Results 17,181-17,200 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton
- Order of Business (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: I welcome the Deputy's interest in this plan as I know it is an area in which we have worked together. I am grateful that the south east has one of the fastest growing employment rates in any region, although I fully realise it is coming from a position where it had many structural problems. There has been real success in the south east and the approach we have taken of creating a regional...
- Order of Business (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. There is no doubt the restoration of the mental health budget is universally welcomed, if one listens to the debate here. It puts the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, in a position to develop a programme and it will obviously include recruitment of staff. As the Deputy notes, it can also consider other areas. I know the Minister of State,...
- Order of Business (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: My understanding is the consolidated Book of Estimates will be in for debate next week. I am sure it will be published ahead of that. I am not aware of the discussions at European-----
- Order of Business (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: It would indeed. I do not have a publication date.
- Order of Business (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: I will have to come back to the Deputy about that. We need to consider it.
- Order of Business (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: The disability Bill will be the subject of pre-legislative scrutiny as soon as committees are established. That is fairly advanced. On the electoral commission Bill, a consultation paper has come from the committee and that is being discussed in the Department. Obviously, that will have to reflect on the pre-legislative scrutiny before it comes back to the House.
- Order of Business (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: The misuse of drugs legislation is being treated as a priority and will be dealt with in this session. On the issue of mental health services, I assure the Deputy that a great deal of care was put into the preparation of the programme for Government in respect of mental health. It is a shared priority of those who were involved in the negotiations, as it is within the Oireachtas as a...
- Order of Business (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: That is the intention. It will be an issue for the committee to decide whether it requires legislative scrutiny, but the Government is treating it as a priority.
- Order of Business (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: Shortly. There is work being done on it.
- Order of Business (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: That is my understanding, yes.
- Order of Business (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: I cannot answer on the Minister's approach to the elements of the service charge and therefore I will ask him to respond to the Deputy.
- Leaders' Questions (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising what I believe is an important question. There is no doubt that Ireland has changed and citizens have different expectations of all Departments, but most particularly in the area of education. It is my ambition to help parents to have access to the school of their choice. As the Deputy rightly points out, over 95% of our schools are denominational, and my...
- Leaders' Questions (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: I do not agree with the Deputy. Children do different things during the course of the school day. If we can create a model that is acceptable to a lot of parents and that offers diversity within that school, it is something to be celebrated.
- Leaders' Questions (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: It is something we should include. It is not the exclusive model. We will have the Educate Together model, the gaelscoil model, some denominational models and so on. Diversity, with different education offerings to parents who want different things, is the right approach. On the issue of the Equal Status Act, it was not considered in the admissions Bill that was introduced during the...
- Order of Business (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: It is proposed to take No. b11, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of Ireland’s accession to the memorandum of understanding concerning the principles for the establishment and operation of a battle group; No. c11, motion re report of the Sub-committee on Dáil Reform regarding changes to Standing Orders; No. 5, Single Resolution Board (Loan Facility Agreement)...
- Leaders' Questions (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: In respect of what has caused the housing crisis, it is important to remember that misplaced policies caused a construction boom of unprecedented levels where we built 90,000 houses and had a massive property bubble. This bubble collapsed with all the ensuing consequences, such as the damage to people's lives and the public finances. We have been living with that ever since and no system is...
- Leaders' Questions (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: I do not have precise answers in respect of the timeframe but I assure the Deputy that the Taoiseach is taking this very seriously. Within the education portfolio, I am looking at areas where we could support initiatives within the north inner city and also, as the Deputy says, in the context of a wider model to examine areas of concentrated disadvantage to see how we can break that cycle....
- Leaders' Questions (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: I agree with the Deputy's approach. Indeed, our own parliamentary party discussed this challenge last week. I am sure it is replicated in parts of the Deputy's constituency, as it is in parts of mine. Most Deputies experience the same and there is a resolve to see a response in the north inner city, which has particularly acute experience. As a former school principal in the area, the...
- Leaders' Questions (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: I do not disagree with the Deputy. Much of the effort of the Oireachtas has gone towards recognising that. As the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, reminded me, last year we restored the respite care grant to its full value and we have sought to improve home help and home care packages. In each of the winter initiatives, a substantial improvement in spending on home care occurs. I...
- Leaders' Questions (9 Jun 2016)
Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It is no secret that the crisis in housing is the biggest issue on the Government's agenda. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, has committed to an action plan for housing within the first 100 days. He has consulted widely with all of the interests, including those referred to by the Deputy, in the preparation of that work. The Committee on Housing and...