Results 5,721-5,740 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Seanad: Springboard Programme: Motion (27 May 2015)

Damien English: The Senator is in a safe place now.

Seanad: Springboard Programme: Motion (27 May 2015)

Damien English: I apologise for interrupting the Senator. Will he clarify his point regarding SOLAS?

Seanad: Springboard Programme: Motion (27 May 2015)

Damien English: I will try to deal with most of the questions I have been asked. I want to thank Senator Jim D'Arcy and other colleagues for putting forward this motion, which gives us a great opportunity to discuss the success of Springboard and the whole initiative in that regard. It is also an opportunity to contribute to the debate and to acknowledge all the great work that was done by many people...

Seanad: Springboard Programme: Motion (27 May 2015)

Damien English: I know the Senator was not saying it, but he was quoting it and it needs to be eliminated. It is wrong to say they were not asked. The ETBs are on the apprenticeship council and Martin O'Brien does a great job there. I spoke about the apprenticeship council's call for proposals at every speech I gave, and I gave a lot speeches in the eight months since I took up this job. It was...

Seanad: Springboard Programme: Motion (27 May 2015)

Damien English: I would say the problem is at their end because this was well publicised. If those in the industry and the sector are on top of their jobs, they should know about it. It would certainly not be the fault of SOLAS. The motion is about trying to expand Springboard to cater for other areas. Senator Jim D'Arcy mentioned the issue of low-paid workers and this is a perfect opportunity to look at...

Seanad: Springboard Programme: Motion (27 May 2015)

Damien English: That is grand, but the Senator's research might be out of date. It is certainly not reflected in 2015, because we did not cut the places.

Seanad: Springboard Programme: Motion (27 May 2015)

Damien English: I will come to that. I agree with the value of career guidance, but we did not cut the funding for it. One of the first aspects of SOLAS's work this year is a review of PLC places to determine whether we are getting value for money, which I believe we are, whether we need more places and whether we can add to the number. A major review of the provision of PLC places is under way this year....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (28 May 2015)

Damien English: The purpose of my Department's School Transport Schemes is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bus Éireann (9 Jun 2015)

Damien English: Bus Éireann has advised that the vast majority of vehicles that were temporarily suspended from use following spot checks arranged by the Company, were suspended until any minor defects detected during the inspections - i.e. those having no significant or immediate effect on the safety of the vehicle, or other road users - were rectified, before being permitted back into service. These...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Road Safety (9 Jun 2015)

Damien English: I understand that the report referred to by the Deputy relates to the Kentstown accident in 2005. This report was not formally published for a number of different reasons. The content of the report was superseded by other investigations into the 2005 incident - including those of An Garda Síochána and the Health & Safety Authority (HSA) - and all of the information...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (9 Jun 2015)

Damien English: The person referred to by the Deputy, in the details supplied, is not attending a recognised school and is therefore not eligible for school transport under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Administration (9 Jun 2015)

Damien English: As I clarified in my reply on 5th November 2014, the usage of words such as "contract" in various contexts was considered in the High Court proceedings seeking an order setting aside the arrangements between my Department and Bus Éireann for the provision of national school transport services. Given that a Court of Appeal appeal is still pending it would be inappropriate for me to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (9 Jun 2015)

Damien English: Under the terms of my Department's 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. A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Data (9 Jun 2015)

Damien English: The PLC programme is operated mainly by Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and the staff in PLC are employed by each ETB. My Department does not hold current data on the number of staff employed in PLC or on their qualifications. Section 30 of The Teaching Council Act 2014 which was commenced on 28 January 2014, provides that teachers in recognised schools, including PLC teachers, must be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Contracts (9 Jun 2015)

Damien English: The employment of staff in Education and Training Boards (ETB) is an operational matter for individual ETBs as employers. Kildare and Wicklow ETB, the employer in this case, has informed my Department that one former staff member who had retired was asked to return late in the academic year for an average of 2 hours per week and another staff member who works on average less than one hour...

Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (10 Jun 2015)

Damien English: I agree we need to expand the areas covered and believe there is cross-party support for that. This is something we have been involved in with the setting up of the new apprenticeship council. Expansion is part of the Government's plan and we have addressed the issue at Cabinet, where there is agreement across the table that this should happen and that we should increase the number of...

Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (10 Jun 2015)

Damien English: I will begin with the last question. I agree there is too much emphasis on third level and during the boom years or over the past 20 years we have probably turned our backs on the further education and training sector. I sense that most people recognise now we must correct that and the Department is trying to do so. From talking to career guidance teachers, to teachers in general and to...

Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (10 Jun 2015)

Damien English: Apprenticeships must be employer driven and employers must be involved. On capacity, it is a bit of a chicken and egg situation. We needed to find out what was wanted and needed and we put significant effort, through various Departments such as the Departments of Education and Skills and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, into getting people interested in this issue and to get people to make...

Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (10 Jun 2015)

Damien English: That is what we are trying to do. We are trying to cater for now and for the future. Some of the sectors that have made proposals are the hotel and catering sector and manufacturing and engineering, with 24 submissions. There were 12 submissions in the built environment area, ten in tourism, ten in financial services, eight in arts, crafts and media, six in information technology, six in...

Other Questions: EU Directives (10 Jun 2015)

Damien English: My Department has engaged with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the National Standards Authority of Ireland, NSAI, on this issue. An information leaflet is being prepared for the sector for distribution through local enterprise offices, LEOs. In 2015, education and training boards, ETBs, and institutes of technology will offer over 2,000 places on a variety of welding...