Results 9,501-9,520 of 18,325 for speaker:Brendan Smith

School Accommodation (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: From 2003 to 2012, the school enrolment has doubled, reaching 380. Since last September, 81 pupils have joined that school, the largest enrolment ever. There has been massive expenditure on temporary accommodation and it is now at the stage were some of the prefabs need to be replaced with additional accommodation. The project was included, as the Minister knows, in the 2011 school...

School Accommodation (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: To give one other example, 52 new local authority houses have been built and are about to be allocated. I know from my constituency work that many young people will be moving into the area with families, which we welcome. In a county that was ravaged by emigration in the past, I am particularly proud of the fact there has been huge growth in population in recent years throughout County...

School Accommodation (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: We come from a poor area, not from Deputy Naughten's rich pasturelands of south Roscommon. The issue of the GIS is one on which we need to be careful, as I know from speaking to many of the local people in Virginia. The Minister met Fr. Dermot Prior, the chairperson of the board of management, and the principal, Mr. Peadar Quealy. The board of management, the parents association and the...

School Accommodation (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: We would be very glad of that. Hopefully, the application can be reviewed with a view to making progress to construction stage as soon as possible.

Religious and Sexual Discrimination (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: I attended a briefing in Leinster House when Senator Averil Power published the legislation and the representative groups there were very appreciative of the work that had been done. Also, the Minister announced at the teachers' conferences last Easter that he would bring forward the legislation on an all-party basis and this was warmly welcomed. I appeal to the Minister to ensure the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: Question 52: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the proposal to provide additional permanent accommodation at a school (details supplied) in County Cavan; if this application will be reviewed in view of the significant increase in pupil numbers at the school in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25882/12]

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: Question 76: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline the effect of changes to the staffing schedule in one, two, three and four teacher schools on minority faith schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26035/12]

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: Question 82: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that the proposal to provide additional permanent accommodation at a school (details supplied) in County Cavan will be progressed without further delay in view of the growth in enrolment in that school and the over reliance on temporary accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26039/12]

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: Question 83: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a capital works application submitted by a school (details supplied) in County Limerick in 2007. [26061/12]

Written Answers — Turbary Rights: Turbary Rights (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: Question 119: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if his attention has been drawn to the serious concerns of turf cutters in counties Cavan, Longford and Westmeath who have turbary rights in the general Lough Sheelin area; the efforts being made to address adequately such concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26038/12]

Higher Education Grants (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: Question 1: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when he expects to receive proposals from the Capital Asset Test implementation group regarding higher education grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26033/12]

Higher Education Grants (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: The announcement in budget 2012 that the value of certain capital assets would be taken into account in the assessment of means for student grants has caused concern to many self employed people, particularly land owners and farmers. It would be absolutely wrong to include productive assets in the means assessment. Such a system would discriminate against self employed people, including...

Higher Education Grants (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: Could the Minister ensure that the group looks at the social welfare assessment system? In the Department of Social Protection's means assessment farm land is categorised as property personally used and enjoyed. The assessment is based on the annual income derived from that asset and, quite correctly, there can be no additional calculation of notional means for the value of the asset. That...

Higher Education Grants (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: Quite correctly, we have moved a long way from that. Consider the situation in farming. Unfortunately, farm income can be very cyclical. One can have one or two good years but, unfortunately, that can be affected by weather, even weather in another continent. The dairy farmer, for example, can have a good year but if there are favourable climate conditions in Australia, New Zealand or...

Higher Education Grants (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: Agreed.

Higher Education Grants (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: That facility has been extended in the past.

Higher Education Grants (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: It has been extended in the past.

Departmental Agencies (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: Question 4: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current status of FÁS; if he will provide a timeline for the establishment of SOLAS; the progress made to date in establishing SOLAS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26034/12]

Departmental Agencies (24 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for his reply on this matter which we have discussed in this House and in committee on numerous occasions. The Minister stated that it is hoped discussion on the legislation will be completed in the autumn session. Is he reasonably confident that the new structures will be in place by the end of this calendar year? There is confusion among members of the public, who...

Written Answers — Household Charge: Household Charge (23 May 2012)

Brendan Smith: Question 169: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No 476 of 1 May 2012, if he will clarify the question of whether the household charge is due on apartments on Dublin Docklands Development Authority property where as part of the management fee a specific amount for provision of local services is collected and paid to the...