Results 1,901-1,920 of 4,414 for speaker:Sean Barrett

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I hope the House will join the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills, Deputy English, in congratulating the three students from Kinsale Community School - Ciara Judge, Emer Hickey and Sophie Healy-Thow - who won the top award at the Google Science Fair in California. Their project was examined the use of natural bacteria to improve crop yields by 50% in wheat and 74% in...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, to delete lines 14 and 15 and substitute the following:" "education provider" means for the purposes of this legislation an educational institution in the State which provides a programme of education and training at levels 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the National Qualifications Framework;".I welcome Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, and I...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: King's College London is ranked No. 16. Also listed is the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. Therefore, I am somewhat sceptical about the fixation with titles, although not to the extent of opposing the proposal. As the Minister was queried about in her interview, TCD had a rather strange fixation with titles during the year. My starting point would be that the Royal...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister and wish her well again. We will have to revisit this, as there is agreement on both sides that a person could not provide university services. The Minister has said she will deal with it later. Perhaps on Report Stage the reference to "person" will be removed, in whatever formula the Minister has in mind. It is impossible for a person to provide the services of a...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: Perhaps after we have gone through the other sections where the Minister addresses the issue of "person" we will see if there is something in comments between us. It is accepted that it would not be a person but an institution. We will put it on hold in accordance with the Minister's wish.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: Yes. I was waiting to get to amendment No. 8. In that spirit I will withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I move amendment No. 2: In page 3, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following:“ “higher education” is defined as education and training provided by a higher education institution at levels 8, 9 and 10 of the National Qualifications Framework;”.I thank the Cathaoirleach for that lengthy list of instructions with which to comply. Amendment No. 2 seeks to...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: What we seek is the provision of a programme of higher education and training the majority of it provided by the authorised provider. The Bill states, "in whole or in part". I think "in whole" is desirable but, "in part" could be down in single figures. We should require the majority of it to be so provided by the person whom we are licensing in the legislation. Amendment No. 7 is a...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: Amendment No. 9 proposes to ensure that there is a reference to higher education. Amendment No. 10 is the final amendment in this section. I will state our proposals more succinctly. Amendment No. 2 proposes a definition of higher education; amendment No. 6 proposes to concentrate on the provision of a programme of education and training and to leave out the reference to marketing and...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister. I have to admit to a prejudice against marketers in universities. They really waste people's time and budgets. They are just spoofers. I am much more interested in the quality of education provided.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: The Minister knows about the marketers' advice on what was supposed to be wrong with the image logo of Trinity College Dublin's on the shield. It was a complete and utter waste of money and I was trying to stop the Department being seduced by this nonsense. Can we get good doctors out of it? I do not care who is engaged in the marketing, except that the cost should be set at about the...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: Amendment No. 9 seeks to clarify the meaning of higher education. In regard to amendment No. 10, when the Bill states "in part provided by the person" we licence, it is important to quantify it. This is an area for charlatans. Some day when I have obtained a licence, I will contract out to a figure of 98% and the licence will hold. I do not think we should give a person with that...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: Vótáil.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I move amendment No. 12: In page 4, line 15, to delete “within 3 months of” and substitute “upon”.As it stands the section states: "The Minister shall, following consultation with an tÚdarás, within 3 months of receipt of an application from an education provider under subsection (1), determine that application". I would like to give the Minister more...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: A number of considerations arise. There should be some distinctiveness among the names of universities. We do not want confusion between the title of a new university and that of an established university. It would be useful to obtain the views of the universities and an tÚdarás on that issue. There are signs of such confusion in the Dublin area where there will be a...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I had hoped the amendment would be of assistance. However, as it is not required, I do not propose to press it. I will not move amendment No. 13 as the Minister has indicated she intends to consider it before Report Stage.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I move amendment No. 14: In page 4, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following:“(c) that the Minister is satisfied that the name of the proposed university is distinct from any existing university in the State.”.We have discussed this issue. The purpose of the amendment is to ensure there would be no confusion in titles. It is self-evident that there should not be any...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Sep 2014)

Sean Barrett: I thank the Minister for her response.