April and May.

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: They said, in effect, that they would await the decision of the tribunal before they reached a judgment on the matter.

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As a new Deputy when this House established the tribunals ten years ago, I made my maiden speech on the legislation under which they were established. We did not think they would still be doing their work ten years on. We did not envisage that allegations made in 1998 would not have been examined by this stage.

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Taoiseach willingly gave his personal details to the tribunal.

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As he said, he opened up his bank accounts to the tribunal and waived his right to confidentiality in respect of such matters. All these facts were in the public domain when the people agreed to give a vote of confidence to the Taoiseach. Given that the tribunal has not made a decision in the five months which have passed since, why are we debating the issue today? The new Dáil has not...

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Those who are sitting here and making these points——

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: ——should watch and wait to hear all the evidence and read what the tribunal has to say about it. I have not read a transcript of the Taoiseach's 18 hours of evidence because I have been busy going about my duties.

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I very much doubt if the Deputies who have spoken have read the transcript of 18 hours of evidence. Having established the tribunal we must allow it to take its course and do its work. It has made it clear that there is no issue of the Taoiseach obstructing it or of non-compliance or non-co-operation.

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The tribunal has stated there has been no delay and that it is satisfied with the way work is proceeding. The motion states we affirm our confidence in the Mahon tribunal to complete its work.

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: At some stage the tribunal will investigate the allegations made regarding Mr. Owen O'Callaghan and Quarryvale, the reason for which it was set up. In the meantime Fianna Fáil and the Government is willing to wait for the tribunal, established by the Oireachtas, to carry out its work. We recognise that the Taoiseach has the confidence of the people to continue to run the country and deal...

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: That is what a vote of confidence is about. The Opposition parties are not questioning the ability of the Taoiseach to govern or the ability of the Government. That mandate was given to us by the people. The motion of no confidence shows how out of touch the Opposition parties are with the tribunal and the people. The tribunal did not find that the Taoiseach had engaged in wrongdoing.

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: What is the basis of the motion of no confidence?

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: It is a case of people choosing what they want to hear, picking snippets of evidence and ensuring they become judge and jury. We know that the Taoiseach is a man of great credibility

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am proud to be Minister for Education and Science.

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I uphold the highest standards of integrity, as I have always done and as my colleagues do. We will always ensure integrity, the backbone of what my colleagues and I stand for, is the basis of our lives in public office. In his role as Taoiseach Deputy Bertie Ahern is a man of credibility, has provided great leadership and is a man in whom the Fianna Fáil Party, the Government and I have...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (5 Jul 2007)

Mary Hanafin: "The UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education" was agreed in 1960. Ireland was not a member of UNESCO at that time. There are no immediate plans for Ireland to ratify the Convention. Ireland is committed in general to the principles of equality of educational opportunity contained in the Convention. For example, the Equal Status Act, 2000 prohibits, under section 7, an...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Jul 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy was one of a number of schools I announced in 2005 to progress through architectural planning. The long term projected enrolment has recently been reassessed for this school. As the brief for the project was subsequently increased, my Department's technical team carried out an assessment to determine how best to progress the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (5 Jul 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that Circular 0034/2007 issued from my Department in April of this year advising primary schools of the arrangements that apply to the retention of existing resource teaching posts and to the creation of additional posts for the 2007/08 school year. Schools will be aware of the minimum requirements for retention of resource teaching posts. In such cases, schools...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (5 Jul 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. However, I can tell the Deputy that school building projects are selected for inclusion in the School Building and Modernisation Programme on the basis of priority of need using published criteria. All applications for capital funding are assessed in accordance with these criteria which were drawn up following consultation...