Results 5,561-5,580 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (26 Feb 2015)

Damien English: I cannot commit to bringing forward an amendment to the Bill, but I can commit to the Minister explaining to the Deputy what she intends to do. She has given a commitment that she will deal with this issue. She is prepared to look at it and work with Deputy on it. I suggest the Deputy wait until Report Stage to press the amendment and have further discussions with the Department in the...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (26 Feb 2015)

Damien English: To be clear, I cannot commit to bringing forward an amendment because we do not believe one is needed.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (26 Feb 2015)

Damien English: Before we finish, we will be proofing the Bill, as amended, and the necessary amendments will be introduced on Report Stage. As I said in regard to the Deputy's amendment, we do not believe that primary legislation is required but there is an opportunity to review the regulations.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (26 Feb 2015)

Damien English: Hopefully in April because the target is to have it completed by mid-April

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (4 Mar 2015)

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 km from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. A minimum number of ten eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann,...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Damien English: The number will be 72,000 in training.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Damien English: I agree with the Deputy that there has been a major reform in this area in the past couple of years. There is no doubt about the long-term benefits. We should try to move as quickly as we can to benefit from them now. Much reform also took place in 2014 and there were budget changes because of all the reallocations to the different centres. It is important to use the reform structures as...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Damien English: I might go through the replies to these questions first.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Damien English: I am sorry. Does Deputy McConalogue want to continue?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Damien English: I thank the members for all their questions. The review of existing apprenticeships will examine whether the skills involved will be useful for the future as well as transferable. In addition, SOLAS is carefully watching the numbers applying in each sector because there has been an oversupply in the past. Part of the job of SOLAS will be to monitor that supply to ensure that there is not...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Damien English: There is no increase. The number of places was the same in 2013 and 2014. The number of PLC students is 37,318, and the numbers are predicted to be the same. There will be a review of PLCs at the back end of this year. It will feed into future decisions on this area. On the division of the PLC places around the country, in some places the number might seem a little high. There is...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Damien English: The area of guidance is an important one and it can be underestimated. The problem we can see with it is that there is guidance in a number of areas. There is guidance in the education and training boards. There is guidance if one goes into the Intreo office. There is guidance in schools. We need an integrated approach. Part of the strategy is that there is a proper integrated guidance...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Damien English: It is evaluated. It is an annual call. Any provider of Springboard courses is not guaranteed to get funding this year or next year. Each provider must compete every year. At present, the proposals are out. There is a proposal at present that involves evaluating the courses of the past couple of years. In some cases we probably should be considering two-year funding, because some of it...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Damien English: There is quite a high success rate. I must get the figures for the Chairman. It is quite high. I have the MOMENTUM figures, but the Springboard figures are quite high. I remember reading the report. I do not have the figures in my head but I will send them on to the Chairman. There is a good report on that. The rates of placement and job creation are quite high, and there are some who...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Damien English: It is in the further education and training sector. It is being worked on. It is to ensure there is joined-up thinking across the sector of further education and training. There is a lot of adult guidance in the ETBs. Then they go down the road to the Intreo office and there is a crossover there. It is to ensure we get the best use of resources, but also that the client gets the best...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Conaghan. He taught me well in his couple of years here. He always raises the wider view on what we are trying to achieve. To add to what the Minister said about the further education and training sector, we recognise very strongly the sector's importance and the fact that it must become a major pillar of our education system. We are spending over €800 million in the...

Seanad: Workplace Relations Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2015)

Damien English: Amendments Nos. 123 to 128, inclusive, further refine the changes that have to be made to the Employment Equality Act 1998 in light of the establishment of the workplace relations commission and the transfer of the functions of the director of the Equality Tribunal to the director general of the commission. In addition to a number of technical or drafting changes, these amendments propose...

Seanad: Workplace Relations Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2015)

Damien English: I will reaffirm that with the Minister.

Seanad: Workplace Relations Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2015)

Damien English: These amendments further refine the changes which have to be made to the Equal Status Act 2000 in light of the establishment of the workplace relations commission and the transfer of the functions of the director of the Equality Tribunal to the director general of the commission. In addition to a number of technical or drafting changes this amendment proposes to provide for transitional...

Seanad: Workplace Relations Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2015)

Damien English: I am pleased to have the chance to say that, like everyone in the House, we are in agreement when it comes to accessibility of facilities. Senator Feargal Quinn is correct. It is already covered. That is why we do not believe in the need for this amendment. The amendment seeks to provide that any premises used for the purposes of a hearing by an adjudication officer from the Labour Court...