Results 5,401-5,420 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (20 Nov 2014)

Damien English: Under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. The child in question is not attending her nearest school which is less than 3.2 kilometres from her...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (20 Nov 2014)

Damien English: The Deputy will be aware that under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Bus Éireann has advised that the child referred to by the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Policy Functions (25 Nov 2014)

Damien English: In order to put Deputy Calleary's mind at ease, I wish to state that following the commencement of the Industrial Development (Forfás Dissolution) Act 2014 on 1 August 2014, Forfás's policy functions have been integrated within the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. The policy research and advisory functions of Forfás have transferred in totality to the Department...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Policy Functions (25 Nov 2014)

Damien English: I will have to review the website to make sure I am on it. I am very disappointed. There is a need for some research on that. I disagree with the Deputy. I found it useful over recent months to have the Forfás personnel as part of our team in the Department. On a weekly basis, one now has a chance to debate policy and work on solutions. I am highly involved with the staff on the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Policy Functions (25 Nov 2014)

Damien English: As the Deputy knows, the committee presents a great opportunity to discuss policy. There is no problem engaging regularly at its meetings on policy initiatives. The Deputy touched on the action plan for jobs. Forfás was driving the action plan for jobs from the start. Mr. Shanahan, who has now moved to the IDA, was a key driver of the plan when he was in Forfás. Nothing has...

Other Questions: Job Creation Targets (25 Nov 2014)

Damien English: The Deputy is very obliging to put the two questions together. I will try to merge my two answers.

Other Questions: Job Creation Targets (25 Nov 2014)

Damien English: As the Deputy knows, the target set out in the Action Plan for Jobs is to create 100,000 extra jobs by 2016. No individual targets are set, but I think the services sector would already employ about 76% of the total employment in the country. Naturally, therefore, that is a major area we will be operating in. In the manufacturing sector, there are key areas set out under food,...

Other Questions: Job Creation Targets (25 Nov 2014)

Damien English: A key there is the Horizon 2020 agenda. The current research framework in Europe has a budget of €80 billion which we can draw down and target. The research community, the ecosystem, in Ireland has developed considerably in recent years and we are in a position to target about €1.25 billion of that. Quite a lot of that money will be targeted through the services industry but...

Other Questions: Job Creation Targets (25 Nov 2014)

Damien English: No. The mix-up here - it was mentioned earlier - is that key is that much of the funding delivered through our State agencies must be for export-led products. We are not in a position to grant aid companies to compete with each other on the high streets of the domestic market. The emphasis is to target money, and especially financial supports, through Enterprise Ireland, the IDA and so on...

Other Questions: Job Creation Targets (25 Nov 2014)

Damien English: If the Deputy took the time to look at them she would see that information. That office is independent of Government and the figures are there, having been analysed independently. There is job creation. The Deputy might not like it but it is happening.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Innovation Vouchers Initiative (25 Nov 2014)

Damien English: The Enterprise Ireland Innovation Voucher Initiative was established in 2007 in order to drive an on-going innovation cultural shift within small enterprise by promoting and encouraging a transfer of knowledge between Ireland’s public knowledge providers and the small business community and creating greater synergies between the two. This scheme provides small companies access to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (25 Nov 2014)

Damien English: The Deputy will be aware that under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. The pupils referred to by the Deputy are not attending their nearest...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (25 Nov 2014)

Damien English: The Deputy will be aware that under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. The pupil referred to by the Deputy is eligible for transport,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Applications (26 Nov 2014)

Damien English: Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. In relation to school transport provision, ethos relates to religious ethos and is in the...

Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (27 Nov 2014)

Damien English: It is not possible at this stage to accurately estimate the costs associated with the development of new apprenticeships. I have established the Apprenticeship Council which will make a call for proposals, hopefully before the end of this year, from enterprise sectors partnering with education and training providers for the development of new apprenticeships. The amount of financial support...

Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (27 Nov 2014)

Damien English: I accept that the Deputy's comments are totally genuine. I think most people are supportive of what we are trying to do here. The Deputy is right. The new design and the new model will cater for that. It will make sure not only that people can build long-term careers on top of their apprenticeship qualifications, but also that much more is covered by the qualifications in the first...

Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (27 Nov 2014)

Damien English: Absolutely.

Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (27 Nov 2014)

Damien English: I agree with the Deputy. The composition of the apprenticeship council has been got right. There is a good blend of all the talents on the council. A number of people on the council will have insights into enterprise. They will work alongside representatives of unions and providers, etc. We have the right balance there. I am confident that as a result of all the new reforms and...

Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (27 Nov 2014)

Damien English: I am glad to confirm for the Deputy that we have spoken at length about the need to ensure the semi-State companies have a role in this initiative. I remind the House that the new chairman of the apprenticeship council comes from a semi-State body. The chief executive of the ESB is the chairman of the council. That appointment was made to ensure we have the necessary engagement in this...

Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Nov 2014)

Damien English: The Deputy will appreciate that the Dáil Schedule has been amended considerably over the past couple of weeks owing to unforeseen events.