Results 1,501-1,520 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I move amendment No. 48: In page 26, subsection (8)(a), line 36, after “training” to insert the following:“including mandatory representation from representatives of recognised voluntary secondary schools, the business sector, Údarás na Gaeltachta, a recognised teaching union, student unions and adult learners,”.The purpose of the amendment is to ensure...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Will that not be the case as the legislation is drafted? If the Minister does not specify that the individual should represent the business community, for instance, and he or she does not come from the business sector in terms of the being nominated by the bodies that represent him or her, then potentially the individual could be appointed to the board because he runs a local shop and,...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Our amendment No. 56 proposes to specify a list of bodies. The amendment deals with the Irish language sector and we propose that Foras na Gaeilge and Údarás na Gaeltachta would comprise the specified list of bodies. If we come at the issue in this way, If we come at the issue in this way, we should have a specified list of nominating bodies and leave it up to the members of the...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: In light of the discussion, I will withdraw the amendments and come back on Report Stage and have a more detailed discussion. In the meantime the Minister might reflect on how we can best address what we are trying to achieve.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Yes.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Perhaps I might comment on that because it is something Deputy McConalogue and I discussed. One could potentially find a charge on the Exchequer in almost every amendment one wanted to put down. For instance, even in discussing this Bill when we were looking at the make-up of the boards and we wished to change it from 18 to 20, it was ruled out of order because it was a potential charge on...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I move amendment No. 67: In page 46, subsection (1)(a), line 52, after “board” to insert the following:“and that as far as is practicable, serving teachers will be transferred within the boundaries of their current VEC administrative areas and will only be deployed within 45km of their current VEC place of work or confines of the original VEC area”.These amendments...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I fully agree but, as I said, we tabled the amendments so we could put the matter on the agenda and have it discussed because it is important.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Bill 2012: Committee Stage (17 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I welcome the Minister's statement that there are ongoing discussions to try to resolve this issue. I will withdraw the amendments. I just wanted to ensure that the matter was discussed on Committee Stage.

Education (Resource Allocation) Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I congratulate Deputy McConalogue on producing this legislation and on bringing forward this worthwhile Bill. I am not sure whether the Government proposes to accept the Bill, but I presume it will not accept it as that seems to the general policy. Since I have entered the Houses, I can only remember one Opposition Bill being accepted - one introduced by Deputy Michael McGrath. The general...

Education (Resource Allocation) Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: On Committee Stage.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Student Grant Scheme Delays (22 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide in tabular form a breakdown of third level students on a county basis who have had their maintenance grant application accepted by Student Universal Support Ireland but have still to receive payment; the number of students who have appealed the decision of SUSI and are awaiting the outcome of that decision and the numbers of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Student Grant Scheme Delays (22 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: We will study the table when we get it. Obviously, given the nature of Question Time, we do not get that information in writing. The Minister spoke in reply to the previous question of students being required to furnish supplementary documentation. The reality is very different from what the Minister is being told. For instance, I know of an individual who was asked for her father's death...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Student Grant Scheme Delays (22 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Two brothers applied on the same day for maintenance grants and payment of registration fees. One application was awarded, but the other was denied. When the brother whose application had been denied queried the decision on the grounds of living in the same house, having the same income and being subject to the same means test, he was told that he did not satisfy the means test. When it...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Student Grant Scheme Delays (22 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I will provide the details of the case involving the two brothers in particular.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Student Grant Scheme Delays (22 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: The brother who has received payment fears that he will be chased for its return. It is distressing for him, given the fact that he obviously cannot afford to attend college. I presume that there will be a review of SUSI's operation at some stage. Will the Minister provide the timeframe of such a review? The priority is to get through as many applications and payments as possible, but...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Minor Works Scheme Suspension (22 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether the suspension of the minor works grant represents a false saving in view of comments (details supplied) that schools that are unable to afford to meet the cost of minor maintenance costs will result in school buildings falling into a much greater state of disrepair. [3085/13]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Minor Works Scheme Suspension (22 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Does the Minister agree minor works grants were used by schools, particularly older schools, to continually upgrade classrooms and infrastructure and, as a result, they were able to maintain the school estate? This decision could mean that in the long term, because schools will be unable to do continual maintenance and upgrading, further pressure will be put on the capital budget for school...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (22 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I welcome what the Minister stated in terms of the progress report. The Minister may be aware, from his colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, that there is a reconfiguration of services being undertaken by the HSE which is impacting on the provision of services, particularly to special schools. I wonder what type of communication is taking place between the Minister, Deputy...

Other Questions: Further Education and Training Programmes Applications (22 Jan 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide in tabular form the numbers of students, on a county basis, who progressed to higher education courses as a result of qualifications gained from participating in post leaving certificate courses in 2011/12. [2669/13]