Results 4,501-4,520 of 23,975 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

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

Charlie McConalogue: Members must see more from the Minister in the form of a plan that will get reform back on track and organising training sessions, as the Department of Education and Skills has done previously, to which teachers will not turn up is not the way to do this.

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

Charlie McConalogue: A key part of the reason we are in the position in which we find ourselves is the approach the Government has taken. The Government has taken a bullish approach from the outset and drove on regardless of making sure it was done in partnership with those who would implement it. This is why teachers, unfortunately, still do not have faith in what, as the Minister has pointed out, their union...

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

Charlie McConalogue: The Minister should try to bring everybody with her.

Other Questions: School Accommodation (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: 128. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision on a preferred site for new school (details supplied) in County Donegal will be made; the reason for the delay in securing a site; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33955/15]

Other Questions: School Accommodation (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: When will a decision on a preferred new site for a three-school college campus, Crana College, in Buncrana, County Donegal, be made? What is the reason for the delay in securing a site? Will the Minister update us on the progress in this regard?

Other Questions: School Accommodation (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: As the Minister of State and the Minister know, the proposed Crana College campus in Buncrana is to facilitate three schools. These include Crana College secondary school, which has more than 500 students and more than 11 prefabs onsite. It is not possible to turn these prefabs into permanent accommodation because the site does not have the capacity for further development. There is also...

Other Questions: School Accommodation (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: The process is no more complex than what the Minister of State and the Department are making it. In his response, the Minister of State said it is going slowly but the reason for this is how it has been handled. The Department asked Donegal Education and Training Board, ETB, to identify possible sites and recommend one. When this process concluded, the Department decided to start all over...

Other Questions: School Accommodation (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: From today, we would like to see real progress, with work completed at a preferred identified site. We want the Department to purchase such a site in order that the project can progress rather than go backwards, as we have seen, unfortunately, over the past 12 months.

Other Questions: School Accommodation (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: Of course. No site is being picked.

Other Questions: School Accommodation (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: It is going nowhere.

Other Questions: School Patronage (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: 132. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress being made in providing a greater choice of school patronage to parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33954/15]

Other Questions: School Patronage (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: This is to ask the Minister the progress being made in providing parents with a greater choice of school patronage. As the Minister will recall, her predecessor, Deputy Quinn, indicated in 2012 that he hoped to see 50% of primary schools change their patronage, starting in that particular year. I am seeking an update in that regard.

Other Questions: School Patronage (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: No doubt we need to encourage greater pluralism in patronage within the primary school system. If one were starting today, one would not structure it this way, with 95% of schools under church patronage. In trying to achieve progress, it is important we do it in a way that moves things forward and is constructive. Unfortunately, the Government's approach, particularly that of the former...

Other Questions: School Patronage (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: "Disappointing" is a fair verdict on the progress. However, it is similar to the Government's approach to junior certificate reform and other key reform measures which the Government wanted to achieve. Unfortunately, the way the Government has gone about its business and tried to achieve reform in the education system has been counter-productive. It has been more about headlines and trying...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: 141. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when architectural tender documents will be issued for the development of new permanent buildings to replace current prefabricated units at a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33956/15]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: 142. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a recent analysis (details supplied) which provides evidence that there are severe socio-economic inequalities in access to special needs supports across schools and pupils; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33957/15]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Languages Programme (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: 145. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans for improving foreign language education at primary and secondary level to address the deficit of foreign language skills among the population. [33958/15]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: 178. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on a review of an application for an invalidity pension by a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34047/15]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Payments (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: 193. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a claim for invalidity pension by a person (details supplied) in County Donegal is not being backdated to the date at which the person applied for it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34289/15]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (6 Oct 2015)

Charlie McConalogue: 288. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will expedite a number of reports commissioned by the Office of Public Works regarding flooding in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34473/15]