Results 13,681-13,700 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Leaders' Questions (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: I just do not accept that staff and resources are behind the sort of problems that we are seeing in An Garda Síochána. They are not behind the issues that we have put out to a tribunal or behind the issue of the falsifying of reporting that we have seen. Those issues cannot be explained by staffing and resources. Of course, staffing and resources will help in the context of...

Leaders' Questions (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: I do not accept that argument. The Garda Inspectorate made 81 recommendations and we need to see those implemented. They will take time but we need to do this root and branch investigation. On the issue of the wrongful convictions and a single Act, as I understand it, 96% of those cases involved other issues as well. It is not a single, uniform batch that we can just change at the...

Questions on Promised Legislation (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Naughten, has clear responsibility for An Post. That has been confirmed this week in government but that does not mean that other useful work is not being undertaken to strengthen our post office network. The Minister of State, Deputy Ring, undertook work to look at models that could be developed that would help to...

Questions on Promised Legislation (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: I cannot give a specific date but I do know that the Minister of State with responsibility for disability issues, Deputy Finian McGrath, is working very diligently on this.

Questions on Promised Legislation (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: I am not aware of all of the details but that does not mean that we are not making progress in many of the areas of provision. I know that in his own Department, he has made very specific provision for disability. In my Department, we provided additional resources for children with special educational needs. In terms of rolling out services, there is a very strong commitment by the...

Leaders' Questions (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for his question. There is no doubt that Northern Ireland the specific problems that will arise there have been at the centre of the strategy the Government has been developing. It has been one of the planks of the four priorities the Government has set, and it revolves around making sure that we do not have a return to a hard Border. It revolves around supporting...

Leaders' Questions (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: We have always advocated for a growth policy within the European Union, and we have been strong advocates of that within the EPP. There has been some reflection of that - perhaps not enough - and we need to continue to focus on how we grow a competitive EU and how do we avoid a swing to protectionism, which is a risk within the EU and is something we need to protect against strongly. We...

Leaders' Questions (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is true to say that there is a lot of executive action changing things. I know, for example, that the divisional structure, which was criticised by the inspectorate, is being changed. I know that there is a new ICT plan being put into the Garda. There is a restructuring of the traffic section, as the Deputy knows. There is a whole range of things that are being implemented. The...

Leaders' Questions (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: I completely reject the Deputy's position. I think the Minister, Deputy Ross, is doing his job. For example, this year and last year we have seen a 33% increase in the support for public service provision by Bus Éireann.

Leaders' Questions (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Minister is negotiating improved input into Bus Éireann services for the social protection-provided services, such as the free travel scheme. The Minister is making very real progress in providing a future for the public transport services provided by Bus Éireann. We know, and it is something that the Deputy and her party refuse to acknowledge, that the difficulties that arise...

Leaders' Questions (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: Clearly, the National Transport Authority has indicated that should the restructuring require the withdrawal of certain services, it would be in a position to examine those and provide for substitute services where they are appropriate. The truth is that every time there is an industrial dispute, the Deputy and her party come in to the House and demand that Ministers come along and solve it....

Leaders' Questions (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: Management and unions have to address the issues that are here. It is very regrettable that this has flared into a dispute that is causing so much hardship, but it is not to the Minister that one looks for a solution. This has to be resolved through the negotiation supports that are available through the WRC and the Labour Court. They are long-experienced and seasoned. I am certainly not...

Leaders' Questions (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: The truth is that the approach of the Deputy and her party to industrial relations in the public service would lead to more industrial strife and result in more strikes, with taxpayers having to fund every strike and every claim.

Leaders' Questions (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: That is not a realistic approach. We have just been talking about Brexit and the challenges that poses for the competitiveness of the Irish economy, both in the public service and the private sector. We have to ensure that we can have companies that run their business commercially. There are identified efficiencies that are recognised on both sides. These issues have to be addressed in an...

Leaders' Questions (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: -----and the Deputy would be the cheerleader for that industrial strife.

Leaders' Questions (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: I take the opportunity to express my sympathy on behalf of the Government to the family of the late Captain Mark Duffy, whose funeral is today and in whose memory the flag is flying at half mast. We also hope the other two families who are anxiously waiting will not have to wait long. I thank Deputy Moynihan for his question. I can assure him the Government has entered into very long...

Leaders' Questions (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: The position is that our agricultural sectors are supported not just by Bord Bia but by Enterprise Ireland and by all of the international agencies. Indeed, all of our embassies are now very closely aligned to the export drive that our companies are achieving. We are determined to open up new pathways and, as the Deputy knows, Enterprise Ireland has developed a pathfinder programme which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the contractor responded to the Letter of Intent on the 21 March last. The response received, is currently being examined by the ETB's Design Team. Assuming that the contractor has complied with the requirements of the Letter of Intent, it is envisaged that construction will commence on site shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Applications (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: All schools in the country across both the Primary and Post Primary sectors have been assessed in terms of the socio-economic background of their pupil cohort using centrally held data. This process has determined the level of concentrated disadvantage across the school system and identifies those schools in need of the greatest level of support. The key data sources include the DES...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Applications (30 Mar 2017)

Richard Bruton: DEIS is my Department's main policy initiative to tackle educational disadvantage. The DEIS Plan for 2017 sets out our vision for future intervention in the critical area of social inclusion in education policy. DEIS Plan 2017 provides for a new identification model for assessment of a school's level of disadvantage using centrally held data. The key data sources include the DES Primary...