Results 401-420 of 873 for speaker:Averil Power

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: School Book Rental Scheme: Discussion (4 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: I can see the Attorney General's point and I am aware that her office has become much stricter in the context of powers being devolved to Ministers in circumstances where such powers are not bestowed in primary legislation. However, a one-page Bill could resolve this issue and the Minister could easily bring one forward if he so desired. I suspect that the real issue is that he is of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: School Book Rental Scheme: Discussion (4 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: I thank the representatives for their presentations. To start with the issue of schoolbooks, the INTO has already outlined and reiterated the flaws in the last scheme that was announced. I thought it was rather bizarre that a grant scheme was announced from which 80% of schools were excluded access. It not only penalised those who had taken the initiative and set up a scheme but sent out a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: School Book Rental Scheme: Discussion (4 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: That is an area that is worthy of Government grants. I ask the officials to examine the grant perspective to help schools to put in place the measures they need. While there is an incentive for every school to put in place energy saving measures, as it would help them to use their capitation grant funding better, the reality is that many principals are lucky if they can pay the bills this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: School Book Rental Scheme: Discussion (4 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: We had two very different issues to address and, to be fair to the witnesses, it is important that we engage with both issues.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Child Care Services Funding (13 May 2014)

Averil Power: I welcome the Minister's indication that there will be a meeting of the funders tomorrow. The issue is urgent, and it is significant that a meeting is taking place tomorrow. I welcome the Minister's commitment to the effect that after the meeting an early meeting will be held with the Jigsaw Childcare Service. I emphasise to the Minister the urgency of the provision of short-term funding...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Child Care Services Funding (13 May 2014)

Averil Power: I echo the sentiments expressed by the Acting Chairmen and welcome the Minister to the House. I have worked with him on other issues and know his capabilities. He is an excellent appointment to the post and I look forward to working with him on children's issues in the coming years. There is probably much correspondence already on the Minister's desk on child care issues from all over the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Implementation of Junior Cycle Student Award: Minister for Education and Skills (13 May 2014)

Averil Power: I was going to make a similar point. It is essential that teachers leaving our teacher training colleges at the end of their initial teacher education have a high standard of maths. I believe the Minister is coming at it from the wrong direction by changing the entry requirement from leaving certificate level. I know there are initiatives in Marino and elsewhere to try to get more...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Implementation of Junior Cycle Student Award: Minister for Education and Skills (13 May 2014)

Averil Power: However, it is premature to tackle it at the leaving certificate level and it would damage too many other objectives we have.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Implementation of Junior Cycle Student Award: Minister for Education and Skills (13 May 2014)

Averil Power: As it would have repercussions in so many other areas, I do not believe it is the right way to go about it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Implementation of Junior Cycle Student Award: Minister for Education and Skills (13 May 2014)

Averil Power: I know we will have to discuss this in private session, but let me repeat that it would be helpful for the committee to bring in the partners in education, the teacher unions, the Joint Managerial Body and the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals so that they are together in the room to try to tease out the issues. Perhaps we can play a role as a committee in helping to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Implementation of Junior Cycle Student Award: Minister for Education and Skills (13 May 2014)

Averil Power: We have heard where the Minister is coming from.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Implementation of Junior Cycle Student Award: Minister for Education and Skills (13 May 2014)

Averil Power: People have different views on these issues, but it is ridiculous that we have come to such an impasse over changes that have been flagged for years and are ready to be rolled out to schools. Students are stuck in the middle. I understand that the teacher unions and the teachers themselves are nervous about change. Change in education can be exciting and important, but it should also be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Implementation of Junior Cycle Student Award: Minister for Education and Skills (13 May 2014)

Averil Power: That is why there needs to be a compromise. I do not know why schools cannot swap exam papers. They can be numbered, which is what is done in college. Sometimes, one is taking a small course and one wonders whether, despite the anonymous number, the lecturer will still have a good idea as to whose paper he or she is marking. There is external spot checking of papers to ensure there are no...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of Technological Universities Bill: Discussion (16 Apr 2014)

Averil Power: I appreciate the Chairman's letting me speak now. Given that the Seanad is debating education legislation at 3 p.m., I will have to leave. However, I will read the transcripts to see all the answers and other issues that arise after I leave. I thank the witnesses for all their presentations. It is good to have the different perspectives of so many groups. Both Mr. Boland of the HEA and...

Seanad: Employment Equality (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2014)

Averil Power: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. It is welcome that in the intervening period since our last discussion, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission published its report last Friday. This is an important development as the report has clarified what is required in amending the legislation, in particular, what is required of us under European law which is superior to all Irish...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Leadership in Schools: Discussion (9 Apr 2014)

Averil Power: My question is for the Department about the issue of clustering. Does the system as it is facilitate that for a group of schools? I realise the Department is open to the idea that there would be a principal across three or four small rural schools, rather than a teaching principal in each one. Can something like that be done under the current structures or would it require change? With...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Leadership in Schools: Discussion (9 Apr 2014)

Averil Power: The Department would just examine deciding what the entitlement is, such as the number of pupils from the combined schools in terms of deciding that they are entitled to a full principal.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Leadership in Schools: Discussion (9 Apr 2014)

Averil Power: I welcome the groups that are before us today. I asked for this issue to be tabled a few months ago because it is one of the most important issues in education. In any profession or employment, the quality of leadership at the top and the management and leadership structure that is available throughout the system is essential in ensuring that employees feel supported and that there is a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Leadership in Schools: Discussion (9 Apr 2014)

Averil Power: I will get to questions in a second. I wanted to touch on that issue of performance management. Although we are a long way from the Canadian system, one of the issues with the Teaching Council that was highlighted when we were having the debate about the extra power that it is being given in the performance of teachers was that in the OECD research on performance management and whether...

Seanad: Employment Equality (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Apr 2014)

Averil Power: On a point of order, it was suggested that we could deal with Committee Stage next week but that we would not have the report by then. I would prefer to leave Committee Stage for a few weeks so that at least we would be in a position to have a proper debate. I have a real difficulty with this because I put forward detailed amendments, as did Senator Zappone. However, how am I supposed to...