Results 3,181-3,200 of 3,797 for speaker:Ciarán Cannon

School Transport (22 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Eligible primary school children who meet the requisite distance criterion of 3.2 kilometres will continue to retain school transport eligibility for the duration of their schooling. The distance criterion of 3.2 km is now being applied nationally to all eligible children availing of transport under the primary school transport scheme. Furthermore, in order to assist families residing in a...

School Transport (22 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I will try to frame a response to that particular case if the Deputy forwards details of that child with special needs.

School Transport (22 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Regarding an ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of the school transport system, as a result of the value for money review instigated by the last Government a significant number of changes were proposed and are now being implemented. One such change is that the requirement from September 2012 will be that children will be provided with transport to their nearest school. That has the...

School Transport (22 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The changes as currently proposed would allow for a situation to arise where there might be one or two siblings who are currently eligible for school transport but younger siblings about to enter the school system are not eligible. The system as envisaged by the last Government would have allowed that to happen. We are trying to work our way in order to ensure that does not occur. It will...

Written Answers — Departmental Agency: Departmental Agency (22 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: In July the Government announced the establishment of SOLAS as one of the key elements in the future development of the Further Education and Training sector. The SOLAS Implementation Group has been established to implement the announced changes in the sector. I am chairing the Group and its membership includes the Department of Education and Skills, FÁS and the Irish Vocational Education...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (22 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I understand that, in order to qualify for the award of the FETAC Advanced Certificate - Craft, apprentices are required to: - ? Be registered as an apprentice for a period of at least four years? Have successfully completed Phase 1 to Phase 7 of their apprenticeships ? Have completed a statutory period of 4 years (208 weeks) in employment since date of registration, as apprentices in their...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (22 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I understand from FÁS that an application has been received by FÁS from the employer of the person in question to register him as an apprentice Motor Mechanic. Applicants registering to the motor trade must pass a FÁS approved colour vision test which must be administered by an Optician, Medical Doctor and/or Optometrist. I also understand from FÁS that the person in question failed to...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (22 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Families of children who are eligible for school transport, but for whom no service is available, may apply for the Remote Area Grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements. The rates of grant range from a family minimum of €1.30 per day to a maximum of €5.10 per day. Grants are paid annually on receipt of a completed Statement of Attendance Form. An application for...

Written Answers — Jobs Initiative: Jobs Initiative (22 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: My Department is delivering the majority of the additional training, education and work experience places (15,900) for the unemployed contained in the Jobs Initiative which was announced in May 2011 through the following programmes: * 6,000 places on FÁS Specific Skills Training Courses * 3,000 places on the Back to Education Initiative (FE)* 1,000 places on Post Leaving Certificate Courses...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (21 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I am pleased to advise that a school transport service has been approved for the pupil in question. Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department has advised that the service will commence on Thursday 22nd September 2011. The Contractor's vehicle which will be used for this service is currently being adapted for wheelchair accessibility.

Written Answers — Jobs Initiative: Jobs Initiative (21 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The majority of the additional training places (15,900) for the unemployed contained in the Jobs Initiative which was announced in May 2011 are being delivered by my Department through the following programmes: 6,000 places on FÁS Specific Skills Training Courses 3,000 places on the Back to Education Initiative (FE) 1,000 places on Post Leaving Certificate Courses (FE) 5,900 places on the...

Written Answers — Jobs Initiative: Jobs Initiative (21 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The majority of the additional places (15,900) for the unemployed contained in the Jobs Initiative which was announced in May 2011 are being delivered by my Department through the following programmes. 6,000 places on FÁS Specific Skills Training Courses 3,000 places on the Back to Education Initiative (FE) 1,000 places on Post Leaving Certificate Courses (FE) 5,900 places on the Springboard...

Written Answers — Apprenticeship Programmes: Apprenticeship Programmes (20 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Apprenticeship is the recognised means by which people are trained to become craftspeople in Ireland. 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. The significant reduction in construction activity in Ireland over the last few years...

Written Answers — Post-Leaving Certification Courses: Post-Leaving Certification Courses (20 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Co. Wicklow Vocational Educational Committee (VEC) operates the PLC programme in County Wicklow. The number of approved PLC places in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 is as follows - 2006/2007 academic year - 990 PLC places2007/2008 academic year - 990 PLC places2008/2009 academic year - 950 PLC places2009/2010 academic year - 980 PLC places2010/2011 academic year - 980 PLC places2011/2012...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (20 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The additional 3,000 BTEI places provided as part of the recent Jobs Initiative were allocated to the VECs in June, 2011. These places are designed to provide flexible short term programmes, with priority given to people who are unemployed and who left school prior to completing their Leaving Certificate. VECs are currently in the process of recruiting participants and initiating programmes...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (15 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The purpose of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs arising from a diagnosed disability is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of these children. Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes. Bus...

Written Answers — Apprenticeship Programmes: Apprenticeship Programmes (14 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: My Department has been in contact with FÁS about the case in question. I understand that FÁS will be introducing shortly a Competency Determination Mechanism to enable eligible redundant apprentices in the trade of Brick & Stonelaying to complete their apprenticeship. This will provide redundant apprentices with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and knowledge against the...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (14 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The school transport scheme, which is operated by Bus Éireann on my Department's behalf, facilitates the transportation of some 120,000 children to primary and post-primary schools each day including approximately 8,000 children with special educational needs. School transport is a very significant national operation involving about 42 million journeys and over 82 million kilometres on...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (14 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: A pre-retirement leave policy was introduced by FÁS a number of years ago. The Board of FÁS cancelled this policy in March 2010. However, the Union referred the matter to the Labour Court, and the Labour Court recommended that the arrangement be re-instated to allow for due process. It further recommended that discussions on the future of the pre-retirement leave policy begin immediately...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (14 Sep 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: In July 2011, the Government decided that a new further education and training authority, to be called SOLAS, should be established. SOLAS will operate under the aegis of the Department of Education and Skills, and will co-ordinate and fund the wide range of further education and training programmes around the country. The establishment of SOLAS, the disbanding of FAS and making VECs...