Results 3,301-3,320 of 3,797 for speaker:Ciarán Cannon

Seanad: School Curriculum (5 Jul 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I am replying to this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn. I thank the Senator for raising this issue. A range of foreign languages is available on the curriculum in schools - French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese and Arabic - at post-primary level. A post-primary languages initiative has been in place since...

Seanad: School Curriculum (5 Jul 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I will convey the Senator's views to the Minister, Deputy Ruairí Quinn. In the last 12 months there have been increasing trade opportunities with Russia, particularly within the agricultural sector, so we might need to continue focusing on that language. However, I agree with the Senator that we should have an ongoing rolling review of foreign language provision in second level schools to...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (30 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Under the terms of the Primary School Transport Scheme concessionary transport is available subject to a number of conditions including payment of a charge which is currently €200 per annum. As these pupils are not eligible for school transport, under the terms of the scheme, there is no exemption from this charge.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (30 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department has advised that invoices for eligible pupils, who have applied for school transport, will issue over the next week.

Written Answers — Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (30 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) training allowances rates are set in line with social welfare rates. Budget 2011 provided for a reduction in these rates of social welfare payments with effect from 1 January 2011 and so VTOS training allowances rates were reduced accordingly. VTOS participants who have been in receipt of their welfare payment for at least 12 months (312 days)...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (30 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The Labour Market Activation Fund was launched in March 2010 in order to aid the creation of training and education programmes for specific priority groups among the unemployed. It is anticipated that approximately 11,500 unemployed people will have benefited from the Fund when it comes to completion. No additional funding was made available in Budget 2011 for a further expansion of the 2010...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (29 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: My Department understands from the Department of Social Protection that the number of persons under the age of 25 years currently in receipt of Jobseeker's Supports, i.e. Jobseeker's Benefit and Jobseeker's Allowance, is 69,037. As at end May 2011, there were 21, 953 participants on FÁS training courses. Of these, my Department understands that a total of 9,668 were under 25 years of age....

Scéim Tógála Scoileanna (28 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Tá mé ag tabhairt freagra ar an ábhar seo thar ceann mo chomhghleacaí, an tAire Oideachais agus Scileanna, an Teachta Ruairi Quinn. Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghlacadh leis an Teachta Ó Cuív faoin ábhar seo a tharraingt anuas mar go dtugann sé deis dom straitéis an Rialtais maidir le hinfheistíocht chaipitil i dtionscadail oideachais a leagan amach, chomh maith le soiléireacht a...

Schools Building Projects (28 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I am replying to this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills. I thank the Deputy for raising this, as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in school building projects and also to outline the current application by the school authority to provide for an extension to Dromclough national...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (28 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The Irish authorities submitted the application for EGF co-financing support for redundant workers at the S R Technics aircraft maintenance facility at Dublin Airport on 9 October 2009. The European Commission approved the EGF application in September 2010 while the formal decision from the EGF Budgetary authority approving the application was made on 8 December 2010. That decision provides...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (28 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 182 together. I wish to inform the Deputy that school transport arrangements under the Closed School Rule originated from the last major amalgamation of schools in the late 1960s. Under the Closed School Rule, transport is generally provided to the school of amalgamation for pupils who reside in a closed school area. However, over the course of the...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (28 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: As previously advised Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, has confirmed that the pupils referred to by the Deputy are not attending their school of amalgamation. Under the terms of the national primary school transport scheme, in the circumstances they are not eligible for school transport under the closed school rule.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (28 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I wish to inform the Deputy that school transport arrangements under the Closed School Rule originated from the last major amalgamation of schools in the late 1960s. Under the Closed School Rule, transport is generally provided to the school of amalgamation for pupils who reside in a closed school area. However, over the course of the last forty two years, many parts of Ireland have...

Written Answers — Redundant Apprentices: Redundant Apprentices (28 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: According to information supplied by FÁS to my Department, as at 31st May 2011, the number of apprentices notified to FÁS by employers as being redundant was 5,118. The number of redundant apprentices who can progress in their apprenticeships having reached the minimum qualifying standard to date in off-the-job training and assessment is 3,185 and 1,933 redundant apprentices cannot...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (28 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I wish to inform the Deputy that school transport arrangements under the Closed School Rule originated from the last major amalgamation of schools in the late 1960's. Under the Closed School Rule, transport is generally provided to the school of amalgamation for pupils who reside in a closed school area. However, over the course of the last forty two years, many parts of Ireland have...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (28 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The changes to school transport services were announced in the 2011 Budget by the previous Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government and derive from a recommendation in the Value for Money Review of the scheme. These changes include the requirement that a minimum of 10 eligible pupils, residing in a distinct locality, will be required to retain or establish a school transport service from 2011/12...

Seanad: School Transport: Statements (28 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Before summing up, I will deal with a number of questions put to me by some Senators. Senator Power asserted that public moneys funnelled into Bus Éireann to cover the cost of providing school transport somehow find their way towards subsidising other loss-making operations within Bus Éireann. I was most concerned when I first heard that assertion being made and I immediately sought...

Seanad: Third Level Grants (28 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn. I thank Senator O'Neill for raising an important matter. He referred to a change to the student grant schemes announced in budget 2011 by the previous Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government, which increased the qualifying distance criterion for the non-adjacent rate of grant from...

Seanad: Rail Network (28 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I am taking this Adjournment debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, whose Department has responsibility for policy and overall funding in respect of public transport. Following the establishment of the National Transport Authority, NTA, in December 2009, the implementation and development of infrastructure projects in the greater...

Seanad: School Transport: Statements (28 Jun 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I am delighted for the opportunity to explain to the Seanad this evening the changes that will take place in the provision of school transport in September next and in September 2012. It is no harm to set in context how exactly we have arrived at a position where we need to impose these changes. Ireland is in a difficult place. In an ideal country, all of us would dearly love to have school...