Results 2,781-2,800 of 3,797 for speaker:Ciarán Cannon

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: This amendment inserts a reference to the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995. The particular reference sets out the circumstances in which a person may disclose information obtained by him of her under the Ethics in Public Office Act. The amendment does not duplicate the provisions of the Ethics in Public Office Act itself.

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: This is an amendment to the Universities Act 1997 dealing with the designation of degrees and other qualifications of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, RCSI. It is proposed that such degrees and other qualifications, where they are approved by the National University of Ireland, NUI, will be designated as degrees and qualifications of NUI for as long as the RCSI remains a recognised...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Gabhaim buíochas leis na Seanadóirí as an cheist seo a ardú mar go dtugann sé deis dom a léiriú don tSeanad straitéis an Rialtais i gcomhair infheistiú chaipitil i dtionscadail oideachais thar na cúig bliana amach romhainn agus an scéal mar atá faoi láthair a shoiléiriú maidir leis an iarratas ar maoiniú mór chaipitil a fuarthas ó Ghaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh i gCnoc na Cathrach...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: First, to reply to Senator Ó Clochartaigh's question, there is no formal appeals process in place, and there never has been. However, there is the opportunity, as was evident this morning, to interact with not only the Minister but also the officials in the building unit in Tullamore to continue to make the case for a new school building for Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh. However, there is no...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: That is a very good question. I do not know.

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: That is my understanding of how the conclusion was reached that there will be a need for a new school. I am not aware of how the decision is made as to what the ethos of that new school will be, but I am willing to undertake further investigation to inform Senator Ó Clochartaigh and Senator Healy Eames of how it is made.

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: As Senator Barrett is aware, all external reviews are undertaken by expert panels and it is not proposed that they would be undertaken by the authority itself. The section applies to the quality procedures of universities and ensuring they are of the highest standard. The amendment proposes to remove research activities from the quality assurance provisions of the Bill, and that is not a...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: The Bill, as initiated, makes provision throughout for providers to make representations to the authority on a number of different matters such as: refusal by the authority to approve proposed quality assurance procedures; withdrawal by the authority of approval of quality assurance procedures; withdrawal of programme validation; determination of request for delegation of the authority to...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: This amendment amends subsection (1) of section 34 to make clear that directions made by the authority should relate to the effectiveness of the procedures for quality assurance established by the provider concerned and the implementation of the procedures by the provider. This ensures that the authority does not make directions about matters not directly related to the effectiveness of...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: These amendments are of a technical nature and provide for the replacement of the term "the proposed withdrawal" throughout the Bill with the term "the reasons for the proposed withdrawal". This clarifies the subject of observations submitted by providers when the authority proposes to withdraw its approval of their quality assurance of access transfer and progression procedures.

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: These amendments are of a technical nature and provide for the replacement of the term "may withdraw" throughout the Bill with the term "shall withdraw" to clarify that the authority must do so if it considers that approval of quality assurance procedures, programme validation, delegated authority to make an award or the access, transfer and progression procedures and use of the international...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: These amendments are of a technical nature and are required to link more clearly designated awarding bodies with their particular linked providers.

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Amendments Nos. 50 and 123 provide for the payment to the authority where it is requested by a designated awarding body to assist in carrying out of a review of a linked provider. That is consistent with the approach to fees set out in the Bill for other services of the authority. Perhaps Senator Barrett wants to speak to amendments Nos. 122 and 125 or will I continue?

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: With regard to amendments Nos. 122 and 125 submitted by Senator Barrett, while all other fees in the Bill are paid by providers, there is provision for a fee payable by a learner for the making of an award by the authority and learners already pay fees to HETAC and FETAC for this service. It is proposed to retain this and I cannot support the amendment on that basis. It should be noted that...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: This amendment amends subsection (8) to ensure designated awarding bodies provide to the authority a copy of reports they prepare following a review of a linked provider. The reports are also provided to the linked provider concerned and are to be published.

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: These amendments insert new sections before the existing section 37 and relate to the quality assurance relationship between designated awarding bodies, the universities NUI, DIT and RCSI, and their linked providers. The new section 37 provides that relevant designated awarding bodies may, having carried out a review of a linked provider, issue directions relating to the effectiveness and...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Amendment No. 62 is a minor technical amendment to replace the work "framework" with the term "framework of qualifications" for clarification purposes and for consistency with the title of the section. I cannot support amendments Nos. 63 and 64. The Bill requires each awarding body and each provider, including previously established universities, to ensure learners acquire the necessary...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Everybody involved in education would accept that quality assurance has a role to play in education provision. The universities collectively would take that view as well. Each university has a quality office. The universities saw fit to establish the Irish Universities Quality Board. Those offices in each institution review each school and faculty on a cyclical basis and examine student...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I do not propose to add to the excellent contributions of the Senators who have a deep understanding of the sector. To respond to Senator Barrett's comments on small schools, the Department has been challenged to find €350 million in savings between now and 2015. Part of the process will involve the savings that accrue from the amalgamation of the awarding bodies. A significant process of...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: With regard to the universities, all the authority will set out to do is to assess whether a university's internal quality assurance processes are in place and stand up to scrutiny. It will be incumbent on every university to ensure its processes provide for student feedback.