Live Pre-election Q&A session

with Senator Dan Boyle, Green Party
held Monday 15th February 2011

Bridgette Keane Thanks for hosting that it was great
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Bernie Dixon keep up the good fight bridgette we are all behind you.

Martin Borrowlord Thanks kidstime, that was great and fair play to Dan!!
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Mykidstime Thanks Martin for joining us from everyone at Mykidstime

Janice Edwards I am a crèche owner and the Ecce scheme that we receive from the government is not the full amount we charge so therefore I will have a loss of 24000 euro this year how am I expected to survive ? I hire 18 staff and if I have to close down these people will join the long dole queue . I am only 4 yrs in business so I struggle already as it is without losing more money due to the loss of customers and not putting my fees up in the last 2 yrs so as to try and support my customers who are going through tough times also . I appreciate that parents need and deserve some assistance with their fees but how can crèche owners be expected to stay open !!
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Sean Maguire by parents being properly assisted to pay the fees! Simple
Janice Edwards Exactly Sean, the little bit that the government are giving parents is not enough !!!!!
Aideen Ní Chéilleachair I wonder how other countries manage it? Creches here are very expensive and yet they're not making huge profits...there's something wrong there alright!

Mykidstime Hi Folks, we're going to wrap it up now. Thanks so much Dan for taking part, the questions were flying in and he did amazingly to keep up. For any questions that we didn’t get to, we will make sure Dan sees them.
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Niall Devitt Well done Dan, your fingers must be sore after that! Great job Mykidstime.
Alicia Yeates Thanks Dan, feel free to PM me ;)
Patricia Fitzgerald Thanks all!
Eimer Lovett I'll accept pm also.
Noelle Geary Now off to watch the leaders debate:-)
Sean Maguire ‎....thanks for the debate :)
Tara Dowling Thank you Dan for taking the time. I hope you have also learned from this chat?
Aideen Ní Chéilleachair Thanks Dan: hope you'll be able to act on the idea that Education is key!

Mary-Kate Dilger Question: why does each successive government spend so much on rented accommodation for education purposes when building would be cheaper in the long run, and would provide sustainable buildings, and jobs?
Dan Boyle It is a false economy. We did manage to strengthen the capital spending in education. The ability to get builders more easily and reduced costs shoudl help increase build in coming years.
Mary-Kate Dilger Can you expand a bit on 'it's a false economy'? I seem to be missing your point, sorry!
Dan Boyle Spending on rented accommodation is not the best use of public money Mary-Kate.
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Mary-Kate Dilger Just checking we were on the same wavelength :-)

Mykidstime Another question from earlier, Tara asked: Recently the Permanent Tsb increased its mortgage rates. What are the green party stance on the banks increasing rates further and what plans are there to help the average mortgage holding experiencing difficulties?
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Dan Boyle This is a double edged sword Tara. If the banks are prevented in setting interest rates they become further unviable requiring more taxpayer money.
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Sean Maguire Rubbish,...they're criminals!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYtNwmXKIvM
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Jimi Geary Right so! That's clear to me now! So the greens stance on the issue is that your gonna get screwed one way or another!
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Ro Barnes it appears to me that The Greens have side stepped and answered our questions in a round about the houses sort of way. You certainly did learn from your government partners! Of course the greens have no clear policies or agenda for the futu...re. They were part of the disastrous decisions made for this country in the first place! Let businessmen run this country. Let the ceo of a major hospital in europe run our health service, let an ex principal of a high grade school in europe run our educational system. Let the chairman of a major multi national run our finances. At least their experience will justify the salaries!See more
Aideen Ní Chéilleachair Surely people were aware that morgage rates could change? I'd prefer if the Government focused on job creation to enable people to pay their bills, and did something to ensure that banks give people a lot of allowences before any talk of foreclosure. It's not like there is any market for houses at themoment anyway..banks have little to gain by foreclosing.
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Andrea Airoldi Haven't time to join the chat but really enjoying reading it while cooking the dinner:) great idea mykidstime.
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Mykidstime Thanks Andrea, glad you liked it & you can always come back and read anything you missed later :)
Mykidstime Or join tomorrow or one of the other upcoming nights
Andrea Airoldi Thanks, this is more informative than the leaders debate;-)

Mykidstime Tara asks: With the increase in energy costs do the green party still propose to increase the Levy on fuel as agreed in the IMF bailout plan?
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Dan Boyle The Carbon levy is set monentary amount on fossil fuels. It isn't a percentage like VAT which increases as the price rises. The main pric rises in fuel are being brought by inflation caused by more people around the World wanting oil and les oil being available. A crbin levy is needed to help us cope better with a post oil World.
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Denis Leonard WHAT YE GOING TO DO ABOUT SHELL AND WHATS GOING ON UP IN MAYO?
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Mykidstime Hi Denis, We understand that there is anger out there but Dan was prepared to take part and answer your questions tonight, no need for the caps :)
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Aideen Ní Chéilleachair we all feel the same about shell (bar the caps maybe)! Something needs to be done...should never have been allowed happen in the first place!
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Dan Boyle Shell was a deal done by then Minister Ray Burke. It's an appalling deal which if changed money cost us as acountry further money. I'm in favour of changing the terms but have been advised tht it isn't legally possible.
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Sean Maguire Your advisors are wrong...or paid off?....It is illegal...take Royal Dutch Shell to court...we'll support your efforts! With the profit made we can say cheerio to our childrens' future idndebtedness to the world banks/IMF...not that we should be paying a debt that ISN'T OURS!
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Denis Leonard so who makes the law in this country shell ,holland ,england ,eu or have we sold out that 2?p.s. sorry about the caps ,eyesight ant great
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Denis Leonard i feel great 2 know that my daughter will b able to grow up in her country with pride and passion after we sell our rights away ,for a few bucks and let strangers tell us what to do,come on wake up this is not the IRELAND we had we are better than that .
Denis Leonard ps thank u dan for having the backbone to come on this fair play to u denis.
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Sean Maguire Question: I specifically voted Green in the last few elections as they had stated they would be removing fluoride from the drinking water supply. It is illegal in many countries, as it is by product of the alluminium industrial process which we have been misled about. Why was this just ignored once voted in to power and what is your parties position on it now?
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Sean Maguire sorry guys for re asking...my internet was playing up
Dan Boyle Our hope was that issues like fluoride could be decided by local referenda under local government refom. legislation was well advance in that area.
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Sean Maguire Ok...but the masses of Irish people who still think it is "good for the teeth" are not aware that it is a dangerous poison...what is being done to address this?
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Sean Maguire We are about to be charged for poisoned water....it's a joke!
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Dan Boyle I accept that better public debate is needed.
Sean Maguire Absolutely...there is a national campaign you can join Dan!
Michelle Frawley and tap water is promoted as the safer option to parents for giving to kids as bottled water meant to have too much sodium
Dan Boyle Have always been a supporter.
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Sean Maguire great...well I'm involved with it...maybe see you at the next meeting?!

Mandie Duke Leenheer What are you going to do to promote secular education?
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Dan Boyle Support for the Educate Together schools is probably the best way of achieving that Mandie.
Martin Borrowlord An easier and cheaper way would be to have no religion at schools in the first place. It also would make sure there is no segregation on religious grounds. People in rural get then the same service. Religous instruction could be given after school hours
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Aideen Ní Chéilleachair well we needa lot more of that then! Was there talk of the state buying some catholic schools? Is this still an option?
Dan Boyle There isn't a constitutional barrier. Many schools will be become more secular as churches no longer have the personnel.
Sean Maguire lol..the church run most national schools!
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Mandie Duke Leenheer But how long will that take? Do we have to wait until they run out of personell before anything changes?
Dan Boyle But the churches are finding increasingly difficult to manage them Sean. Changes will be sen in the coming five to ten years.
Sean Maguire I hope so...we've had to change schools due to a principle without princaples!
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Martin Borrowlord and we have to wait till they colapse? A strange policy. I thought politicians would be proactive and not wait till they run out of money before doing something? to govern is to be proactive?
Martin Borrowlord ‎@ sean we had to do the same. And when you disagree with the board of management there is nowhere to go.
Mandie Duke Leenheer Five to ten years is a long time to wait when it is about your children and education. There are a lot of people who are in the same situation as us. Changes need to be made.
Dan Boyle I see legislation changing along with the natural changes Martin.
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Martin Borrowlord I think some political force is needed to speed up the natral proces. When is legislation going to change and what does your party do?
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Mandie Duke Leenheer What is your party's policy to help it along?
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Aideen Ní Chéilleachair It's veryu unfair on teachers too. Very limited options for employment if you're not catholic. They often find themselves instrucing children in a faith that neither teacher nor most homes truely share...not the case for all, but many.
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Eimer Lovett With a primary curriculum based on active learning and group work how would your party suggest teacher's achieve this with growing class sizes?
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Katherine Williams good q
Lèon Fox All our local schools have around 40 in classes - way too many for 1 teacher!
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Dan Boyle We've worked hard at ensuring that the pupil teacher ratio not be increased. Smaller class sizes has to be a consequence of further resources for education.
Aideen Ní Chéilleachair support teachers can help with this -team teaching, but these are being cut too! :(
Eimer Lovett This is not anwering the question, what extra funding or resources would your party give?
Also how can a creche which has to be paid for by parents have such a small carer to child ratio yet a year later you expect a single teacher to look ...after and fully educate many more children.See more
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Eimer Lovett Also the pupil teacher ratio has been increased since your party came into power
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Aideen Ní Chéilleachair not supporting preschoos adequately also means many children who are barely 4 and not ready for school are starting asap, due to childcare costs...it's a full day of free childcare...but these children are at a disadvantage all the way up through the school!

Liz Morgan If a Government is looking for badly needed resource, i.e. MONEY! Why continually look at the most vulnerable of our community? Why are new costs for public services blanketed across communities without assessing the NEED for the service first?
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Dan Boyle Every attempt was made to make the cuts proportionate. I accept that there remains many area of unfairness and inconsistency but the alternative was stark - smaller payments or no payments at all.
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Liz Morgan Thank you... How do you think it could have been more proportionate?
Dan Boyle Taxes on wealth is an ara that hasn't been gone into deeply enough.
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Liz Morgan I completely agree, I wish it had been before looking at cuts in education! Thank you.
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Sean Maguire a tax across the board makes sense.....taxation on little amounts are exactly that....taxation on bigger amounts are exactly that...why shouyld there be tax breaks for the wealthy....if I have a product with percentage mark up on it......do... I let people off when they have more money?...Of course not,.......that would be UNFAIR!
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Nicola Connell My son goes to an Educate Together School. What are your views on this type of schooling?, Will you support more Educate Together schools? Will you also fight to have Educate Together recognised as a Second Level which the government are refusing to accept at the moment?
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Dan Boyle I'm a strong supporter of Educate Together. The traditonal model of school management and structure needs to radically change, and this model offers best hope for the future.
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Nicola Connell That's really good to hear. Will your party commit to supporting education, especially in putting money back into educational support for vulnerable and marginalised children? Also to build new schools to eliminate temporary accommodation and prefabs?
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Dan Boyle We commit to protecting education spending and it being the first wher additional resource go into as and when they become available.
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Mykidstime Rachel asks: Question for all parties please: What is your partys stance on GM foods, fluoride, aspartame and the labeling of them?
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Dan Boyle Yes labelling public information vital. Strong lobby groups fight against. FF decision on GM after Greens left government was appalling but did show the value of The Greens being in government. People should have the option of not having fluoride added to local drinking water supplies.
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Sean Maguire Our children in Co. Galway are being given fluoride mouthwashes at school........my daughter is 7 years old ansd I'm the only parent to refuse them! EDUCATE THE TEACHERS PLEASE!
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Patricia Fitzgerald On the issue of food...we as a country need to get more money into government coffers....so how about slapping a tax on fatty foods..coke, McDonalds (all fast food) the 3 aisles in every supermarket of rubbish...then maybe lessen the tax that indiginous farmers need to pay to gov - so for example 10% on fast foods etc, lessen healthy veg/fruit by 4%, so therefore making money for gov, helping ind industry, lessening future health bills and having a more healthy population....just an idea!
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Sean Maguire Excellent idea Patricia...and give help to local organic producers who steer clear of gms etc
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Dan Boyle There is a dnager of overexposure to fluoride. it's in toothpast and occurs naturally in many foods.
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Sean Maguire It shouldn't be in toothpaste...it carries warnings as a poison in the states and Canada....as for occurring naturally....not anywhere near the scale of the chemical dumping into ouyr water by the government licensed alluminium indusry...you need to do some more resaerch DAn...this is very serious and can cause many debilitating health problems including cancers!"
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Sean Maguire sorry for typos!
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Aideen Ní Chéilleachair great idea Patricia!!!

Emer Davitt céard é do mheas ar an nGaeilge sa chóras oideachais agus í a bheith mar ábhar roghnach don ardteist?
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Dan Boyle Níl a lán Gaeilge agam, ach bhí mo athair caintoir aitúil. Is é abhar an thatach.
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Aideen Ní Chéilleachair ard-fhear!

Mykidstime Alicia Why is it that I would be financially better off giving up my job in the Civil Service than actually working? There is no incentive for mothers to work in this country. IS there anything in your policies to cahnge or address this matter?
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Mykidstime Dan said below: Our long term policies Alicia, which require resources, do seek economic recognition of stay at home parenting, caring and volunteering.
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Alicia Yeates But I want to work, I dont want to stay at home, yet I am sort of penalised for doing so. I know of some "community creches" where you have to be on a SW payment to be able to use it . SO you get parents, who dont work, getting their chil...dren minded for little or nothing, yet you have thousands and thousands of working mothers having to pay a private creche, for teh privilege of going towork. I love my creche but I think they could do with some more fudnig from the state too instead of funding creches in places where unemployment is high.See more
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Ro Barnes Its not recognition I need. Its dramatically reduced cost of childcare. I have twin nephews in sweden and when they were in full time child care my brother paid, for both of them, a little over half of what I paid for one child here in ireland.
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Tara Dowling I couldn't agree more Alicia! We end up working to pay crèche fees with little or nothing at the end & less time with our families.... What's the point in working?...
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Dan Boyle The free year pre-school is better way of spending public money than the early childhood payment. It needs to be larger to encourage more playschool to offer more places.
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Mykidstime I have heard rumours the ECCE is to be scrapped, is there any truth to this?
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Tara Dowling I also have twins Ro & get no discount for having two in the same class/crèche.... I don't get to stagger costs ever. Two of everything at the same time.... It's time to make children a priority. They are the future!..
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Aisling Rosney I'll top you Tara I've 2 sets of twins and there's no way I could go out to work and cover child care costs for my kids. I do hope the ECCE is kept or even the playschool places for the girls will be in doubt.
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Elaine O Donoghue The eece is only a playschool placement not suitable for working mothers as it only covers 3 hours a day so you need to have a creche or child care placement as well
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Sinead Lawlor Creches are too expensive. I can't afford to work. Having 2 children means I can't work. Why is childcare up to the age of 6 far cheaper in other countries?
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Tara Dowling I still pay €600 pm with that scheme. I sacrifice a lot because these yrs are so important & we'll never get them back. They love being in montesory & enjoy learning. I'll do whatever I can to keep them there but should it realy be so difficult?...
Alicia Yeates And the ECCE only start at 3 years of age
Helen Lynch Walsh I'm due back to work next year, currently on 3 year incentivised career break and I've no idea how the hell I'm going to be able to afford childcare for one and afterschool for 2.
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Alicia Yeates Give up work Helen, you'd be better off! I know I would
Aideen Ní Chéilleachair €220/wk for us.
Elaine O Donoghue its only for one year the year before they start school
Dan Boyle I would be surprised and it would be regretable for the ECCE to be abandonned.
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Tara Dowling Aisling, I just don't know how you do it? For your sanity it's so important that they go to crèche but in your case you'd need to win the Loto.... Hats off to you. I bet you're amazing!
Tara Dowling Sorry Dan, but regret & suprise just don't cut it!!... We need more.... Our kids deserve more!!
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Aisling Rosney Tara we survive lol younger pair will be 3 the end of March so heading to Pre school in September if the ECCE stays put if not could be another story. I enjoy having them all home sanity is long gone lol
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Ciara De Burca Putt I agree with Tara Dan. I am a Civil Servant and mother of three children. Eldest is disabled, SNA being cut, resource hours being cut and I am paying almost 2,000 a month for child care. I have taken the Pension levy, a pay cut, the USC now and a tax hike. We are crippled.
Elaine O Donoghue The ECCE was cheaper than the early childare that is why it was scrapped a bunch of newborn to six year olds cant vote !!!
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Bridgette Keane Watch out on the ECCE changes from this Sept for children with Disabilities.
Aideen Ní Chéilleachair to be fair I think they should do something that is means tested for families with small children.....lots of families got that early childcare allowence and went on holidays (not ourselves but I know many familes who did)...it was a bit daft back in the boom days but we could all do with it now!
Becky Galligan The ECCE is not a free childcare year. It's 3 free hours a day so is not even part time free, never mind full time free!
Sinead Lawlor Correct Becky and there isn't many a job out there that would allow you to work those hours!
Helen Johnson And if you do take the "free" childcare place in most cases you need to find someone who can drop and collect them if you work. Certainly in my area most childminders won't do this and a creche is to expensive.

Bridgette Keane I would appreciate your views on the capping of SNA's in schools when society is supposed to be about the inclusion of children with special needs on mainstream school. I will not know untill at least Sept of one of my twins who has DS will be able to attend school without an SNA of not awarded one.
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Lèon Fox Good question!
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Dan Boyle The alternative to the cap is a reduction in numbers Bridgette. We found that more unacceptable.
Alicia Yeates No answer yet!
Debra Crawley Doyle I'm interested in this too, my son has a part-time SNA at the moment as he was reviewed in the value for money thing last year and will be reviewed again soon. I'm not sure how this system works at all, if he improves, he'll lose his SNA, if he doesn't improve, he'll lose his SNA because he's a waste of resourses.. it's a lose lose situation :(
Helen Gaffney If I don-t get a sna for my son he will most likely not get a place in school. Where do we go from there?
Dan Boyle I'm not sure how this isn't answered. I know there are individual difficulties but I wouldn't be able to answer them in a general answer.
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Bridgette Keane Well Dan why not spend a day in my house waiting on assessments that may mean my Son cannot attend mainstream school as he will need an SNA and not get one the school has had over 130 applicants and 4 classes for this number. Where do you suggest I send him. No bail out for him or his Peers. Suggestions welcome.
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Debra Crawley Doyle Yes, there are individual difficulties, our children are little individuals who are being left behind in their most formative years. No matter which way you looking at it a cap/reduction in SNA's isn't looking at their needs. Maybe they'll get the help they need if they grow up to be bankers ;)
Bridgette Keane Surprise but you can answer Q on fluoride in Water toothpaste. But not regarding the Vulnerable or like my Son a child with no speech. Shame on you.
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Helen Gaffney Every child is intitled to an education in Ireland but some won-t get it as the schools will NOT accept them without SNA hours
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Liz Morgan I appreciate Dan's view of not answering what he does not know - Bridgette & Debra I wish you and the other mums so much luck - is that what it boils down to?
Sean Maguire This issue is just as important as the poison effecting all of our children and needs addressing! Every child/person is important!
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Dan Boyle I accept that and if you let me know individual situations I will do my best to see if they can be resolved.
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Bridgette Keane Remember these Children will grow up and are entitled to Vote.
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Aideen Ní Chéilleachair Dan I think there are too many individauls affected by this cap....before the current cap on SNAs, they were assigned on an individual need basis....is this now a luxury only afforded to those who know the right people. I'm disappointed in that.
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Bridgette Keane My question was not asked for my Son only but all the children that this effects in our Country so Dan that would keep you very very busy. No disrespect Sean on your issues but I expected an answer as the cuts made on all areas of Education Health Service Providers were backed by the Greens and I would have expected the Senator to have been able to answer the question. No disrespect to anyone intended.
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Sean Maguire didn't take it as such...intonation is difficult with the written word...you deserve an answer......and that's what I said :)

Mykidstime Michelle asks What are the plans for your party for promoting job creation ?
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Dan Boyle Hello Michelle, We feel have planted some seeds by creating 20000 green jobs mainly in tjobs to be cretaed here like this by he area of renewable energy. There is a potential for 100000 new jobs by 2020. This in term will create other new jobs in services and in retail.
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Lèon Fox That still seems so far away, what's the plan for the short term?
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Liz Morgan Where are the 20K jobs Dan? I want to go live there!
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Michelle Frawley if i have to wait till 2020 to get a job i will be long gone from this country. What are the short term solutions?
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Aideen Ní Chéilleachair I like that the plan is longterm....I don't think the green party are about short term sollutions! WE do need somehthing to get us through til then though!
Dan Boyle There are still 50000 jobs still being created in the economy each year. 20000 of those in the last three years have been Green jobs. It's not enough but it shows where the potential lies. Leon it best to be honest and realistic than make false claims in this area.
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Deirdre Kenneally Condon Well Dan why did ye not do this job plan when ye were in government it's a bit of a laugh telling us ye would do this now, no disrespect to you as i always felt you were the most honest of your party ... but ye sold your yer soul to FF and ...got very little in return but the blame ..shame really ...but when most of the people on the dole are from the building sector how do you tie them into your plan ...do you suggest we re-train all the carpenters plasterers builders, architects , as what ?? green energy sounds good but where would the jobs come from in this for these sectors ...See more
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Michelle Frawley and people have to have money to use green energy in their homes
Dan Boyle We had to react to an appalling set of economic circumstances Deirdre. First you work to steady the ship then you work towards a better future.
Sean Maguire No grant given for my electric car....no grant given for my polytunnel....no grant given for wind turbine.....It's not easy being really GREEN!
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Deirdre Kenneally Condon Dan while ye were steading the ship the rest of us were sinking ..ye took too long and the rcumstances got worse while ye were focusing in the wrong areas ie the banks ... the country was collapsing around us .. i would love to be saving t...he planet for my kids and future grandkids but am too busy saving the roof over our heads and putting food on the table ... as i said Dan ..you always struck me as a very honourable politican but the faith i had in the green party to stick to their guns is gone completly .. ye stood by when fuel increases were put on..to gain what ...all the money gained from this was not put into green energy projects it was sucked up by the black hole that is the departement of finance .. disspointed so much DanSee more
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Mykidstime First question Ann asked earlier: "If all politicians are asking us for our vote i.e they want us to give them a job - How many of them are willing to upload their cvs on line for all the electorate to see what their credentials are? Makes sense really!!"
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Emma Dunne makes total sense
Caroline Walsh Brillent question Ann
Dan Boyle Apologies was on event rather than wall. I have no problem with doing people knowing everything about who I am and what I've done professionally of course.
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Aideen Ní Chéilleachair perfect sense!! I want IQ scores and psych reports...some of them appear to be complete idiots or unstable! Surely we should only have members of mensa running our country!
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Dan Boyle To be fair we get the politic we deserve that largely reflects the society we live in. That society as well as our politics needs to change.
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Aideen Ní Chéilleachair well we need a better education system then!!
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Aideen Ní Chéilleachair what are the green party's thoughts on education?
Dan Boyle We see education as key Aideen to where we need to develop as a people. It must be an area of key investment.
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Liz Morgan Better education system is required - so STOP making more cuts to it!
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Aideen Ní Chéilleachair any ideas on how to promote teaching as a career...again surely we need people who are bright and interested to teach our children? How are you going to promote continued education for teachers, there is currently very little motivation to complete a masters...
Aideen Ní Chéilleachair why do we suddenly need less language support teachers...my daughter is in a school with about 30% in need of language support and not enought teacher time to provide them with adequate support. the class teacher has very little time to spread between the other 22 in the class!
Bridgette Keane Education as KEY! Not if the Child has Down Syndrome.
Aideen Ní Chéilleachair why have teh numbers of SNAs been capped?
Aideen Ní Chéilleachair Why eliminate all the support for traveller education? These children need all the support they can get....in the long term this will be a costly move.
Aideen Ní Chéilleachair I have to say education is not an area that gained a lot form the boom years....we all got computers!! SNAs are essential, support teachers are used to enable children to be educated inclusively and we need to be recruiting teachers who can do basic maths...current saleries for NQTs will definately eliminate those!
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Elaine O Donoghue lucky you Aideen the school where my kid attend has four teachers and a computer when it is working is for the whole school