Results 2,101-2,120 of 3,797 for speaker:Ciarán Cannon

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: Yes.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: The amendment proposes to add the word in section 7(1) and then, because it is overly cumbersome, to delete it from all subsequent subsections.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I move amendment No. 4: In page 7, subsection (1)(a), line 11, to delete "to" where it firstly occurs.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: Before I move the amendment, for the purposes of clarity, I wish to make the committee and the Chairman aware that I am considering tabling amendments on Report Stage to deal with a small number of matters. I want to briefly outline those elements as they are required to be raised on Committee Stage in the first instance. There are a small number of amendments that are technical in nature...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I move amendment No. 1: In page 5, to delete lines 28 to 32 and in page 6, to delete lines 1 to 6.The purpose of this amendment is to delete the definition of "further education" from the Bill. As it is currently delivered, further education covers a very broad spectrum, ranging from basic adult literacy and numeracy courses all the way up to courses certified at level 6 and even above, in...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: The Deputy has suggested the definition might be included somewhere else in the legislation. That is not what we are suggesting.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: That is correct.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: We can certainly have that discussion before Report Stage.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: In developing the national strategy, as we are obliged to do in the legislation, there will be significant consultation with all stakeholders in the sector as part of the development process.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: The advice we are getting from the Parliamentary Counsel is that not defining the words "further education" at the very beginning of the Bill will not leave a lacuna in the legislation. The Parliamentary Counsel was also supportive of the view that defining "further education" would be overly prescriptive and provide too narrow a definition for the very exciting developments that might...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 May 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: Yes, there were a number of options of what the definition might look like. In the end the decision was taken that the wisest approach was to completely remove the definition and develop all of the different strands to be incorporated in the development of the strategy. As the strategy is not a legal instrument, it is open to change, reform and development in the future.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (1 May 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: Changes to the School Transport Scheme were announced in Budget 2011 and derive from recommendations in the Value for Money Review of the School Transport Scheme. The main change to the Post Primary scheme means that from the 2012/13 school year, school transport eligibility for all pupils newly entering a post primary school is being determined by reference to the distance they reside from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: FÁS Training Programmes (1 May 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I understand that FÁS can only accept on-the-job assessments from approved companies and will not approve an apprentice to complete on-the-job phases of his/her apprenticeship with a company operating overseas unless the company has a registered office in the Republic of Ireland and has been assessed and approved by FÁS. However, in limited circumstances, apprentices who emigrate...

Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (30 Apr 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me an opportunity to outline to the House my Department's position regarding the construction of new accommodation for Scoil Bhríde, Edenderry and Gaelscoil Éadan Doire. My priority is to ensure that there is sufficient school accommodation to meet projected pupil enrolment increases into the future. The five-year capital...

Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (30 Apr 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: As the Deputy is aware, the OPW entered into a service level agreement with my Department to deliver these and a number of other schools nationally. The reason the expertise and capacity within the OPW for the delivery of buildings of this kind was exercised and used was because we wanted to ensure that all schools outlined in the five-year capital programme would be delivered within that...

Topical Issue Debate: School Enrolments (30 Apr 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I thank Deputy Harrington for giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the position regarding staffing in primary schools, and in particular in our island primary schools. The Department treats schools fairly and objectively in allocating resources to them. This is done in a transparent manner using published criteria. Teaching resources are allocated to schools on a school-year...

Topical Issue Debate: School Enrolments (30 Apr 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: As the Deputy is aware, we are at a time of great strain on our public resources. The significant concessions made to island populations in terms of the numbers they need to retain a second teacher are very significant and favourable, as they should be, to try to retain a strong presence and community structure on these islands. The Deputy suggests in this one instance to change the date...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (30 Apr 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: The college referred to by the Deputy is operated as an approved Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) centre by City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee (CDVEC). Resources are allocated by my Department under the PLC programme to CDVEC and further distribution of these resources to colleges under its remit, is a matter for CDVEC. As you are aware all VECs will have until next September to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: FÁS Training Programmes (25 Apr 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: Tendering guideline documents for specialist training provision are currently being developed by FÁS to enable a procurement pilot to take place. The pilot is being undertaken as a result of a policy decision in 2010, on foot of legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General that in view of the large value of the contracts involved, they should be advertised and a public...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme Eligibility (24 Apr 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: There are a limited number of VTOS places available annually with City of Cork Vocational Education Committee (VEC) having sanction for 420 places in the current academic year. The VEC has advised officials in my Department that the number of applications received was greater than the number of available VTOS places. In order to allocate VTOS places, the VEC has prioritised applicants with...