Results 841-860 of 3,797 for speaker:Ciarán Cannon

Seanad: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (1 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn. I thank Senator Fidelma Healy Eames for raising this issue as it affords me the opportunity to explain to the House the reasoning behind the changes to the staffing schedule. The need to effect savings in my Department's budget has required very difficult decisions to...

Seanad: Schools Recognition (1 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn. I thank Senator Darragh O'Brien for raising the matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline the current position with regard to Gaelscoil Ros Eo, Rush, County Dublin. In April 2008, under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta na Scoileanna Lán-Ghaeilge, the...

Seanad: Crime Prevention (1 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I thank the Senator for raising this matter on the Adjournment. I am speaking on behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, who is unable to be present owing to other commitments. The Minister shares the Senator's concern about incidence of this type of crime and the impact it has on local communities and businesses. I share that concern. My wife and I own a public...

Seanad: Hospital Services (1 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly. The health sector is facing significant funding challenges this year. As a result of the current crisis, the absolute priority must be to place the economy and the public finances on a sustainable footing. However, the Minister is determined to ensure the impact on services is minimised...

Seanad: Hospital Services (1 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I have the utmost respect for every Member of both Houses of the Oireachtas and 99.99% of us are here to try to create a better country for the people whom we serve; it is an incredible honour and privilege to sit in either House. This includes Senator Cullinane, as my respect extends to everybody who operates in this environment. However, in recent weeks my respect for Sinn Féin has begun...

Seanad: Hospital Services (1 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: The Senator's party does. That is all I am saying.

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (2 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I understand that in order to qualify as a craftsperson, an apprentice must be employed by a FÁS approved employer and complete all seven alternating on-the-job and off-the-job phases of their apprenticeship, which is a minimum of four years (208 weeks) in duration from the date of registration, as well as achieving the qualifying standard throughout their apprenticeship. I have been...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (2 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Following the Government Decision to create SOLAS, an Implementation Group was set up to establish SOLAS. I am chairing this Group and its membership includes representatives from the Department of Education and Skills, FÁS, the Irish Vocational Education Association and the Department of Social Protection. The Group has been meeting regularly since August 2011 to drive the process forward....

Teaching Council (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I am taking this Topical Issue Debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn. The Minister sees the Teaching Council as key to implementing the Department's strategic objectives on the quality of teaching and learning in schools. Much work has been done by the council to develop education, in particular, in maintaining and improving teaching...

Teaching Council (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I concur wholeheartedly with the Deputy in the sentiments he expressed. Bureaucracy, properly administered, can be wonderful, but it can be a drag on job retention and creation. As the Deputy pointed out, we must be careful in the coming months and years to root out unnecessary bureaucracy. Internationally, there are many wonderful examples of how this has been done. Having worked closely...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: There are almost 6,000 Youthreach places available nationwide under the Youthreach umbrella funded by my Department. Almost 3,700 of these places are provided by VECs in just over 100 Youthreach centres. The majority of the remainder of places are provided by FÁS in Community Training Centres. I am aware that there is significant demand for further education and training programmes in...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: FÁS commenced payment of the person's weekly training allowance from the week ending 27th January. He was informed that his back money will be paid in due course. The delay in making payment is due to the fact that when the person presented himself to register with FÁS, his Department of Social Protection (DSP) documentation indicated that he was not in receipt of a DSP payment prior to...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: FÁS staff members in the North East region identified issues in respect of the operation and administration of FÁS assessment procedures, the resultant certificates to be awarded and several of the underlying processes. While these issues were initially identified in the North East Region, it became apparent that there were systemic problems in this regard within the organisation. FÁS...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Schemes, on behalf of my Department, has advised that pupils are now provided with a service from the requested pick up and set down point.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take questions 160, 161, 162, 163, 164 and 165 together. In July 2011, following a wide-ranging review of options regarding the provision of further education and training and the structures to support it, the Government announced the establishment of a new further education and training authority - SOLAS. I chair the Implementation Group established by the Government, which is...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Under the terms of my Department's School Transport scheme, a pupil with special educational needs is eligible for school transport if s/he is attending the nearest recognised: mainstream school, special class/special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet the child's special educational needs under Department of Education and Skills criteria. The pupil referred to is not...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2kms, in the case of primary, and 4.8 kms in the case of post primary, from and are attending their nearest national school or education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Ethos relates to religious ethos and is in the context of minority religions. Each application for...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Schemes, on behalf of my Department, has advised that the service referred to by the Deputy is not a school transport service; in general, school transport services operate for the duration of the state examinations. As regards the issue of whether or not the person referred to can sit his/her state examinations in the school where he/she is...

School Staffing (8 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I am here to respond to the education topic.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I am taking this topical issues debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn. I thank Deputy Ferris for raising the matter as it affords me the opportunity to explain to the House the reasoning behind the changes to the staffing schedule. Schools in Gaeltacht areas historically have operated the same staffing schedule as ordinary schools for the...