Results 1,681-1,700 of 23,950 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

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

Charlie McConalogue: I withdraw amendment No. 17.

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

Charlie McConalogue: I wish to inform the committee that I do not intend to press amendment No. 20.

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

Charlie McConalogue: There is a definite concern regarding the operation of school boards and management and ensuring proper linkages. I take the point about unacceptable practices from the past, which we must get away from. In VECs across the country, members would have had to travel to schools far away when somebody who lived closer could have just as easily represented the VEC board of management. With 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)

Charlie McConalogue: I will not press the amendment, on the understanding that it will be discussed on Report Stage.

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

Charlie McConalogue: I move amendment No. 46: In page 26, subsection (7)(b), line 25, after “woman” to insert the following:“each of whom shall be from and have knowledge of education and training in the functional area of the relevant education and training board”.

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

Charlie McConalogue: I move amendment No. 47: In page 26, subsection (7)(c), line 32, after “woman” to insert the following:“each of whom shall be from and have knowledge of education and training in the functional area of the relevant education and training board”.

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

Charlie McConalogue: I concur with the previous speakers. Like other amendments the Minister has agreed to consider, we need to ensure the ETBs have a good spread of expertise on them and include people who represent the wider community, including the business community and adult learners. I ask the Minister to consider this.

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

Charlie McConalogue: A structure such as that would be important to consider because if we end up in a scenario where a business representative does not represent that community strongly, the ETB will be weaker for it. It will always be difficult. Ultimately, somebody could be appointed by the pre-eminent business organisation and he or she might still not bring to bear the necessary application. A structure...

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

Charlie McConalogue: On the point of these amendments being ruled out of order, when drafting primary legislation such as this and when genuine amendments such as these are tabled, it is incredible that such amendments can be ruled out of order. What is the alternative to allow for genuine amendments such as this to be given consideration?

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

Charlie McConalogue: Yes. That has been the practice at VEC level previously. There have been abuses in terms of how it has been operated but the Bill moves away from a position whereby the ETB has a presence. I spent a short time, 18 months, as a member of a VEC and sat on two or three boards of management, actually within my own area. I found it useful that there was a member of the VEC able to comment to...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." This Bill will ensure an annual education impact study is published in advance of the budget each year. It will prevent unilateral decisions being taken on school staffing without any examination of the impact of these changes on the schools concerned. The Minister for Education and Skills admitted in early 2012, following his cuts to...

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

Charlie McConalogue: I thank all speakers for their contributions to the debate on the Bill, including Deputies O’Brien and McGrath and the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills, Deputy Cannon. Deputies O’Brien and McGrath supported it, for which I am grateful to them. Deputy O’Brien mentioned how the PLC system might work. We could consider that issue-----

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

Charlie McConalogue: It is important that any appeals system is workable, an issue which merits lengthy discussion. When we took Committee Stage of the Education and Training Boards Bill 2012, we discussed 89 amendments, almost half of which were submitted by the Minister for Education and Skills. I would be willing to sit down and tease out the issue with the Minister of State should he wish to accept that...

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

Charlie McConalogue: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when he expects the problems with student grants to be resolved and all students who have qualified to be in receipt of their grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2839/13]

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

Charlie McConalogue: The Minister has not given an update on the number of students who have been paid the grants. Whenever the issue has been raised in the Dáil, including a Private Members' motion on 12 November, the Minister apologised to students and gave an assurance that over 90% of those who applied to SUSI and expected to be paid would be paid by Christmas. The reality was somewhat different and,...

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

Charlie McConalogue: That is a further failure some two months from the Minister's apology, with only half of the people having been paid. There is a constant tenor running through the responses from the Department and the Minister on the issue over the past few months that what is happening is similar to what happened in other years. The Minister tried to give this impression again today when he stated this...

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

Charlie McConalogue: Again, I ask the Minister to provide the updated figure on the number of grants that have been paid at this stage. The Minister indicated prior to Christmas that he expected 90% of the total students who will receive a grant to be paid before Christmas. As I noted in early January, only half of this group had been paid their grants at that point. It is unacceptable that Deputies are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Teacher Redeployment (22 Jan 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has met with the Institute of Guidance Counsellors to discuss the issues that emerged from a recent survey by the IGC in particular the impact of cuts to disadvantaged schools and the reduction in one to one counselling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2840/13]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Teacher Redeployment (22 Jan 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: Since the Minister introduced the cut to guidance counselling services last year, the service in schools throughout the country has been decimated. That was shown clearly by the Institute of Guidance Counsellors survey last week which showed that one-to-one time with students is down 50%, or halved. It also showed that guidance services in 13% of cases are being provided by unqualified...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Teacher Redeployment (22 Jan 2013)

Charlie McConalogue: If the Minister had taken the time to meet with the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, he might have received that feedback in the last week or so. As I pointed out, its survey shows that one-to-one time with students is down by 50%. There is a crisis among our young people at present with mental health issues. It impacts on a small percentage of students but there are far more factors and...