Results 4,481-4,500 of 23,975 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: Senator Moloney mentioned teaching posts in special schools. The 2014 target was 1,100 but there were 1,387 teachers in special schools, 287 above the target, yet at the start of 2015, the target was only 1,100. That means the target for this year for teachers in special schools was 20% less than what was in place last September. That is massive, but the point was not well addressed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: I do not think the answer was very clear.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: I will follow on from the question about the annual recurring expenditure. In respect of the capital investment plan, which we saw published yesterday without any prior consultation on the headline figures, is the Minister willing to conduct a similar exercise in advance of the detail of how education capital investment will be spent over the coming five years in respect of what the options...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: I question the value of using access to NEPS psychologists as an output measure. Access to a psychologist in no way reflects the extent or quality of access. I am surprised to see some schools do not have access to NEPS, let alone having to go on a waiting list. The Minister might clarify what exactly having no access means. Have those affected nobody to contact? I presume that is what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: The technical universities Bill is listed as a target output for this year. The Minister might comment on its status and whether it is delayed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: It is listed as one.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: My question is related to the point made by Deputy Joan Collins about outputs and I had intended to make it at the end of the previous round. I refer to the issue of patronage, that is, point 11. I believe the outputs were marked as being not available for this year. At the beginning of the tenure of the former Minister, Deputy Quinn, he indicated his hope that 50% of schools would change...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: There have been questions from three or four members. Does the Minister want to answer them now or should I ask mine?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: I wanted to ask him a question as well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: Perhaps I will put my question to the Minister of State briefly. He mentioned that the issue of school transport had been addressed, but he will be aware of a situation that I raised with him last summer. It has been determined that the nearest school is through a mountain pass that is not traversable. The students cannot use school transport and, as such, must pay to attend a school that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: I am happy to conclude the meeting. I wish to make a brief point about the minor works grant which is normally paid by the end of the year. It is ironic that we cannot get a commitment from the Minister that the payment, which is €50 per student on average, will be made even though a commitment was made this week to pay €27 billion which will not be available until the next...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Grant Payments (1 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: 110. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal under an area aid application for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33731/15]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Administration (1 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: 220. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current average waiting time for a child to be assessed by the National Educational Psychological Service; and if she will provide, in tabular form, the average waiting times for each individual year from 2010 to 2014. [33751/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Data (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: 121. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address concerns regarding the new system of allocation of special needs assistants that is being piloted this year; her plans to address the long waiting times for special needs assessment by the National Educational Psychological Service. [34079/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Data (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: My question asks if the Minister will address concerns regarding the new system for the allocation of resource and learning support teachers which is being piloted in a number of schools this year. I also ask the Minister to outline her plans to address the long waiting times for special educational needs assessment by National Educational Psychological Service psychologists.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Data (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Minister for her reply. There is no doubt that there are serious problems with the provision of learning support and resource hours, in particular with the distribution of the latter which are based on assessments carried by a NEPS psychologists or on private psychological assessments which parents have arranged for their children because they have grown tired and are unwilling...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Data (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: The Minister's response shows again that this not a pilot scheme. As she noted, assurances are provided to schools engaging in the scheme that they will not lose any resource teaching hours as a result of their participation. However, the outcome of the change the Minister wishes to implement is that many schools will lose resource teaching hours. How can this be described as a pilot...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Examinations Reviews (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: 124. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her proposals for progressing with junior certificate reform following the rejection of the proposals by members of the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34080/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Examinations Reviews (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: In light of the issue raised in my question, will the Minister update us on how she plans to proceed?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Examinations Reviews (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: Fianna Fáil has always been a proponent of trying to reform the junior certificate curriculum and make it one that better serves students' needs. Before this Minister's tenure, when the former Minister, Deputy Quinn, was in the Department, there was a report on his table on foot of widespread consultation conducted under the auspices of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment...