Results 261-280 of 2,551 for speaker:Pat Carey

Enterprise Development (3 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: I met the Commissioner, along with my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Brendan Smith, and we discussed a wide range of issues. This is probably the first time, I gather, that rural development has been assigned to the Agriculture Commissioner, and he expressed considerable interest, not just in the LEADER programme, but in the general bottom-up approach it...

Enterprise Development (3 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: I do not believe so. The origins of the LCDP programme are different, first of all. Even in the mid-term I do not foresee significant changes in what the LEADER programme is doing. There is greater collaboration at this stage, I believe, between all the local stakeholders right across the country, if for no other reason than they realise a smaller pot of money is now available, and they...

Drug Treatment Services (3 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: Deputy Wall is correct that heroin use is prevalent in all parts of the country. Some communities are good at recognising the need to address the issue and many have done so. I have travelled extensively in the context of examining interventions. Deputy Wall referred to the Leas-Cheann Comhairle's area, which is an example of how despite a community's response to a problem there will...

Drug Treatment Services (3 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: I have never been under any illusion in terms of the challenge of trying to keep ahead of the drugs issue. The situation is forever changing. There is a danger that we will chase after the latest headline. A couple of months ago that was head shops and we are now back to heroin and are speaking more of the need for rehabilitation, detox beds and so on. Merchant's Quay Ireland is to the...

Drug Treatment Services (3 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: I have met the main organisations, including the three large sporting organisations who are aware of their responsibilities and are implementing good programmes. Only two days after my appointment, I was invited to Croke Park to see what the GAA is doing with the HSE. I met on that occasion with representatives of the Football Association of Ireland and the Irish Rugby Football Union and...

Drug Treatment Services (3 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: I appreciate what Deputy Feighan said. Public representatives play an important role in drugs task forces as do others. The community response to the head shops is a good example of what can be done when people recognise danger. We will have to continue to develop our response regardless of where the problem arises. Despite all its critics, the Health Service Executive is co-operating and...

Irish Language (3 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: As the Deputy will be aware, the draft 20 year strategy for Irish was published by the Government at the end of 2009 and was referred to the Joint Committee for Arts, Sports, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs for consideration. The joint committee undertook a process of consultations with various stakeholders during the year. It invited groups and individuals from the various...

Irish Language (3 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: To answer the last question first, I understand the Whips were discussing the timetable for that. I presume it is up to them and the House to decide when that debate will take place. I am more than happy to support that. We had an extremely good debate in the Seanad yesterday. I was listening to Raidió na Gaeltachta on the way back from Armagh today and it seemed to have kept that radio...

Irish Language (3 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: I will make three of it so. I was in Carlow some weeks ago where a mini oireachtas was going on for the best part of a fortnight. They have a network of naonraí gaelscoil Gaelcholáistí, and the institute is located there. The public is also engaged also and it is working towards what has been set out. The local authority is heavily engaged working towards bilingual status for Carlow...

Irish Language (3 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: The situation is getting worse. This House has led the debate. It was the Government and this House that developed a strategy. It was debated for seven months by the joint committee. There is soft support, and the purpose of the strategy is to convert that soft support into real support. The objective is to increase the number of Irish speakers over the 20 year period from €83,000...

Acadamh na hOllscholaíochta Gaeilge (3 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: Faoi mar is eol don Teachta, chuir mo Roinnse cúnamh ar fáil d'Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge ón uair a bunaíodh é chun foirgnimh agus áiseanna a fhorbairt sa Ghaeltacht agus chun na hIonaid atá ag an Acadamh sa Ghaeltacht a bhainistiú. Cuireadh cuid den chúnamh seo ar fáil tríÚdarás na Gaeltachta. Is ar mhaithe le forbairt an phobail agus buanú na Gaeilge mar theanga...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (2 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: I have been advised that the Family Support Agency, following a formal tendering process, commissioned the company in question to complete a review of the contribution of the Agency's Family Mediation Service. The purpose of the review was to assess the role of the Service and the evidence as to its effectiveness and to formulate recommendations to inform the future development of the...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (2 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: The Dormant Accounts Acts provide for an annual transfer by credit institutions and insurance undertakings of monies in accounts determined to be dormant into the Dormant Accounts Fund (DAF). Since its establishment in April 2003, to the end of September 2010, the transfers to the DAF have totalled some €587.5m, which includes interest earned of some €34.4m. Funds reclaimed in that...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (2 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 562 to 565, inclusive, together. In excess of €31 million is being made available to fund the activities of the Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces in 2010. The table at Appendix 1 details the expenditure by the 14 Local Drugs Task Forces (LDTFs) and 10 Regional Drugs Task Forces (RDTFs) for 2006-09 inclusive, as well as the 2010 allocations. Sustained...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (2 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: As the Deputy is aware, my Department administers and delivers a wide range of programmes and measures, descriptions of which are available on our website at www.pobail.ie . In addition, details of payments made from subheads part-funded from the National Lottery are listed on my Department's website. My Department's gross expenditure outturn for 2008 was €540.421m and for 2009 was...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (2 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 567 and 568 together. My Department does not pay rent in respect of properties occupied by its staff. That function, and all matters relating to the acquisition and leasing of property, are the responsibility of the Office of Public Works (OPW). However, I can confirm to the Deputy that 7 properties are being leased on my Department's behalf by the OPW....

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (2 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: My Department has not made significant use of open source software packages. It has not generally used generic consumables but it is currently trialling a number of generic products. Should these prove satisfactory, it is intended that they will be used more widely where applicable.

Written Answers — Offshore Islands: Offshore Islands (2 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: The issue of improving both the frequency and nature of access to the island of Inis Bigil, County Mayo has been addressed by my Department in recent years by way of significant current and capital investment. A daily ferry service which provides two return sailings per day between Inis Bigil and Doran's Point on the mainland and a connecting bus service to Ballycroy are subsidised by my...

Written Answers — National Lottery Funding: National Lottery Funding (2 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: As the Deputy is aware, an overall allocation is provided from the National Lottery each year for expenditure through the Votes of various Departments. Details of this allocation are published in Appendix 1 of the annual Revised Estimates Volume. However, for the Deputy's convenience, Table 1 below sets out the allocations made available in each year since 2005. Table 1: Total National...

Written Answers — Departmental Procurement: Departmental Procurement (2 Nov 2010)

Pat Carey: No such printing contracts were awarded by my Department to any company from outside the State in 2007, 2008, 2009, or to date in 2010.