Results 2,701-2,720 of 23,957 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Book Rental Scheme (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: The Minister has said it feels unfair; in fact, he agrees that it is unfair. When he presented this initiative as part of last year's budget, the implication was that it would benefit all schools. That meant that schools all over the country had the expectation they would be included in the scheme, but 76% then found out that they would be excluded and get nothing. It is easy understand...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Book Rental Scheme (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: The Minister has a very reductionist view of finding information. He asked parents and schools to tick a box as to whether they had a school book rental scheme. Anyone who ticked the box, regardless of whether it was only a seed book rental scheme or long established, is now excluded. The Minister is not taking need into account. He and his party constantly peddle the line that they are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Book Rental Scheme (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: The Minister is confining assistance with school book costs to approximately 20% of schools. He is not working with those who need such schemes, rather he is excluding them. He has sent a school uniform survey to schools. No money is involved, yet he has said that is his way to address the issue of costs.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Book Rental Scheme (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: If the Minister was serious about addressing the issue of school costs, he would not have cut the back to education allowance by half, taken a minimum of €5,000 annually from every school in the country through the minor works grant scheme, leaving parents to come up with the money, and not taken away the summer works scheme for fixing leaky roofs. Instead, schools have to ask parents...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Book Rental Scheme (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: What about the promises the Minister made?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Book Rental Scheme (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: The Minister does not remember very much. He did not even implement his own promises.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Book Rental Scheme (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: The Minister accepts that the system is unfair.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Book Rental Scheme (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: The scheme is unfair.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Book Rental Scheme (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: The Minister could start by implementing his own programme and commitments.

Other Questions: Schools Guidance Counsellors (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: 130. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on recent reports that guidance counsellors are spending 59% less time on one-to-one student counselling than they did just two years ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2345/14]

Other Questions: Schools Guidance Counsellors (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: No doubt the Minister is aware that the reason we are counting from two years ago is that in the budget, and starting the academic year 2012-2013, the Minister removed what had previously been an ex-quota allocation, which provided that at secondary level there was specific allocation for guidance counselling teachers and hours of which students could avail. This was removed and schools were...

Other Questions: Schools Guidance Counsellors (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: The Minister does a fine job of making it sound as though secondary schools have a choice. He uses the word "discretion" and says they have the discretion to balance needs. The reality is that the Minister removed their choice and their ability to deliver this service. Does the Minister believe the role guidance counsellors carry out is important and has a real impact on students? It...

Other Questions: Schools Guidance Counsellors (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: Education is a whole of government responsibility, but this does not detract from the fact that it is primarily the Minister's role.

Other Questions: Schools Guidance Counsellors (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: Although everyone in a school has a guidance and counselling duty of care to students, guidance counselling is a profession which has developed very steadily and incrementally over a number of years. Guidance counsellors are now highly trained professionals who are able to give a service which is much wider and more rounded than it was in the past when the role was more about giving career...

Other Questions: School Curriculum (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: 136. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the first meeting of the working group on junior certificate reform will take place; the number of hours in-service training which will be provided to each English teacher in advance of the commencement of the new curriculum in September 2014; the way he proposes to address the concerns of teachers regarding the reforms; and if he will...

Other Questions: School Curriculum (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Minister will be aware, this question was tabled last week. Since then, matters have moved on significantly. The two teacher unions have decided to ballot on non-co-operation with junior certificate reforms. It is the Minister's failure to engage properly with them over the past year and a half that has led to that situation, and I ask for his response to my question.

Other Questions: School Curriculum (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: The key issue here has been the way the Minister has handled these reforms from the outset. With change in any organisation, whether private or public, the reforms must be done in partnership, not in conflict. I note the way the Minister went about this from the first day he announced the new junior certificate reform. He announced it without consultation and, indeed, he deviated from the...

Other Questions: School Curriculum (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: The parents are concerned as well.

Other Questions: School Curriculum (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: The Minister has not been listening to them.

Other Questions: School Curriculum (21 Jan 2014)

Charlie McConalogue: The Minister has not talked to them.