Results 1,461-1,480 of 3,797 for speaker:Ciarán Cannon

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Those elements of the DEIS programme being managed by the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) transferred to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in May 2011. This included responsibility for the integrated services of Home School Community Liaison Scheme, the School Completion Programme as well as the statutory Educational Welfare Service. On 1st January, 2014 the NEWB was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I am aware of the proposal by the school referred to by the Deputy in April 2014 to change its status to a fully vertical boy's school i.e. junior infants to 6th class. However no formal proposal has been made to my Department. The decision making authority for a change in school type belongs to the Patron of a school, subject to the approval of the Minister for Education and Skills....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Placement (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I am aware of the decision by the authorities of the school concerned to advise parents of the availability of a 7th stream of junior infant places. It is important that school size is monitored and that a balance is preserved among all schools in catchment areas to ensure that one school is not expanding at the expense of the viability of another school. This may sometimes result in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: As the Deputy is aware, last September, I published a draft General Scheme for an Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, 2013 as well as draft regulations for discussion ahead of enacting legislation. I have stated that my aim in bringing forward legislative proposals in relation to school admission is to improve the admissions process and to ensure that the way schools decide on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Expenditure (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Expenditure supporting pupils with Special Educational Needs was some €1.3bn in 2013, which represents approximately 15% of the entire budget of my Department. These resources have been protected, or in some areas have been increased in 2014, despite the ongoing severe financial position and a requirement to make expenditure savings across a range of areas. Any decisions on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I wish to advise the Deputy that a significant number of sections of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act have been commenced, principally those establishing the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and those promoting an inclusive approach to the education of children with special educational needs. In light of the very difficult economic situation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I understand that the person referred to by the Deputy will be completing his education at the school which he currently attends at the end of this school year. As I further understand the person in question will thereafter attend a facility which caters for adults, the provision of school transport does not arise.

Topical Issue Debate: Further Education and Training Programmes (28 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, as it provides me with the opportunity to outline the position regarding the local training initiatives operated by the Bosco Youth Centre in Drimnagh. The CDETB, which was established in July 2013, has responsibility for the planning and delivery of services previously delivered by the VECs and FÁS training centres. St. John Bosco youth...

Topical Issue Debate: Further Education and Training Programmes (28 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: It is not the role of the Minister to intervene in the internal relationship between the CDETB and the centre in Drimnagh. Under the legislation providing for the establishment of our ETBs, they are independent, autonomous entities with resources to deliver educational opportunities within their regions to the highest standard. The information I have is that the two programmes are...

Topical Issue Debate: Further Education and Training Programmes (28 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I am hopeful that these issues can be overcome. I am also hopeful that sufficient participants can be found for the two programmes, allowing them to commence on 16 June.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (28 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The Annual Student Contribution is levied on apprentices and students attending Institutes of Technology. This contribution has been levied by Institutes of Technology in respect of apprentices since 2004, with FÁS/SOLAS paying 70% of the contribution and apprentices themselves paying the remainder. As part of Budget 2014, SOLAS will cease making this payment to the Institutes of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (28 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Children with special educational needs are eligible for school transport if they are attending the nearest recognised: mainstream school, special class / special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet their special educational needs under Department of Education and Skills' criteria. Bus Éireann has advised my Department that the child in question was availing of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Health and Safety (27 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: This is a day to day operational matter for SOLAS who manage the Safepass programme. I am informed by SOLAS that Mandatory Safety Awareness Training is provided for under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013 and in particular schedule 4 provides that to obtain a valid safety awareness card it is a requirement to successfully complete the SOLAS Safe Pass...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (27 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: From the commencement of the 2012/13 school year, school transport eligibility for post primary pupils is determined by reference to the distance they reside from their nearest post-primary education centre having regard to ethos and language. Pupils who were eligible for school transport prior to the introduction of the above change retain their transport eligibility for the duration of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Administration (27 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following table. Year Some 6,000 routes annually; Number of Vehicles (The majority of mainstream vehicles and some SEN vehicles operate 2 or more routes) Total number of children transported (including concessionary) *Primary: Cost per child week (based on eligible only including SEN pupils) € *Post Primary: Cost per...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Administration (27 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann undertook to provide the Oireachtas Transport and Communications Committee, of which the Deputy is a member, with details of the breakdown of the savings due to efficiencies and details of the new "demand led" services provided, as outlined to the Committee in general terms on 7th May. This information is currently being compiled by Bus Éireann under three main headings...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Administration (27 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The agreed accounting arrangements are as set out in the 1975 Summary of Accounting Arrangements. This includes an agreed 13% charge, or transport management charge, to cover all other direct costs and indirect costs attributable to the work carried out for the Department. In recent years an element of the 13% charge has been rebated to the Department by mutual consent. The FGS report...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Administration (27 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I am advised by Bus Éireann that the inspections conducted by Freight Transport Association on behalf of the Company complement the annual statutory vehicle examinations as an additional measure designed to ensure that vehicles and maintenance records are maintained to appropriate standards, consistent with RSA guidelines, in the period between annual statutory tests taking place. These...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (27 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Funding is provided by my Department, through SOLAS, for further education and training programmes, including adult literacy. The literacy programme is delivered locally through the network of Education and Training Boards (ETBs). I understand from City of Dublin ETB that an adult literacy service is provided by the ETB in the centre referred to by the Deputy. There is no question of SOLAS...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (27 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 298 together. The payment of an additional training allowance of €31.80 per week for the long term unemployed was introduced during a period of high employment levels as an incentive for the long term unemployed to participate in FÁS (now SOLAS) training courses. The payment of this allowance was later extended to those persons in...