Results 321-340 of 1,886 for speaker:Fergal Browne

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (24 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: This week there was great confusion among the public on this matter. I do not understand why the Government is compelling people to stay. The public service must be made attractive to people and they should be allowed to leave it if they so wish. Making someone stay in a job for 44 years is not the way to do it. Public service employees should have the option of getting out early. There has...

Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: I will not rehash the arguments in this debate except to say that I too have grave concerns at the reported changes in the distribution of dormant bank account funds. The money is there because people have passed away. It does not belong to the Fianna Fáil Party to share out among Fianna Fáil projects. It belongs to the taxpayers and everyone in the country to benefit from the projects....

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: Will the Leader ascertain the current position of the discussion document on regional boundaries for new health boards currently before the interim health services executive? Will she arrange for a debate on the issue in the coming weeks?

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: How does the six-month ruling apply, for example, to people who go to Australia? Normally people go to Australia for a year. How will they be fixed when they come back? Why is a period of six months specified? For example, if a teacher who has not been granted a career break or leave of absence goes to Australia for a year, what will happen when he or she comes back?

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: Does the Minister agree that people who go to Australia usually go for a full year? Things have changed dramatically since the time, years ago, when people emigrated because they had no other option. Now they make a choice to go. I am concerned about this issue.

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: I agree with Senator O'Toole. Unfortunately, a B.Ed. degree is of no use outside of the teaching area. People who have committed themselves to teacher training colleges will be snookered by this. If an exception is made for trainee gardaí, the same should be done, on the grounds of equity, for students who have committed themselves to the different colleges of education, whether Froebel,...

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: I want to move from that point to teachers. In fairness to them, does the Minister of State know of any case of a newly qualified teacher walking into a job unrelated to education on the day after qualifying with his or her B.Ed.? I do not know of any. The qualified B.Ed. must also spend the first year after qualification doing a diploma before being recognised as fully qualified.

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: Did the Senator hear what I said?

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: My point was that 99% of graduates with a B.Ed. go into teaching, because unfortunately, the B.Ed. degree is not useful for getting jobs in areas outside of education. That is the specific point I made. I genuinely do not know of anyone who left college with a B.Ed. who entered a different area of work without having to do some other course. My point is that a B.Ed. degree is specific. It...

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: The possibility is there for a garda also.

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: As Senator O'Toole pointed out, the principle of an exception has already been established in terms of the gardaí. All this side of the House wishes to establish is that it be extended to new entrants in the colleges of education. In response to Senator Ormonde, far more gardaí are involved in other duties outside the force than teachers working outside of teaching. The point I made was...

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: I thank Senator Fitzgerald for his contribution. He has certainly reconfirmed my beliefs and has certainly made a valid point about existing Higher Diploma in Education students. They could be included also. There is an exception being made regarding gardaí. If a survey was carried out on the number of people who trained as gardaí but who are no longer in the Garda and the number of...

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: I did not say that.

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: I referred to those doing a Higher Diploma in Education. I actually stated that a BA gives a wider qualification.

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: I was talking about a B.Ed.

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: It is fair to say that 100% of B.Ed. graduates will end up teaching at primary level or in another area. I am sure that if a survey was conducted in the college of education and asked B.Ed. graduates why they were taking a course, they would respond by saying that it is because they want to teach at primary level. It is disingenuous to introduce the BA argument. I picked up Senator...

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: The B.Ed. degree consists of education and arts elements. While one may have qualified with a B.Ed. degree including, for example, French, the arts content would only account for, at best, an exception for a first year arts course at UCD. A person with a B.Ed. degree in French from St. Patrick's College who wishes to do a pure French degree in university must go back into second year. The...

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: The Minister referred to current public and civil servants. There are also retired public servants who are willing to return to their profession. The Minister for Transport spoke in the Seanad about creating a dedicated Garda traffic corps composed of retired gardaí. How would they be affected? I am aware retired people may earn a certain amount of income without an effect on their pension....

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: There is a huge shortage of teachers in the teaching profession and many unqualified teachers have positions in schools. Some teachers who retire on age grounds would love to return to the profession and continue teaching, although this might be the exception rather than the rule. When this Bill is passed, how in light of the shortage would a teacher who retired at 60 or 65, who now wanted to...

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (26 Feb 2004)

Fergal Browne: I am wondering and thinking of the context when the Bill is passed. Take for example a teacher who retired last month because he or she was 65 years of age. When the Bill is passed, it will remove the cap on the maximum age for retirement. If that teacher decides next September that he or she wants to return to teaching, he or she is still entitled to the pension because of having worked the...