Results 5,621-5,640 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (20 Jan 2015)

Damien English: Bus Éireann which operates the School Transport Schemes, on behalf of my Department, has advised the family that a service will be available for the child in question within the next few days. The family may claim the Special Transport Grant for the period in which they provided transport.

Topical Issue Debate: Education and Training Provision (14 Jan 2015)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Deering for raising this matter and for giving me the opportunity to clarify the position in relation to the payment of allowances to participants on the Moving On training initiative. This initiative is part of the local training initiative programme funded by my Department through SOLAS and the education and training boards. The latter, in collaboration with local community...

Topical Issue Debate: Education and Training Provision (14 Jan 2015)

Damien English: That was the case in the good times.

Topical Issue Debate: Education and Training Provision (14 Jan 2015)

Damien English: I understand that subsidised child care is not just available in the mornings. After-school care is available under the child care employment and training support scheme and I presume that child care is also available. I will check the position for the Deputy. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Reilly, announced a major review of this area in recent days. When I used the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Expenditure (14 Jan 2015)

Damien English: In general, the Special Transport Grant, sanctioned under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, is paid at the end of each school year upon receipt of a completed Statement of Attendance Form. Requests for more frequent payments are only considered in exceptional circumstances, for example, where annual payments might result in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (14 Jan 2015)

Damien English: Bus Éireann has advised that the child in question resides approximately 0.7 kilometres from the pick-up point; this is considered to be a reasonable level of service in the context of the scheme as it is applied nationally. Safety of children travelling on the school transport service is of paramount importance to my Department and to Bus Éireann. Bus Éireann place special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Programmes Funding (14 Jan 2015)

Damien English: My Department funds Further Education and Training programmes, including the Post Leaving Certificate programme (PLC), through SOLAS, the new Further Education and Training Authority. The PLC programme is a full time programme for learners who have completed their Leaving Certificate and for adults returning to education. It is provided in schools managed by the Education and Training Boards...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (14 Jan 2015)

Damien English: Under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Bus Éireann, which operates the scheme on behalf of my Department, has advised that it has not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Staff (14 Jan 2015)

Damien English: My Department does not hold data on the number of adult education officers and adult guidance counsellors employed by ETBs. The assumption of responsibility by ETBs for training did not allow for any increase in staff in these grades in ETBs. It should be noted that separate managerial and advisory staff transferred to ETBs with the Training Centres. My Department provides annual funding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (14 Jan 2015)

Damien English: Under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Bus Éireann has advised that there are a number of school transport services operating into the...

Topical Issue Debate: School Completion Programme (18 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Reilly, who sends his apologies for not being here to debate this important issue. The aim of the school completion programme is to retain young people in the formal education system to completion of senior cycle and generally to improve school attendance, participation and retention of its target...

Topical Issue Debate: School Completion Programme (18 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I will bring the Deputy's concerns to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Reilly. I ask that he bring to the people concerned the message that this is not about imposing cuts. The review is an attempt to try to bring about best practice in this area given the variance between projects around the country. Some projects work extremely well and achieve great results. Like the Deputy, I am...

Topical Issue Debate: Medical Card Administration (18 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I again thank Deputy Terence Flanagan for raising these issues. I certainly will pass on to the Minister the Deputy's desire for an investigation into where information is stored or where it has gone. As for the examples the Deputy is given, as well as others provided by other Members - I believe all Members probably have had negative experiences of the process - this is why, when the...

Topical Issue Debate: Medical Card Administration (18 Dec 2014)

Damien English: While I understand he has visited, I certainly will tell him again that the Deputy wishes him to do that. The Minister has made clear that he expects all the changes that will happen in the new year, as well as the new actions, will address the problems with the process. He has stated clearly that if this does not happen, further changes must take place and he will address that as well....

Topical Issue Debate: Mortgage Arrears Rate (18 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I will raise the Deputy’s concerns with the Minister, who will have time to read over the debate. He is sorry he could not be here. The Deputy asked whether the restructures were working. The review shows that 83% of restructures are meeting their terms and my evidence as a Deputy matches it. That would generally mean they are working. I have had very few people coming back to me...

Topical Issue Debate: Mortgage Arrears Rate (18 Dec 2014)

Damien English: The figures for the past couple of years have not shown this. The Deputy raised the issue of buy-to-let properties and I can ask the Minister to reply to him on that directly as it is separate. Most of the initiatives we have put in place are to protect the family home. We have put codes of conduct in place, which have been addressed. The Deputy is scaring people by talking about tens of...

Topical Issue Debate: Mortgage Arrears Rate (18 Dec 2014)

Damien English: Three years ago some of the Deputy’s party colleagues told us there would be tens of thousands of repossessions, but this has not happened. The Deputy is scaring people. While some people, after all the efforts, may have to give up their family homes for whatever reason, it will not be tens of thousands. It is wrong to give that impression. The Government inherited this mess and is...

Topical Issue Debate: Medical Card Administration (18 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I am taking the debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, who apologises for the fact that he could not be here, although he makes an effort to try to hear all Topical Issue debates. The Government is conscious of the importance of the medical card system in ensuring that people whose needs do not enable them to...

Topical Issue Debate: Medical Card Administration (18 Dec 2014)

Damien English: People have put such cases on the record, and the Minister has made it very clear that it is unacceptable. It is certainly unacceptable that information gets lost, mislaid or delayed. He has made it clear that this aspect is not good enough and needs to be reformed. There have been many such stories, and it was part of the review of the application process which the Minister has organised....

Topical Issue Debate: Mortgage Arrears Rate (18 Dec 2014)

Damien English: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important issue on behalf of the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, and to set out recent developments in this area. There is no doubt that some families across the country are experiencing genuine difficulties in meeting their monthly mortgage repayments. The Government is fully aware of the impact this is having on these families and...