Results 121-140 of 2,732 for speaker:Niall Collins in 'Dáil debates'

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Oct 2022)

Niall Collins: I also want to mention to the Deputy in the context of this question the area of Skillnet Ireland. We have a Green Tech Skillnet, which is an enterprise-led network facilitating the workforce and development needs of the Irish renewable energy industry. Green Tech Skillnet is promoted by Wind Energy Ireland, the representative body for the Irish wind industry, which is working to promote...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Oct 2022)

Niall Collins: I thank the Deputy for his question. We are making significant progress in realising the ambition of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025. A key objective is to make apprenticeships more attractive to employers and learners and to ensure continued engagement. The progress to date includes: the establishment of the National Apprenticeship Office, the appointment of its first...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Oct 2022)

Niall Collins: The Deputy rightly outlined the issues in relation to retention rates in our action plan for apprenticeships. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform carried out a review of the cost of apprenticeships in 2019. It highlighted the need to standardise the cost data collection. Basically, inconsistent and decentralised reporting in areas such as costs and tracking of apprentices means...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Oct 2022)

Niall Collins: We agree with the Deputy. The issue he raised is valid. It is something that we are conscious of and we have spoken to the National Apprenticeship Office and the director about making it a priority. The whole apprenticeship space has changed so much in the past number of years, even in terms of the new apprenticeships that have been added, particularly the consortia apprenticeships, which...

Public Transport: Motion [Private Members] (5 Oct 2022)

Niall Collins: On behalf of the Minister for Transport, I thank all the Deputies for their contributions to the debate. In both the motion and the contributions from individual Deputies, we can see the range of challenges and opportunities and the progress which has been made to date. I believe that we are all in agreement about wanting a public transport system that serves all members of society,...

Financial Resolutions 2022 - Financial Resolution No. 6: General: Financial Resolution (Resumed) (28 Sep 2022)

Niall Collins: I will echo some of the comments made by the Minister. I thank the Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputies Donohoe and Michael McGrath, for their engagement with us to arrive at a total voted spend for our Department of approximately €3.9 billion. That significant sum of money will be spent on people engaged in the further and higher education sector,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2022)

Niall Collins: No, he does not.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (7 Jul 2022)

Niall Collins: I assure the Deputy that the NTA is engaging regularly with the Department of Transport on public transport fares. I further advise that the introduction of the TFI 90-minute fare, as envisaged by the BusConnects programme, has hugely benefited public transport users across Dublin. I have been advised that when the boundaries were first established for the 90-minute fare structure, the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: General Practitioner Services (7 Jul 2022)

Niall Collins: I thank the Deputy. Her requests are noted and will be transmitted to the Minister for Health and the HSE. I assure her that the Government remains committed to ensuring that patients throughout the country continue to receive adequate access to GP services and particularly to out-of-hours services. We know we could do with more GPs. We all face that fact in our constituencies. The...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (7 Jul 2022)

Niall Collins: I thank the Deputy for raising this topic, which is important to her constituency and her constituents. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Transport. I understand that the question relates to the inclusion of Skerries and Balbriggan in the TFI 90-minute fare initiative. The Department of Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding for public transport....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: General Practitioner Services (7 Jul 2022)

Niall Collins: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. General practice is at the heart of primary care, and a robust general practice and GP out-of-hours service is essential to the delivery of primary care health service. The Government recognises there are capacity challenges facing general practice. However, the Minister for Health's ambition for general practice is to ensure everyone...

Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2022)

Niall Collins: I thank all those who engaged in the debate on this Bill and for the facilitating of today's debate and for the further work that is going to go into this legislation, including Committee Stage amendments and trying to get the Bill through the Houses before the summer recess. As the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, mentioned in his opening speech, the chief purpose of the Bill is to amend...

Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2022)

Niall Collins: There is nothing to stop the Deputy coming to the debate on the next Stage.

Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2022)

Niall Collins: There is no conspiracy to hold over anything. Mass conspiracy does not exist.

Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2022)

Niall Collins: Let us hear the Deputy's views on it rather than on the process.

Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2022)

Niall Collins: The Deputy did not say that. He is saying it now.

Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2022)

Niall Collins: I will be telling the Deputy about all of these when I reply to the debate. If the Deputy meets me on Monday, we can go through them.

Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2022)

Niall Collins: Sunday is a working day.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (7 Jul 2022)

Niall Collins: In response to Deputy Stanton, he raised the local training initiatives previously and the points that he raised are quite valid. That is something that we flagged to the National Apprenticeship Office and its new director in terms of the work she is doing. I am confident that the issues the Deputy is flagging is an area she is looking at. On the manpower planning and regional skills,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (7 Jul 2022)

Niall Collins: Yes.