Results 21-40 of 371 for speaker:Michael Conaghan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Grangegorman Development Agency: Chairperson Designate (21 Oct 2015)

Michael Conaghan: I welcome Mr. Cussen. This is probably one of the most exciting educational projects of our time. Its potential is still hidden. The work of the old institutions that sat on the site, rather than being cast aside, is being built on to develop programmes of work to address the challenges of this century. The old vocational education committee structure founded in the 19th century was very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Activation Services and Supports for the Unemployed: Discussion (14 Oct 2015)

Michael Conaghan: I wanted to mention that it is striking the way the service in general has changed. It really has transformed. At one time, going to the dole office was quite a frightening encounter - I remember going myself. That whole approach has been cast off and the system is far more dynamic. It is far more like a partnership. I have a great deal of respect for the Irish National Organisation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Michael Conaghan: I welcome the Minister and commend the work she has undertaken to which she brings great diligence and creativity. I would like to see some use of the term "further education" because it is a fast-growing and dynamic sector. For example, all age groups over 18 are flocking to the former VEC schools and colleges around Dublin and finding them of tremendous value in terms of rebuilding a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (29 Sep 2015)

Michael Conaghan: I welcome the Minister, the Minister of State and their staff. It is not that long since the last election. At that time, the outlook for the economy was rather gloomy, and people felt the economy in general was in a precarious position. Although it has been a reasonably short period, there has been a remarkable turnaround, which has surprised many people. There are obviously a number of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (29 Sep 2015)

Michael Conaghan: I might not be here for the second part.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015 - Vote 37: Minister for Social Protection (22 Sep 2015)

Michael Conaghan: I welcome the Minister. From speaking to people who go to the labour exchanges, the impression I get is that the service provided in the recent past is very different. The service is more streamlined, more efficient, more humane and more dynamic. Perhaps much of that has to do with the Minister because of the compassion, the passion and the skills she brought to it. For people who now go...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Draft Educational Research Centre (Establishment) Order 2015: Discussion with the Minister for Education and Skills (8 Jul 2015)

Michael Conaghan: I welcome the Minister and commend her on the work she is doing in education. It is important, innovative work that needs to be done. Perhaps previous Ministers did not give it all the energy and commitment that was required. Earlier this morning, she spoke about SNAs and that is an important element of childhood development, child formation, and literacy. People are impressed by the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Council for Curriculum and Assessment: Discussion. (8 Jul 2015)

Michael Conaghan: I welcome Ms McManus and recognise her many years of devoted service in all the various initiatives in which she has been involved. Something struck me when she was speaking. She would have noticed an education system that was static for a long time, with various established norms of evaluation and criteria for assessment. Now the world has changed so dramatically and obviously the...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (1 Jul 2015)

Michael Conaghan: I am very sympathetic to what Deputy Ellis said. Most of us would strongly agree with him. However, his statements are already incorporated in the spirit and the wording of the Bill, particularly in the hands of the current Minister of State. I am convinced of that. That fulfils any objective Deputy Ellis might want to achieve.

Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2015)

Michael Conaghan: This Bill, when passed, will represent an important milestone in the history of the trade union movement in Ireland. It will restate, enhance and promote the role and relevance of trade unions in civil society. Enhancing the role and place of the collective bargaining process in the workplace and putting it on a stronger statutory footing will have beneficial impacts on the lives of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Citizens Information Board: Chairperson Designate (10 Jun 2015)

Michael Conaghan: I welcome Ms Ita Mangan. It may be a cliché but this is sometimes called the information age, and Ms Mangan is the master of information-giving. I refer to the very early stages in her career in the information services in Leeson Street where she established very high standards. She worked there for a good while with a friend of mine, Martin McGarry. It was very difficult to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Citizens Information Board: Chairperson Designate (10 Jun 2015)

Michael Conaghan: The first time the Deputy got married.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Strategic Plan: Bord na Móna (9 Jun 2015)

Michael Conaghan: I welcome the delegation. Obviously, Bord na Móna is a very successful company and most people are extremely proud of it. The company is an indigenous entity and has adapted to the winds of change. I wish to ask about the scale and sophistication of the operation used to extract peat from the ground. The process in question is extremely crude in comparison to the traditional...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Strategic Plan: Bord na Móna (9 Jun 2015)

Michael Conaghan: I was interested in what Mr. Ryan had to say and will think about it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Construction Contracts Act 2013: Chairman Designate of Panel of Adjudicators (26 May 2015)

Michael Conaghan: I welcome Professor Bunni and thank him for his views, which he has put very succinctly and clearly. In his own experience, how do these matters in Ireland compare with practices and experiences abroad, such as in the EU or other European countries? These problems must occur everywhere, but have other countries developed more effective dispute resolution mechanisms, or do they, like...

Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill 2014): Second Stage [Private Members] (8 May 2015)

Michael Conaghan: I was delighted to hear the name of the late Deputy Tony Gregory being mentioned, because he was the first Deputy to speak on the floor of this House about the abuse of drugs and its consequences for communities, particularly in the Dublin area. We should remember that. I support Deputy Maloney's initiative. Currently, when CAB seizes assets, there is a waiting period of up to seven...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Local Drugs Task Forces Review Report (7 May 2015)

Michael Conaghan: 173. To ask the Minister for Health the number of the 15 recommendations of the 2012 Report on the Review of Drugs Task Forces and the National Structures Under Which They Operate that have been implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18089/15]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Local Drugs Task Forces Review Report (7 May 2015)

Michael Conaghan: 174. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on a merger of two organisations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18090/15]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Local Drugs Task Forces Review Report (7 May 2015)

Michael Conaghan: 175. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on a matter (details supplied) regarding Local Drugs Task Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18091/15]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Business of Joint Committee
The Creative Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Apr 2015)

Michael Conaghan: I thank the delegations. One of our main objectives is to listen to people and communicate that into policy at departmental and ministerial level. The Minister attends the committee to listen to sets of ideas that evolve over time and the witnesses are contributing to that process today. Much of the debate conducted by the committee relates to multinationals and that has overshadowed the...