Results 261-280 of 482 for speaker:Eamonn Maloney

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Electricity Regulation Act 1999 (Restricted Electrical Works Regulations) 2013: Motion (3 Jul 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: This measure is long overdue. I thank the Minister and his Department for taking this initiative. All of us as practising politicians will be familiar with the shortcuts taken during the building boom in terms of the construction not only of domestic homes, but other buildings. This applied not only in the area of electrics, but in the area of construction. One has only to look to the...

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (1 Jul 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: As the Title indicates, the Bill is specific in what it seeks to do, namely, protect the life of any woman who finds her life threatened as a result of pregnancy. It is long overdue legislation which I will support. During the hearings on the heads of the Bill by the Joint Committee on Health and Children, people on both sides of the argument clearly indicated the legislation will...

Topical Issue Debate: Magdalen Laundries Issues (27 Jun 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: On the basis of the contents of the McAleese report and the manner in which the people in the laundries were treated, there is an indisputable case for the Catholic Church not only to apologise to them but to make some contribution to the welfare of those still alive. I am not suggesting that those who represent the Catholic Church have not read the McAleese report but it would be difficult...

Topical Issue Debate: Magdalen Laundries Issues (27 Jun 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: I welcome the announcement of the compensation scheme for the victims of the Magdalen laundries. I thank Mr. Justice Quirke and his staff for the very good work they did on this difficult issue. It has hounded this country for decades and particularly this institution which in the past did nothing about it. I thank the Minister and his colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Public Health Nurses: Discussion (27 Jun 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: I thank the contributors. All of us value the role of the public health nurse. While we value it, we must also be honest with ourselves because in many respects I believe it is largely taken for granted. Public health nurses never got public recognition for their role as somebody who monitors not only the health of children but also their welfare. It is an unspoken fact that in some of...

Special Educational Needs: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (26 Jun 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: The majority of our debates are overshadowed by our financial predicament. The country was driven to bankruptcy and we have been bailed out by our near and generous neighbours. Certain people have been recorded on tape mocking other European countries but I want to be disassociated with such attitudes. We will work our way out of our current difficulties but while we as a country are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (25 Jun 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: 238. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding smaller one-teacher to four-teacher primary schools; the number of teaching posts lost in September 2012 and projected to be lost in September 2013 due to the changes in the appointment schedule; the number of schools which appealed the loss of a teacher in 2012 and 2013; the number and proportion of appeals which were...

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Child Care Education Issues (25 Jun 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: 531. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in relation to the free pre-school year, the number of persons employed as preschool teachers and leaders in approved preschools; the qualifications required of such persons; if her Department seeks information on the qualifications of staff; the most up to date figures on qualifications by HETAC/FETAC level; if her attention has been...

Hundredth Anniversary of 1913 Lock-out: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (19 Jun 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: I welcome the motion on this important centenary of the 1913 Lock-out. Deputy Higgins should be thanked. Any opportunity in our own Parliament to show respect for the people who changed history in this country for the working man and woman should be taken. We should pay homage to these people because homage they deserve. This is a very different island from the island 100 years ago when,...

An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Jun 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: I will be voting for the abolition of the Seanad. I have held the view that the Seanad should be abolished not just in the two short years I have been here but for almost all my adult life. Those of us elected to the House are doing ourselves a disservice as there seems to be some soul searching about what we really need and the idea that we must reform the Seanad urgently. That is one of...

Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Home Services (13 Jun 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: The dialogue between the Department and the nursing homes' representatives has been very useful. I acknowledge this because they have done so. The traditional nursing home sector has existed pretty much without regulation for too long. Who is to blame is a separate issue, but we all turned away at various times when we should have been more vigilant. Unfortunately, it was sometimes the...

Topical Issue Debate: Nursing Home Services (13 Jun 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: This is about the transformation that is taking place in nursing homes in Ireland. We have quite a few and most of them are good. Unfortunately, however, as we discovered from the excellent RTE programme, some of them are not so good, in terms of regulations, the standard of care and so forth. This has received coverage both outside and inside this House. All Members, as legislators and...

Topical Issue Debate: State Examinations Issues (11 Jun 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: I thank the Minister for the frankness of his reply. Exam time is one of the most distressing and stressful times for children. I do not know if it is as stressful as fighting a general election but that is an exercise for another day. Given the age profile of those undertaking leaving certificate and junior certificate exams, and the stress that exists, everything should be done to...

Topical Issue Debate: State Examinations Issues (11 Jun 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: We are all aware that the leaving and junior certificate examinations are taking place. We are also aware that there have been shortcomings in examination papers, as widely reported in the media. These shortcomings relate not only to the leaving certificate higher level maths paper but also to the junior certificate civics, social and political education paper. While we will all be...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: State Bodies Mergers (11 Jun 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: 354. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if the proposed merger of the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority is going ahead; the timetable for such a merger; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27243/13]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Consumer Protection (11 Jun 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: 355. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if, in view of the perceived lack of diligence by leading retailers to display their prices and terms and conditions correctly and the perceived lack of enforcement of the regulations underpinning consumer law, more meaningful legislation is required to protect consumer rights in the retail sector; and if he will make a statement on...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Offshore Exploration (11 Jun 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: 512. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when he proposes to appoint consultants to carry out a review of the fitness for purpose of Ireland's fiscal terms for oil and gas exploration as indicated recently in Dáil Éireann; the procedure for appointing these consultants; the terms of reference for the review; when this review will be completed and...

Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 May 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: I might not use all the time available to me. Like previous speakers I welcome the changes announced by the Minister, especially to the jobseeker's allowance for parents who no longer qualify for a one-parent family payment due to their youngest child reaching the upper age limit. The unemployment transition is a significant and progressive development in a long series of welfare...

Topical Issue Debate: Cost of School Textbooks (28 May 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: I fully acknowledge the progress that has been made, especially with book rental schemes, and I compliment the Minister and the Department for that. The feedback from schools in my area on this is very positive. The discussion with the publishers should be reviewed, however, because school books in Ireland are too expensive. We should not allow a cartel to control school books,...

Topical Issue Debate: Cost of School Textbooks (28 May 2013)

Eamonn Maloney: The Minister and I, and everyone else in this House, is aware of the expensive nature of education in terms of school buildings, salaries, pensions etc. Primary and secondary education in particular is an expensive and extensive cost to the State, when one considers pay, pensions, school buildings etc., but I want to focus on a different aspect, that is, the cost to parents whose children...