Results 6,041-6,060 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Applications (8 Dec 2015)

Damien English: The child referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs. Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme, has been requested to establish a service for this child and it is expected that the service will commence this week. The family should liaise with their local...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Childhood Obesity (9 Dec 2015)

Damien English: The manner in which the challenge was taken in this case is a matter for the schools involved. We would like to commend the school on prioritising the health of its students in deciding on school policy in this matter. Schools and the wider education sector have a vital role to play in contributing to the Government's Healthy Ireland agenda set out in the framework for improved health and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Childhood Obesity (9 Dec 2015)

Damien English: On vending machines and healthy eating, the Department issued guidance for post-primary schools about measures to promote healthy lifestyles. The guidance was drafted in consultation with the Department of Health and the HSE. It encompasses measures to promote healthy eating, healthy vending, PE and physical activity. We have to allow each school, along with parents and pupils, to come up...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Childhood Obesity (9 Dec 2015)

Damien English: The health promoting schools, HPS, initiative is a Europe-wide programme aimed to strengthen a school’s capacity to be a healthy setting for learning and working by focusing on whole-school level and all the conditions that affect health and well-being. As part of the HPS initiative, health promotion officers and members of the well-being pillar of professional health and service for...

Other Questions: School Accommodation (9 Dec 2015)

Damien English: What does the Deputy want?

Other Questions: School Accommodation (9 Dec 2015)

Damien English: It is called a recovery. There are more jobs and money about.

Topical Issue Debate: Flood Alleviation (10 Dec 2015)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Fitzmaurice for his comments. As usual, he speaks common sense. His contribution reminds me of a conversation I had in my first year in the Dáil with the former Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Mr. Tom Parlon. I asked him to get the dredging machines working and he responded positively to that suggestion. That is the type of...

Topical Issue Debate: Flood Alleviation (10 Dec 2015)

Damien English: Yes. The annual maintenance programme typically involves some clearance of vegetation and the removal of silt over a five-year cycle. Approximately 730 km of channels are maintained in the west and north-west regions annually. The schemes in the west region include the Moy scheme, the Boyle and Bonet schemes, the Corrib group schemes and the Maam flood relief scheme. I understand Deputy...

Topical Issue Debate: Flood Alleviation (10 Dec 2015)

Damien English: I agree. As usual, Deputy Fitzmaurice talks a considerable amount of sense. There is an issue with regard to good samaritan legislation and allowing people to do certain work when they are genuinely trying to do the right thing. It should give them a little protection. That is in place and it is designed to help people to do as outlined. There is always a fear, especially when it comes...

Topical Issue Debate: Penalty Points System (10 Dec 2015)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Broughan for raising this issue. When I saw his name, I hoped his questions had been answered. I will track the information for him. There was a commitment to get the information for him and I will track that as best I can. As the Deputy knows, the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, is in Brussels at the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council today. He sends his...

Topical Issue Debate: Penalty Points System (10 Dec 2015)

Damien English: The Deputy has many facts and statistics himself, which are very useful, and I do not have the same information as he does. I know he is concentrating on the subject and rightly so. The Department shares some of the Deputy's aims and it is trying to improve the information flow between it and the RSA. It is probably a matter of applying more urgency to this. The Deputy is correct that the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Teacher Recruitment (10 Dec 2015)

Damien English: I thank Senator Healy Eames for raising this issue. I am aware she tried to raise the matter last week and am glad we are able to facilitate her this week. The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on the Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Teacher Recruitment (10 Dec 2015)

Damien English: When the principals submit the figures for 30 September, if they can show they have projected increased development beyond that, they can -----

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Teacher Recruitment (10 Dec 2015)

Damien English: In addition, the staffing process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent appeals board. The staffing appeals process was extended in the 2014-15 school year to allow schools that are not gaining an additional teaching post under the developing schools criterion to submit an appeal to the primary staffing appeals board. This...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Teacher Recruitment (10 Dec 2015)

Damien English: The Department has a duty to refer to redeployment.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Teacher Recruitment (10 Dec 2015)

Damien English: The details are on the Department's website, but I will get them for the Senator. The idea behind the provision for rapidly developing schools is that numbers could change significantly from 30 September and to allow for an appointment to be made the following September.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Teacher Recruitment (10 Dec 2015)

Damien English: It is based on enrolment. The Senator says she is not concerned about redeployment, but the Department is and we are concerned with remaining within budget. We have a duty to spend our budget as best we can to get as many teachers as we possibly can in order to reduce class sizes. We must do that in a co-ordinated manner and that is why redeployment is important to us. It might not bother...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Teacher Recruitment (10 Dec 2015)

Damien English: I understand the Senator's point, but we must try to manage our budget and must have some system for that. The Senator wants to change the system to have immediate effect.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Teacher Recruitment (10 Dec 2015)

Damien English: It is not trying to save money.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Teacher Recruitment (10 Dec 2015)

Damien English: The provision is not there to save on pay. We have increased the number of teachers and have committed to continuing that in the years ahead and are trying to match the demographics. We must have some organised system to facilitate redeployment and other issues. The system is based on 30 September, but there is a provision in respect of where there is rapid development in an area. That is...