Results 5,621-5,640 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (15 Apr 2015)

Damien English: Under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme, a child who is eligible for school transport but for whom no transport service is available may, following an application for transport within the prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements. This grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: State Examinations (15 Apr 2015)

Damien English: I thank the Senator for the opportunity to outline to the House the position on teaching resources for post-primary schools. My colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, could not attend and she sends her apologies. I am happy to give feedback on her behalf. Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: State Examinations (15 Apr 2015)

Damien English: They have that option.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: State Examinations (15 Apr 2015)

Damien English: The difficulty is that the deployment of teaching staff in schools and the range of subjects they offer in our education system is a choice made at individual school level, and they are not dictated by the Department, outside of the main subjects.I will consult the Minister and officials to ascertain exactly what can be done in this regard. The Senator's proposed solution involves schools...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Third Level Staff (15 Apr 2015)

Damien English: I thank Senator Higgins for raising this issue. The Minister apologises as she could not be present for this discussion. I acknowledge the serious shortcomings identified by the Equality Tribunal in its ruling last November. Discrimination against women in the workplace is unacceptable in any setting and the issues brought to light in the case in question are of serious concern to me and...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Third Level Staff (15 Apr 2015)

Damien English: I will raise the issue with the Minister, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, because it is important that we have everyone's confidence in this task force. Everyone wants to see this task force working and as the Senator said, confidentiality is an important part of that. Full implementation is important also. I will talk to the Minister and revert back to the Senator directly.

Fair Pay, Secure Jobs and Trade Union Recognition: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (16 Apr 2015)

Damien English: I wish to share time with Deputies Spring, McFadden, Maloney, Connaughton and Conaghan. I welcome the opportunity to make a contribution to this important debate. The Government takes this matter very seriously. During the economic crisis it has remained committed to maintaining rights, particularly those which protect the most vulnerable workers in society. If anything, where changes...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Transport Eligibility (16 Apr 2015)

Damien English: I thank the Senator for raising this matter today. School transport is a very significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. Approximately 113,000 children, including almost 10,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to schools throughout the country during the school year. This network involves approximately 4,000...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Transport Eligibility (16 Apr 2015)

Damien English: I certainly will. I have a brief summary of the case and went through many of the issues. I can see that the decision is in line with policy, but I will take up the file and go through it in detail, which I would do for all such cases. There is often a perception that such cases are exceptional, but they are not. They are quite common, and the policy was set to the effect that children...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Medical Card Reviews (16 Apr 2015)

Damien English: I thank Senator Marie Moloney for raising this issue which I am taking on behalf of my colleague the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, who apologises that she could not make it due to a previous commitment. In accordance with the Health Act 1970, as amended, eligibility for a medical card is awarded where a person cannot arrange GP, general practitioner, services for themselves and...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Medical Card Reviews (16 Apr 2015)

Damien English: That course of action is open to anybody. The HSE stated it did not issue the medical card on the basis of it exercising discretion. It was not a discretionary medical card. That is where the problem lies.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Medical Card Reviews (16 Apr 2015)

Damien English: That is a good question. I will ask Minister of State to check this out. Obviously, the person got a card because of someone’s interpretation of the guidelines. The Senator’s question is essentially why the card was granted in the first place. I will bring this matter to the attention of the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch.

Self-Employed and the SME Sector: Motion [Private Members] (21 Apr 2015)

Damien English: I move amendment No. 1:To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following:“acknowledges:— the central role of the self-employed and micro, small and medium sized enterprises (SME) in the jobs recovery, which have generated the majority of the 90,000 extra jobs, with particularly strong performance by enterprises supported by Enterprise...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (21 Apr 2015)

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. Bus Éireann which operates the School Transport Scheme has advised that the child...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (21 Apr 2015)

Damien English: The Deputy will be aware that under the terms of my Department's School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for school transport when they meet the relevant distance criteria and are attending their nearest school, having regard to ethos and language; the terms are applied equitably on a national basis. I can confirm that Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (21 Apr 2015)

Damien English: In general, children with special educational needs are eligible for school transport if they are attending the nearest recognised mainstream school or unit that is or can be resourced, to meet their special educational needs under Department of Education and Skills' criteria. The child in question is eligible for school transport and Bus Éireann has advised that the child can be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (21 Apr 2015)

Damien English: Under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme, a child who is eligible for school transport but for whom no transport service is available may, following an application for transport within the prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements. While it is the prerogative of parents to send their children to the...

Other Questions: School Transport Eligibility (22 Apr 2015)

Damien English: While it is the prerogative of parents to send their children to the school of their choice, eligibility for school transport is determined by the nearest school, having regard to ethos, language and special needs. From the outset of the scheme, the measurement of the shortest traversable route from a child's home to the relevant education centre has been used to determine whether a child...

Other Questions: School Transport Eligibility (22 Apr 2015)

Damien English: The appeals board uses the criteria that have been set out. It is necessary to have a system.

Other Questions: School Transport Eligibility (22 Apr 2015)

Damien English: I am familiar with the case and have answered parliamentary questions on this before. The Deputy keeps saying it is unfair. The scheme, the system and the policy have to be fair and equitable throughout the country. The same rules are applied across the board. Bus Éireann operates on behalf of the Department and has measured this route and has picked the shortest route. That is the...