Results 3,121-3,140 of 3,797 for speaker:Ciarán Cannon

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (13 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 66 together. Since the announcement of the proposed redundancies at the Talk Talk company in Waterford, consultations as to the feasibility of submitting a sustainable application for co-financing from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) have been carried out by my Department with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the state...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs (13 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn. I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it gives me the opportunity to outline to the House my Department's position regarding the allocation of funding for an ASD classroom at Finn Valley College, County Donegal. In February 2008, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE,...

Seanad: Adult Education (13 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, and I thank Senator Power for raising the matter. The Department contributes to the overall aim of Government policy on drugs and the national drugs strategy, which is to provide an effective integrated response to the problems posed by drug misuse. Part of the...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (12 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: FÁS has the statutory responsibility for the organisation and control of designated apprenticeship. FÁS does this in co-operation with my Department, the Institutes of Technology, employers and unions. Redundant Apprentices may register with their local FÁS Employment Services Office to avail of information on job vacancies. Information on job vacancies may also be accessed by...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (12 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The planning and organising of school bus routes is an operational matter for Bus Éireann. Bus routes are planned in such a way as to ensure that, as far as possible, eligible pupils have a reasonable standard of service while at the same time ensuring that school transport vehicles are fully utilised in an efficient and cost effective manner. Bus Éireann has advised that the pupils...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (12 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 59, 60 and 62 together. Changes in the School Transport Scheme were announced by the previous Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government and derive from recommendations in the Value for Money Review of the scheme. One of the changes announced included an increase to ten in the minimum number of eligible pupils, residing in a distinct locality, required to establish...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (12 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 63 together. Changes in the School Transport Scheme were announced by the previous Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government and derive from recommendations in the Value for Money Review of the scheme. One of the changes announced included an increase to ten in the minimum number of eligible pupils, residing in a distinct locality, required to establish or...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (12 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: FÁS has confirmed to my Department that it expects to receive from FETAC the certificate for the person in question by the end of this month.

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (12 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: On 7 October 201 the European Commission approved co-financing of €35.7m under the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) in respect of three applications for assistance submitted in June 2010 for almost 9,000 former workers made redundant in the construction NACE 41, 43 and 71 subsectors between 1 July 2009 and 31 March 2010. These applications still require to be approved by the...

University Rankings (12 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: What we are trying to do here is provide for a high level of outcome across the third level sector and in further education in particular at a time when we have limited resources. As the system expands in coming years, which it will because the numbers entering third level are thankfully increasing, it is important that we maintain the focus on high quality outcomes. That will require some...

Oibreacha Athchóirithe Scoileanna (12 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Táim ag freagairt na ceiste seo thar ceann mo chomhleacaí, an t-Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna, an Teachta Ruairi Quinn. Gabhaim mo bhuíochas leis an Teachta as an cheist a ardú mar go dtugann se deis dom an scéal mar atá se faoi láthair a shoiléiriú maidir leis an iarratas athmhaoiniú mór caipitil do Scoil Bhaile Nua, Maigh Cuilinn. Mar is eol don Teachta, chuir údaras na scoile...

Oibreacha Athchóirithe Scoileanna (12 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The Deputy raised the issue of an unspent capital budget in the Department as if it was a new revelation that had not been apparent to the Minister. The previous Government continued to accept this was normal practice over many years. In November 2010 it was established just over €50 million remained unspent in the schools building budget. It is a pity the former Minister did not try to...

Oibreacha Athchóirithe Scoileanna (12 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Despite what the Deputy said, the Department also considered that the school's existing accommodation, now that the extension is complete, is sufficient to meet its essential mainstream classroom and learning support needs.

Oibreacha Athchóirithe Scoileanna (12 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: There are no GP rooms in many schools.

University Rankings (12 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: As Deputy Donnelly points out, the issue of rankings has been a hot topic in recent weeks as both The Times and the QS rankings have been published. Ranking systems in general must be interpreted with a certain degree of caution as criteria differences or even slight changes in the weighting given to a particular criterion between one set of rankings and another can have material differences...

University Rankings (12 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I would not go as far as to describe it as a difficult and dangerous situation. The Deputy referred to the success in the international rankings of the Ivy League colleges in the United States in particular. One has to conclude that is because they are incredibly well funded through the alumni system, as the Deputy mentioned, and that is an area we must examine. I was speaking to two or...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (11 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann which operates the School Transport Schemes on behalf of my Department, has advised that the pupil in question is currently availing of concessionary school transport.

Written Answers — Youthreach Programme: Youthreach Programme (11 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: There are almost 6,000 places available nationwide under the Youthreach umbrella. Almost 3,700 of these places are provided by VECs in Youthreach centres, approximately 2,100 are provided by FÁS in Community Training Centres and the remainder are provided in Justice Workshops through funding from the Department of Justice and Equality. All of these places are fully utilised throughout the...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (11 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Pupils who are eligible for school transport under the terms of my Department's Primary and Post Primary School Transport Schemes are subject to an annual charge towards the cost of providing these services. Eligible pupils who hold valid Medical Cards (GMS Scheme) are exempt from these charges. There is no provision within the above schemes to waive charges for pupils who are not eligible...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (11 Oct 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: One of the changes to the School Transport Scheme, which was announced in the 2011 Budget, was an increase to ten in the minimum number of eligible pupils, residing in a distinct locality, required to establish or retain an individual school transport service. Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Schemes on behalf of my Department, is responsible for the routing and timetabling...