Results 81-100 of 873 for speaker:Averil Power

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Averil Power: It would seem unfair if a school would have liability if someone had to be dismissed solely because the Department would not pay them. I am not sure if I understand the issue properly or if the Minister is giving contradictory interpretations of it. It would be helpful to have clarity before the next Stage.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Averil Power: I move amendment No. 43: In page 10, line 2, after "Minister" to insert the following: "following consultation with recognised trade unions representing teachers". The amendment proposes to insert a provision to the effect that the Minister would consult with recognised trade unions representing teachers.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Averil Power: It is for the purpose of the registration of teachers.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Averil Power: I move amendment No. 44: In page 10, to delete lines 32 to 37. Perhaps amendments Nos. 43 and 44 should have been taken together because the point is an overall one that the provision in the Bill relating to the registration of teachers seems to be overly prescriptive for primary legislation. In practical terms, it appears to make it impossible for a person to apply for a renewal of...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Averil Power: No, but we might revisit the matter on Report Stage. The amendment might be overly prescriptive, but I will not press it now.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Second Stage (2 Feb 2012)

Averil Power: I welcome Minister. I also welcome those in the Visitors' Gallery. It is great to see so many women in the Chamber, although there is a good gender balance in the Seanad, due in large part - this should be acknowledged - to the fact that the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste in appointing the 11 nominees to the House wisely chose seven women. We have seen the contributions these women have made...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Averil Power: I support the amendments tabled by Senators Mullen and Quinn for the reasons I outlined on Committee Stage. While I understand the motivation behind the amendments introduced on Committee Stage in respect of the Department, I continue to share the concern of management bodies about the lack of a positive obligation on the Minister for Health to ensure the health service steps up to the plate...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Averil Power: On the basis of the assurances given by the Minister to the House today and on Committee Stage, we are prepared to support the aspect of the Bill under discussion. It is critical that there be real partnership in education. I welcome the fact that, in addition to the assurances the Minister gave us last week, he stated specifically today that the teachers' conciliation council will be used,...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Averil Power: The Minister stated "teachers' conciliation council" in his address.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Political Funding Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2012)

Averil Power: The Minister is going to extraordinary lengths.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Averil Power: I thank the Minister for accepting the amendment. It is an important issue and it is good that we have been able to reach a consensus on it.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Averil Power: I move amendment No. 11: In page 8, after line 49, to insert the following: "(11) The Minister may from time to time prescribe the conditions attaching to the employment of an appropriately qualified and registered retired teacher, in circumstances where all reasonable efforts to secure an appropriately qualified registered teacher who is not retired fail.". I outlined the rationale for this...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Averil Power: I will take the opportunity to reread the amendment, for the benefit of members of the House. It states: "(11) The Minister may from time to time prescribe the conditions attaching to the employment of an appropriately qualified and registered retired teacher, in circumstances where all reasonable efforts to secure an appropriately qualified registered teacher who is not retired fail." I do...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Averil Power: I second the amendment. Amendment put and declared lost. Government amendment No. 13: In page 9, line 10, to delete "to be" and substitute "who are to be". Amendment agreed to. Government amendment No. 14: In page 9, lines 19 and 20, to delete all words from and including "subsection" in line 19 down to and including "school" in line 20 and substitute the following: "subsection (11) to...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Averil Power: I will second it for the purposes of debate. I asked the Minister last week to clarify whether an issue arises in this regard. I expressed concern last week about the possibility of the Department telling a school to let a teacher go because he or she does not meet the criteria set out in this Bill. Even though the school would not have made this choice, its board of management would be...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Averil Power: I thank the Minister for accepting the amendment tabled by the Fianna Fáil Party. We will revisit the issue of untrained personnel when the Bill comes before the Dáil as we remain concerned about the provisions in place in this area.

Seanad: Investment in Education: Motion (8 Feb 2012)

Averil Power: I move: That Seanad Éireann believes that: — investing in education will be crucial to Ireland's economic recovery; — prioritising resources at children from disadvantaged areas and those with special needs at an early stage is not only imperative from an equality perspective but also has the potential to deliver considerable cost savings to the State in the long-run; — small schools...

Seanad: Investment in Education: Motion (8 Feb 2012)

Averil Power: We agreed with the Minister's overall number in the budget. We put forward other options. We stated €40 million could be obtained from increasing the universal social charge for people earning over €115,000 but this proposal was not taken up. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government was able to magic up €20 million yesterday in the blink of an eye. The...

Seanad: Investment in Education: Motion (8 Feb 2012)

Averil Power: The alternative is the dole or emigration for somebody who cannot get a job.

Seanad: Investment in Education: Motion (8 Feb 2012)

Averil Power: As I said, Members on all sides appreciate cuts must be made. All of my colleagues made that point in their contributions but those cuts should be fair and strategic. The changes the Government chose to deliver in education failed miserably on both counts. As I said, the Minister acknowledged the Government made mistakes, in particular in regard to DEIS. It is time it undid those mistakes...