Results 14,461-14,480 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I read the newspaper reports, as did the Deputy. Any drug that improves people's lives is something to be welcomed. I understand the patients have what is described as compassionate access to the drug but the company appears to be suggesting this will be withdrawn from them. The HSE has a process for deciding what drugs are supplied with the...

Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is very unfair if the company has given 20 people compassionate access to a life-transforming drug and is seeking to withdraw it from these patients as part of a negotiation to get a better price deal or wider access. This seems to be a very unfair approach by the company. There are responsibilities on the company. If it gives access to a life-transforming product it should sustain it...

Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The truth is that the Minister has put in place a framework for putting caps on rental accommodation. He has put in criteria which will be used to decide the areas where there are rental pressures.

Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is only where there are rental pressures that those caps are appropriate. He has put that process in place and it is open to any area to set out its case. It will be objectively assessed and the same order will apply-----

Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: That is a speedy process he has put in place and each area can be assessed on the basis of the framework that is set. As Deputy Howlin recognises, it is crucial that we continue to get the public supply, the rapid build, the new initiatives in the private sector and the new student accommodation that will take pressure off rental accommodation. All those elements are proceeding at pace.

Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The early indicators are very clear that that strategy is starting to get traction and have an impact but it will take time to build. In the meantime, there is the protection for tenants of the rental caps that are being put in place.

Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I believe the real solution to this is increased supply. That is the real focus of the approach that the Government has been taking. It is about real supply coming from social housing. For the first time, we have committed to 47,000 new builds of social housing after a period in which there was virtually no social housing constructed, which created huge imbalances in the marketplace. ...

Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: We have a programme for Government to which we are operating. That is the arrangement and that is the truth of it. Deputy McDonald must see that we are improving the situation in health even though we have problems there. We are treating 20% more people in our health service and 2 million people will have operations this coming year as a result of the investment we are putting into that,...

Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Mary Lou McDonald for the question. As she is aware, the objective of the Government is set out in the programme for Government and the Independents and Fine Gael have agreed on that approach. It is all about using our steadily improving economy to improve the lives of people and it is built on a very solid set of programmes. We have a very comprehensive plan on housing,...

Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: Deputy Mary Lou McDonald's party has spent its time relentlessly trying to stand in the way of the progress this Government has made. We are now seeing the fruits of that, namely, more investment in education, housing and health. In terms of what is new from the discussions yesterday, the Independents asked that an independent expert from overseas would look at the process we have put in...

Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for his question. I was in the House when we established NAMA. One of the aspects that we took considerable care in ensuring was that there could be no possibility of the Minister for Finance of the day interfering in NAMA's commercial activities. I was on the Opposition benches at the time and that was written into the law for good reason, namely, to ensure that NAMA...

Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: To make it clear, there is no question of the Minister having acted inappropriately. He met a former US Secretary of the Treasury who happened to be an employee of Cerberus. He had no hand, act or part in the decision of NAMA, which is established independently under statute to make decisions on its own. Its decisions and decision-making process are what are under scrutiny, as the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: Caranua is an independent statutory body established under the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million, pledged by the religious congregations, to support the needs of survivors of institutional child abuse. The legislation provides that supports may be available in the areas of health and personal social...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is completing Stage 2(a) of the Architectural Planning process, the Developed Design Stage.  Following the Stage 2(a) Stakeholder’s meeting which was held on the 30th November 2016, the ETB and its Design Team were requested to submit a Stage 2(a) addendum addressing issues which arose at the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126 and 133 together. I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department met with the school referred to in the context of an application received for a replacement school. The school were advised that, due to the need to prioritise available funding towards the provision of essential classroom accommodation to meet demographic demand, it would not be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that this Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: International Students (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The regulations and guidelines in place for international students arriving here are a matter for the Minister for Justice and Equality. Higher Education Institutions in Ireland provide high quality support services to international students. A Code of Practice for Provision of Programmes of Education and Training to International Learners was published by Quality and Qualifications...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the Deputy is available on my Department’s website at the following link: .

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy may be aware, my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The system uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and information from my Department's own databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Grants (16 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for the relevant grant awarding authority. The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a...