Results 21-40 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: More than nine out of ten children from the higher socio-economic groups have access to third level education. The participation rate from the lowest socio-economic groups is two out of ten. Those statistics should shock and appal the parties opposite who set out, and then failed, to address this issue with the abolition of tuition fees—

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: —but they do not get a mention in the motion. The Opposition is trivialising a complex issue into a simplistic one sentence comment.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: Shame on them. Ever since I announced a review of funding policies at third level there has been an ongoing barrage of condemnation from the Opposition.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: With their never ending obsession with soundbites and their commitment to the politics of manufactured outrage—

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: —they have been cynical in the extreme. They have refused, as they are trying to do again tonight, to allow reasoned debate.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: They have ignored their past policies and have worked hard to try to scare students and their parents.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: Perhaps the most obvious omission from their diatribes has been any serious attempt to debate how we can expand access and underpin quality in our third level institutions.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: The two main Opposition parties have said very clearly that they are not willing to make any changes to current policies – as far as they are concerned, the core funding structures are fine as they are. The House should be aware that this marks a major change in position for many Opposition Members of the Oireachtas. We should look back at the ramshackle way in which the decisions which...

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: The House will note that the current Leader and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party were both Democratic Left Ministers at that time and they were involved in all major policy decisions within the party – Deputy Rabbitte sat at the Cabinet table with his Leader. We have heard no explanation from the Leader and the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party for the complete and total reversal of policy...

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: Where did they hear that phrase? I seem to recall that phrase, "throw open the gates," was again published today in a Labour Party document.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: It was also said that the initiative would be funded by removing tax convenants and would have no negative impact on other funding priorities. Each of these promises was false. The increased participation of disadvantaged groups has come about overwhelmingly through the increased provision of third level places—

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: —particularly for courses with progression possibilities. Who put those in place? Successive Fianna Fáil Governments. If Members want to see the funding impact of the decision, it is very stark. The funds for this policy of so-called free fees were taken from schools. At the same time as funding for fees remission was being put into the third level Vote, the Labour Party, in control of...

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: The Labour Party took a decision and it was to give priority to fees remission for better off groups over the needs of schools. I will excuse Senator Ryan from that process because he was not a member of the Labour Party at that time. I am not sure where he was then.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: No amount of noisy attacks can get over this simple fact—

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: —and no matter how many times they are asked, they will never justify these decisions. In contrast, we have taken a range of concrete steps to improve access to third level education. In setting policy for funding students, we have put the disadvantaged at the top of the priority list—

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: —and we will justify this record against that of any party in this House. We introduced the first ever scheme to help welfare dependent families access third level.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: The top-up grants scheme goes only to students from these families and is today helping more than 7,000 students. We also introduced funding for area based initiatives to increase participation rates. These initiatives are tailored to local needs and can help with much more than just fees and grants.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: They can help with books, travel and creating in-school schemes aimed at breaking cycles of disadvantage. We have ensured that, for the first time, every university and institute has an access initiative.

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: We also dramatically increased the number and diversity of places available, helping to deliver on what international evidence consistently shows is a key driver in increasing participation rates. In the face of this consistent and ongoing record, all we have heard from the self-described champions of the disadvantaged is a demand that we should not even look at funding policies at third...

Seanad: Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion. (21 May 2003)

Noel Dempsey: I would have expected that Senator Ulick Burke would have known that his time to respond is at the end of my speech, not during it.