Results 2,481-2,500 of 3,797 for speaker:Ciarán Cannon

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (25 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 km from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme Numbers (20 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: My Department funds a range of Further Education programmes for adults returning to education. These include the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS), Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) and the Back To Education Initiative (BTEI). These programmes are provided locally by Vocational Education Committees (VECs). The VTOS programme provides full-time second-chance education and training...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Adult Education (19 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: My Department funds adult and community education through annual grants to Vocational Education Committees (VECs) which deliver these courses locally. The disbursement of funds is a matter for each VEC which, subject to its budget, decides the nature and extent of the adult and community education courses to be provided in its area. The organisation and location of courses are also matters...

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects Status (18 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I thank Deputy Lawlor for raising this matter which provides me with an opportunity to outline to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects over the next five years and specifically the procedures for tendering public works contracts to meet the projected demographic need during this period. The Deputy will be aware of the context within which...

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects Status (18 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I will briefly outline for the Deputy the process by which this particular contractor was appointed. Initially, nine contractors submitted tenders. The contractor appointed at the end of the process was deemed to have submitted the most economically advantageous tender. The design team engaged by the Department then undertook a serious due diligence of the tender before submitting their...

Topical Issue Debate: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (18 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I am taking this important matter on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, and I thank Deputy McConalogue for raising it. The Deputy is referring to a recent announcement by Bank of Ireland regarding its postgraduate loan initiative for current and prospective students, providing finance for fees and living costs. The approach to dealing with the current...

Topical Issue Debate: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (18 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: The current variable interest rate of 10.8% APR is below the existing standard unsecured personal loan rates, which are 14.8% APR for a loan of less than €5,000 and also below the existing standard student loan rate of 11.9% APR. If, as the Deputy has said, credit unions are offering rates substantially lower than the 10.8% offered by Bank of Ireland, I am sure postgraduate students...

Topical Issue Debate: Thalidomide Victim Compensation (18 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I am pleased to take this opportunity to outline, on behalf of the Minister for Health, the Government's position on the Irish survivors of thalidomide. The commitment in the programme for Government is to reopen discussions with survivors and this is what the Government is committed to doing. The Government recognises the challenges that persist for thalidomide survivors as they get older....

Topical Issue Debate: Thalidomide Victim Compensation (18 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I certainly undertake to pass on Deputy Donohoe's concerns to the Minister. I again assure him that at this point, the Minister's principal concern is to provide a health care package, as well as meaningful discussions on what he describes as a financial gesture of goodwill. I would be interested to hear what Deputy Donohoe's alternative wording might be for this gesture for the survivors....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (18 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Under the terms of the Primary School Transport scheme pupils are eligible for school transport if they reside 3.2 kilometres or more from and are attending their nearest national school having regard to ethos and language. Bus Éireann has advised that the pupils referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied are not attending their nearest school and are therefore not eligible for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Job Creation Issues (18 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Under the Jobs Initiative the Department of Education and Skills was to provide 15,900 education and training places across a spectrum of programmes. Details of which are set out below: - 6,000 places in the FÁS Specific Skills Training programme - 5,900 places in the Higher Education Springboard programme - 3,000 places in the Back to Education Initiative programme - 1,000 places in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Job Creation Issues (18 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: My Department's actions will support the Government's "Action Plan for Jobs", which sets out how the Government will target different sectors with new policy supports for creating employment opportunities. Under this ambitious plan the Government expects to create up to 100,000 jobs over the next 4 years. My Department will play a key role in the successful implementation of this plan to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (18 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: It has been the policy of my Department for some time that only qualified and registered teachers should be employed by schools. Schools must ensure that teachers proposed for appointment to publicly paid teacher posts are registered with the Teaching Council and have qualifications appropriate to the sector and suitable to the post for which they are proposed. The qualifications of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Proposed Legislation (18 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Following the Government Decision to create SOLAS, an Implementation Group was set up to prepare an Action Plan to implement the changes required to establish SOLAS. The Heads of a Bill for the establishment of SOLAS have been approved by Government. The Bill will, inter alia, provide for the establishment of SOLAS and for the dissolution of FAS. The Bill is being currently being drafted in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (18 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann has advised that as there are over 30 school transport services, carrying almost 900 children operating to the schools referred to by the Deputy, the complete list of pick up and set down points is not readily available. If the Deputy has a particular route in mind Bus Éireann will be requested to forward the information directly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (18 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: The overall spend on school transport, which provides for all aspects of school transport provision including the payment of grants, amounted to over €171 million in 2011. The 2012 allocation is almost €170million. Payments to private contractors amounted to over €105million or some 61% of the total cost of school transport provision in 2011. Some 85% of the vehicles...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (18 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (18 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann which operates the School Transport Scheme, on behalf of my Department, has advised that a ticket for school transport services issued to the pupil in question in August.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (18 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme, eligible children who hold valid Medical Cards (GMS Scheme) are exempt from paying school transport charges. Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply to Bus Éireann for transport on a concessionary basis only subject to a number of conditions which are detailed in the scheme. These children are not exempt...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (18 Sep 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department has advised that a ticket has been issued to the pupil referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied.