Results 2,941-2,960 of 3,797 for speaker:Ciarán Cannon

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: FÁS commenced payment of the person's weekly training allowance from the week ending 27th January. He was informed that his back money will be paid in due course. The delay in making payment is due to the fact that when the person presented himself to register with FÁS, his Department of Social Protection (DSP) documentation indicated that he was not in receipt of a DSP payment prior to...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: FÁS staff members in the North East region identified issues in respect of the operation and administration of FÁS assessment procedures, the resultant certificates to be awarded and several of the underlying processes. While these issues were initially identified in the North East Region, it became apparent that there were systemic problems in this regard within the organisation. FÁS...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Schemes, on behalf of my Department, has advised that pupils are now provided with a service from the requested pick up and set down point.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take questions 160, 161, 162, 163, 164 and 165 together. In July 2011, following a wide-ranging review of options regarding the provision of further education and training and the structures to support it, the Government announced the establishment of a new further education and training authority - SOLAS. I chair the Implementation Group established by the Government, which is...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Under the terms of my Department's School Transport scheme, a pupil with special educational needs is eligible for school transport if s/he is attending the nearest recognised: mainstream school, special class/special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet the child's special educational needs under Department of Education and Skills criteria. The pupil referred to is not...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2kms, in the case of primary, and 4.8 kms in the case of post primary, from and are attending their nearest national school or education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Ethos relates to religious ethos and is in the context of minority religions. Each application for...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Schemes, on behalf of my Department, has advised that the service referred to by the Deputy is not a school transport service; in general, school transport services operate for the duration of the state examinations. As regards the issue of whether or not the person referred to can sit his/her state examinations in the school where he/she is...

Teaching Council (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I am taking this Topical Issue Debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn. The Minister sees the Teaching Council as key to implementing the Department's strategic objectives on the quality of teaching and learning in schools. Much work has been done by the council to develop education, in particular, in maintaining and improving teaching...

Teaching Council (7 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I concur wholeheartedly with the Deputy in the sentiments he expressed. Bureaucracy, properly administered, can be wonderful, but it can be a drag on job retention and creation. As the Deputy pointed out, we must be careful in the coming months and years to root out unnecessary bureaucracy. Internationally, there are many wonderful examples of how this has been done. Having worked closely...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (2 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I understand that in order to qualify as a craftsperson, an apprentice must be employed by a FÁS approved employer and complete all seven alternating on-the-job and off-the-job phases of their apprenticeship, which is a minimum of four years (208 weeks) in duration from the date of registration, as well as achieving the qualifying standard throughout their apprenticeship. I have been...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (2 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Following the Government Decision to create SOLAS, an Implementation Group was set up to establish SOLAS. I am chairing this Group and its membership includes representatives from the Department of Education and Skills, FÁS, the Irish Vocational Education Association and the Department of Social Protection. The Group has been meeting regularly since August 2011 to drive the process forward....

Primary Schools: Motion (Resumed) (1 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I wish to conclude on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, who is on a North-South ministerial visit in Armagh this evening. He made very clear yesterday that the very difficult financial and budgetary context in which Ireland is operating, which legacy we inherited from the last Fianna Fáil-led Government, is creating an incredible challenge that must and will be faced up to by...

Primary Schools: Motion (Resumed) (1 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: No school likes to lose a teacher - that is quite simple and straightforward - but it is wrong for a desire to preserve the status quo in regard to teacher numbers and class sizes to result in unnecessary anxiety in local communities over the future of their schools. It is important that the staffing levels in small schools be affordable and sustainable, particularly in these very difficult...

Primary Schools: Motion (Resumed) (1 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I am surprised that Fianna Fáil has raised this matter on Private Members' business given its stated view in 1992, when it was in government-----

Primary Schools: Motion (Resumed) (1 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: It stated we should move towards the eight-teacher school as the ideal norm for urban areas and towards a four-teacher school as the ideal norm for rural areas.

Primary Schools: Motion (Resumed) (1 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: This idea would have seen the forced amalgamation and closure of all schools with fewer than four teachers.

Primary Schools: Motion (Resumed) (1 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: Members of Sinn Féin should listen closely to the words of their Minister for Education, Mr. John O'Dowd, who spoke about the rationale behind an audit he is carrying out on rural schools in Northern Ireland. He stated: "We have too many schools that do not have the capacity to give children the broad and rich educational experience they deserve". He added: We cannot plan our future...

Primary Schools: Motion (Resumed) (1 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: This is recognised by Deputies in all parties. The Government fully acknowledges this and states clearly in its amendment to the motion that public services, including schools, must continue to be an important part of the social fabric of rural communities. However, this does not mean rural schools can simply stand still or should never have their staffing levels changed to levels that are...

Seanad: Hospital Services (1 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: I have the utmost respect for every Member of both Houses of the Oireachtas and 99.99% of us are here to try to create a better country for the people whom we serve; it is an incredible honour and privilege to sit in either House. This includes Senator Cullinane, as my respect extends to everybody who operates in this environment. However, in recent weeks my respect for Sinn Féin has begun...

Seanad: Hospital Services (1 Feb 2012)

Ciarán Cannon: The Senator's party does. That is all I am saying.