Results 4,781-4,800 of 9,930 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Order of Business (30 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: It is the same people.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (30 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 180. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) has had its resource teaching hours decreased in circumstances in which it had no opportunity to appeal the decrease in hours in view of the fact the change came outside the appeals window; and if he will address other issues with regard to its allocation. [25519/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Data (30 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 196. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons on waiting lists for apprenticeships in the crafts area compared to the number of registered training places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25785/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (30 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 203. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of contracts he or his predecessors have received for ministerial approval from Caranua; and if in each case, it has been approved. [25925/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (30 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 204. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to contracts that Caranua has entered into that Caranua has not referred to him or his predecessors for approval. [25926/17]

Residential Institutions Statutory Fund: Motion [Private Members] (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I propose to share my time with Deputies O'Loughlin and Eugene Murphy.

Residential Institutions Statutory Fund: Motion [Private Members] (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: We welcome this opportunity to debate again what is a very important issue. I thank Deputy Connolly - despite her comments - for bringing this issue forward. It is welcome and needed. As the Minister said, it is being kept on the agenda by various Deputies. He is right that Deputy Clare Daly introduced a Bill and we had a useful debate then. Representatives of Caranua will appear before...

Priority Questions: Schools Mental Health Strategies (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I was happy to be involved in St. Kieran's community school in Kells. It brought in a first aid programme which is now going to be rolled out in the well-being programme. That illustrated to me that there was nothing really there for well-being and that they were actively looking for good ideas. They got a good idea in the first aid programme in St. Kieran's community school. There are...

Priority Questions: Schools Mental Health Strategies (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 36. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether the allocation of 300 classroom hours, rising to 400 hours, to the new wellness programme at junior cycle will reduce the number of hours schools can devote to science and language education in many schools that teach four classes per week in these subjects; and his further views on whether this is inconsistent with the...

Priority Questions: Schools Mental Health Strategies (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: This question asks the Minister about school hours to be devoted to well-being. He is allocating 300 classroom hours, rising to 400, to the wellness programme at junior cycle. However, this will replace many existing classes and will reduce the amount of time that can be devoted to science and languages. People are concerned by that. It was reported at Christmas time that these were to be...

Priority Questions: Schools Mental Health Strategies (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: Although a well-being programme has never been more necessary, I am worried that it has become a buzzword for the Government. Coding was a buzzword in 2016 and this year well-being is becoming a buzzword. The follow-up is not being provided. There has been extremely limited follow-up to coding provision. The Minister is dressing up PE and the old civic, social and political education,...

Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I would very much welcome that. As I said, the precedent is already there in the House of Commons, so it should be easily transferable. The Oireachtas already has a relationship with DIT, which I believe is being developed separately by the Ceann Comhairle. I have one query. All the Government's targets for apprenticeships are national targets and they require money. Does the Minister...

Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 27. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the treatment of pharmacy students in Trinity College, Dublin, UCD and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, RCSI, whose degree has been changed in order that they now have to pay masters degree level fees for their final year tuition and are having to undergo an unpaid placement rather than a paid...

Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: This is a question that has arisen in regard to pharmacy students and it is also an issue of concern for the wider system. Degrees have been changed so that the student is not just doing a primary degree to qualify as a pharmacist but, effectively, has to do the final year as a master's degree. While it is laudable that people are as highly qualified as possible, what was previously done as...

Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: Far be it for me to intervene in any way with pharmacy programmes, but the fact is a pharmacy degree was always five years, or it was when I was at college, and those who were studying it had to stay on longer than other students. The worry is that this and other examples are being used as a back door way of getting more money into the system. It is a severe worry because there is a severe...

Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: There should be a wide-scale review of professional qualifications. I know there are a small minority of teaching qualifications where one can qualify as part of the primary degree, and the student both studies the subject and does the teacher training at the same time. Most students traditionally did a higher diploma in education, although a masters degree is now required. While it is...

Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 25. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address concerns about the current low rate of creating new apprenticeships and that the targets in the programme for Government will not be met; his views on whether there are significant barriers to creating new apprenticeships; and the steps he will take to address the slow rate of progress. [25041/17]

Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I apologise to the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for being late. I assumed that I needed to be present at 2.17 p.m., so I was outside.

Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: Tá brón orm. This question goes to the heart of the Minister's apprenticeship strategy and asks if it is just a target or number that has been picked or whether real policy and money are behind it. Apprenticeships are badly needed, so we must open them up more than has been the case to date.

Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (24 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: One of the issues that we need to be conscious of is the perception of apprenticeships. They are not yet seen as an alternative to third level for people who might want to do them. Clearly, the new insurance practitioner apprenticeship is an alternative, given that it is a level 8 qualification - a degree, but one done in a different way. I hope that the Minister of State will support a...