Results 2,001-2,020 of 4,869 for speaker:Seán Haughey

School Curriculum (2 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and I welcome this opportunity to outline the position in on entrepreneurship in schools. At a European level, the EU Commission has identified enterprise as one of eight key competences all students should have by the end of second level...

National Asset Management Agency (2 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: NAMA has made significant progress in the ten months since its establishment last December. In its second quarterly report, released earlier today, NAMA recorded a profit of €6 million in the three months to the end of June 2010. The report also illustrates that loans are continuing to transfer on schedule to NAMA, which in turn has begun to directly manage those loans for the first time....

Garda Stations (2 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: I am taking this Adjournment debate matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern. I would like to thank the Deputy for raising this matter on the Adjournment. With regard to Garda accommodation generally, the position is that the provision of Garda requirements is progressed by the Office of Public Works, on the basis of priorities...

Garda Stations (2 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: On behalf of the Minister for Justice and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern, I would like to thank Deputy Mattie McGrath for raising this matter on the Adjournment. The Deputy will be aware that the provision of new Garda stations and Garda accommodation generally is a matter for the Office of Public Works. The provision of such accommodation is progressed by the Office of Public Works on the...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (2 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: The Pilot Short Time Working Training Programme was introduced in May 2009. FÁS initially administered the programme, which aimed to provide training to people on systematic short time for the days they are not working. The programme aimed to provide two days training a week for up to 277 workers over a 52-week period and they received training free of charge for these two days. The...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (2 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: The issues raised by the Question are currently being progressed by my Department in conjunction with FÁS and the Waterford Crystal EGF Co-ordination Unit.

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (2 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: I am advised that, following a recent inspection of the roof of the FÁS training centre in Cabra, a proposal will be brought to the FÁS Board in November for the phased exit from the centre. These necessary measures are being taken by FÁS primarily with the health and safety of the centre's staff and its trainees in mind. All current courses taking place at Cabra will, where necessary,...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (2 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: The issue of present entitlement to payment of a FÁS training allowance is set out in policy measures that were announced as part of the Budget for 2010. The matter raised in the correspondence referred to by the Deputy is currently under review.

Written Answers — School Meals Programme: School Meals Programme (3 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: The school to which the Deputy refers received once off funding in the amount of €41,000 in 2007 under the Fund for the Development of Targeted Educational Responses to Certain Children at Risk. Payments were made in two instalments €27,072 paid on 31 December 2007 and €14,028 on 29th January 2008. The purpose of this funding was to provide for the infrastructural costs associated with...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (4 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: Under current apprenticeship rules, all apprentices are required to complete on-the-job assessments with a FÁS approved employer. However, under recognition of prior learning arrangements put in place by FÁS, apprentices not currently meeting the minimum on-the-job training period but with work experience from abroad can submit an application and portfolio of evidence to the FÁS Redundant...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (4 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: I refer the Deputy to the reply given to Parliamentary Question 39507/10 of 28 October 2010. As previously stated on 22nd October 2010 the European Commission announced its approval of an application from Ireland for European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) co-financing assistance in support of redundant workers formerly employed at the S R Technics aircraft maintenance facility at...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (4 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: The FÁS Annual Report was received in my Department on 2 November. It will be submitted to Government in the near future and is expected to be published by the end of November.

Vocational Education Committees (9 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: The Government's decision is to reduce the number of VECs from 33 to 16 in order to deal with issues of scale and having regard to the current and prospective requirements of the education sector. Consideration of such a reduction had begun earlier as part of an examination of options to reduce the overall number of agencies. Subsequently, the special group on public service numbers and...

Vocational Education Committees (9 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Deputy for his support in principle for this measure. There is a timeframe of about 18 months to implement this decision. Discussions have taken place with various stakeholders including the Irish Vocational Education Association and the association of CEOs. An implementation group has been established in the Department to oversee this initiative and it is led by an assistant...

Vocational Education Committees (9 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: The work can continue on an administrative basis without legislation.

Vocational Education Committees (9 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: No, ultimately legislation will be needed. The groundwork will be done in the meantime on an administrative basis. The position regarding buildings has to be worked out. It depends on local factors in each of the VECs, what is and is not needed and so forth. I can take the Deputy's view that we should retain educational buildings if there is a need for them but again these details have to...

FÁS Training Programmes (9 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: In September to October 2009, the European Commission carried out an European Structural Fund audit mission that included an audit of FÁS expenditure. The final report of this mission was issued in February 2010 and raised two areas of concern for the auditors. The first area where issues arose from this audit was in contract extensions and tendering procedures not being properly followed....

FÁS Training Programmes (9 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: The European Commission instructed that the draft audit report be treated as confidential and it is not intended for publication. The final audit report will be a Commission document and, as such reports are not generally considered public documents, Commission approval must be received before copies can be distributed. However, I am willing to make a statement on the progress of...

Written Answers — Post-Primary Education: Post-Primary Education (9 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: Improvements in the numbers of students leaving school early have been recorded in recent years. For example, the latest Retention Report published by my Department in November 2009 shows yearly improvements in second level retention rates for both male and female and it shows an increase in the numbers of boys completing Leaving Certificate within six years of entry from 73% for those who...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (9 Nov 2010)

Seán Haughey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 67 together. As part of Budget 2010, the Government announced the creation of a €20 million Labour Market Activation Fund, intended to deliver 3,500 places on training and education programmes for the unemployed. Its objective was to stimulate innovation in the provision of training and activation measures for jobseeker's seeking to up-skill and get...