Results 9,581-9,600 of 26,897 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children and Family Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Their names are Pauline and Jill. They have worked there for more than a decade. In Pauline's case it is probably about 20 years. Many of the children who go there now will not go anymore if the supervision is removed. Some agenda is operating here. I believe somebody else wants the building that they partly use, to be honest. That is what is happening and it is wrong and retrograde....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children and Family Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Pauline and Jill.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children and Family Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 56. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her Department will work with organisations (details supplied), Tusla, the local authority and other State agencies to ensure that the supervised playground on Library Road, Dún Laoghaire remains supervised into the future; the steps she can take in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51544/19]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children and Family Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I have raised with the Minister the fate of the supervised playground on Library Road in Dún Laoghaire before, and seeing as I am on a roll with her, I hope that there is something that can be done to save the supervision at this playground which is due to terminate. This amenity has been there for decades and has served a disadvantaged community and many children and parents. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children and Family Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The playground will-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children and Family Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: My apologies, Minister.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children and Family Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I will take her time as well.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children and Family Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The playground in question is in an area where very few people have front or back gardens. These are old terraced council houses. It is an area with a DEIS school and is a pocket of disadvantage in Dún Laoghaire. Many of the children who go there, from the ages of three and four up to 13, are children who would frankly not go to the other open playgrounds. There are a number of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I welcome the Minister's acknowledgement of the issues. I will check if the people in question are availing fully of the subsidy-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I will check that but, either way, the average cost in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown is off the Richter scale and I think the Minister would accept that point.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: We need to address that but the national childcare scheme will barely scratch the surface-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Indeed, there is nothing to stop the costs rising further as compliance requirements increase and the costs of same get passed on to parents, thus wiping out any benefit from the national childcare scheme. Costs are already unaffordable and there has been a failure to deliver new crèche places as part of major residential developments. The fact that those places were in the plans and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank the Minister for that.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 53. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to address the lack of crèche spaces and the unaffordability of the spaces nationwide and in south County Dublin in particular; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51543/19]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I have raised with the Minister the plight of a crèche in my area where a significant number of parents faced a major hike in charges and some lost their places because of Tusla demands to change things in that crèche. Those parents are still asking to meet the Minister. I appreciate that she gave me a response recently but they are not happy with it. They are concerned not just...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Two parents working on the average industrial wage will get €20 a week towards the cost of childcare. The increase in the cost for the crèche I mentioned, because of Tusla’s requirements for that crèche, is greater than that. The cost is now up to about €1,200 a month, which is mind-boggling. On that specific issue the parents would like to meet the Minister...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Yes.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 9. To ask the Taoiseach the Cabinet committee at which Israel and Palestine is discussed. [50144/19]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: One of the proudest things that this country ever did on the foreign policy stage was to implement a boycott against apartheid South Africa, prompted by the heroic actions of Dunnes Stores workers. That was done unilaterally. Nelson Mandela and many other leading fighters against apartheid made the point at the time that Ireland had made a unique contribution to bringing down the apartheid...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Citizens' Assembly (10 Dec 2019)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I also raise the issue of childcare and the necessity of including it as part of the Citizens' Assembly deliberations on gender equality. To say there is a crisis in the affordability and provision of childcare would be a massive understatement. The average cost per week of childcare in this country is €186, but it is €246 in my area. That is completely unaffordable. It is...