Results 221-240 of 7,652 for speaker:Joanna Tuffy

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: I am referring to the tables on page six of the document. One of the savings, which is in pay, is €3 million. It states that one of the factors giving rise to the saving or underspend is slower-than-expected filling of vacancies. What is the issue there? One would have thought that in the current climate it would not be difficult to fill vacancies. How is that affecting the...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Are there many competitions?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: There also appears to be a saving of €21 million under various subheadings - travel and subsistence, training and development and incidental expenses, postal and telecommunications services, office expenses and payment for agency services. Is it that there was an overestimate for these?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: I have one final question in relation to PRSI and the extra money being received. A report was presented to this committee, and we have had a number of debates about the Social Insurance Fund and the deficit in it and the gap that needs to be filled. Where stands what was framed in that report? Does it appear that the hole and the future-----

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Yes.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: In the absence of any further questions, that concludes our consideration of the matter. I thank the Minister, Deputy Joan Burton, and her officials for attending today's meeting of the select sub-committee.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Message to Dáil (1 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: In accordance with Standing Order 87, the following message will be sent to the Dáil:The Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection has completed its consideration of the following Supplementary Estimate for public services for the year ending 31 December 2015: Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: State Banking Sector (1 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: 198. To ask the Minister for Finance the levies paid by the banks to the State, following the bank guarantee and recapitalisation, and the funds recouped by the State from these banks through the re-sale of shares or other assets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42579/15]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care Education (1 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: 365. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the need to have a career path for those who take degrees in early childhood education and to have proper pay and conditions in the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42478/15]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (26 Nov 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: 53. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the amount spent on rent supplement, by month, in 2014 and to date in 2015; the number of families in receipt of the supplement by county; the number of new applicants who have been provided with the supplement in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42157/15]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Business of Joint Committee (25 Nov 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Apologies have been received from Senators Marie Moloney and Mary Moran. I ask members to turn off their mobile phones completely as they interfere with the broadcasting of proceedings.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Council for Special Education: Chairperson Designate (25 Nov 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Our first item is an engagement with Mr. Eamon Stack, chairperson designate of the National Council for Special Education. By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give this committee. However, if witnesses are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Council for Special Education: Chairperson Designate (25 Nov 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Okay. By way of background, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, recently approved the reappointment of Mr. Stack as chairperson of the National Council for Special Education, NCSE. The joint committee has considered issues relating to special education on a number of occasions. As recently as last week we examined the issue of second level education, and we have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Council for Special Education: Chairperson Designate (25 Nov 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: A few members raised the issue of the pilot project. When we had a meeting about that new scheme, I detected broad support for it from the witnesses who attended that day and from committee members. Most were supportive, although some concerns were expressed that day. Is there a broad geographical spread in terms of the 47 schools that are involved? When does the NCSE expect that pilot to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Council for Special Education: Chairperson Designate (25 Nov 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: The other side of the question was raised by some members in this committee. Some had the view that the old system was not working and that some people were able to use it to their advantage more than others. In that sense, the people who had been advantaged by the old system might have concerns, although those concerns may not be legitimate. That effectively is what I am saying. At the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Council for Special Education: Chairperson Designate (25 Nov 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: We have had a very good engagement and the NCSE will be back for further meetings so we will end at this point. I commend the NCSE and Mr. Stack for their work. The next meeting is with the National Adult Literacy Agency. We will suspend briefly for the witness to be brought in.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Adult Literary Agency: Discussion (25 Nov 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: We will resume in public session with the second item of the meeting which is on addressing deficiencies in adult literacy. I welcome the representatives of the National Adult Literacy Agency. I draw the witnesses' attention to the fact that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to this committee....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Adult Literary Agency: Discussion (25 Nov 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: I thank Ms Bailey for her presentation and call Deputy McConalogue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Adult Literary Agency: Discussion (25 Nov 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: I have a query about the CSO statistics that have been mentioned. Statistics from the PISA results, etc., show that we are improving. Those who are children when one year's statistics are produced will eventually become adults when another year's statistics are being drawn up. I believe for that reason that there must be some kind of change. I presume the CSO does not test people's...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Adult Literary Agency: Discussion (25 Nov 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Ms Bailey spoke about lifelong learning, which is interesting for us. Is it the vulnerable group that loses ground when they leave second level? Is it those who were vulnerable 20 years ago who are not making progress or is it everybody?