Results 4,981-5,000 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: There has been a great deal of criticism of the Department when it comes to funding and so on, but I acknowledge that this particular area is the one in which we have seen the greatest reform. There has been all-party agreement on the Bills that have been brought before the Oireachtas dealing with QQI, further education and training, and the education and training boards, ETBs. We can all...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: I have one further question relating to European Social Fund, ESF, funding. The departmental briefing document indicates that a proposal has been made to strengthen systems, which requires additional staffing. That request, we are told, is being finalised for submission to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. It is essential that these additional personnel are appointed in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: That is the point I wanted to raise. We are talking about back-to-school costs. The largest school cost, the cost that increases year-on-year, is the voluntary contribution. The reason it is increasing is due to the cut in budgets to schools and capitation grants and those cuts have to be made up somewhere. Schools are operating on smaller budgets with more students and more pressures and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: Is that inclusive or exclusive of previously announced multi-annual cuts?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: Can the Minister say what that additional cost will be, based on next year's projections?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: What is the monetary value of those four cuts?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: It is important that we clarify figures. Will the savings for next year for those four identified multi-annual cuts that have previously been announced amount to €30 million?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: Roughly. Originally we were looking at €39 million, but negotiations are ongoing. We are looking at a minimum of €30 million savings next year in education.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: In the Minister's briefing it says that there may be a risk of delay in appointing those people because of the delays in vetting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: Just to clarify what Deputy McConalogue said in regard to the next savings required in 2015, one of the slides states that a further €39 million will have to be saved in 2015.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: On page 3, it states, "keeping within the 2015 current expenditure ceiling a further net saving of €39 million is required in 2015". Perhaps the Minister can clarify that. If that figure is correct, could the Minister clarify whether that €39 million includes previously announced cuts from previous budgets, such as multi annual cuts to funding, for example the capitation...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Services (24 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: 210. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will urge Irish Rail to introduce train tickets for part-time workers that would reduce the cost of their travel and ensure they are not paying for fares for the days they do not commute; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35978/14]

Housing Provision: Motion [Private Members] (23 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: I congratulate the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, and the Minister of State, Deputy Paudie Coffey, on their appointments and wish them the best in their new roles. They face difficult jobs. The housing issues we are discussing were not created by them but they have an opportunity to do something positive and rectify the problems facing many people throughout the country. I left the Chamber...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Suspension (23 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: 434. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to reinstate the minor works grant scheme; if her attention has been drawn to the negative impacts for many schools as a result of its loss. [35279/14]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (23 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: 449. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the financial pressure being placed on students due to the increased amount of time they must spend in the Gaeltacht in order to qualify as a teacher; and her plans to address this. [35548/14]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (23 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: 450. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the guidelines setting out the standards that Gaeltacht programme for students undertaking primary education degrees must adhere to; the avenues open to students if they feel that the programmes they are sent to are not meeting the standards. [35549/14]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (23 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: 463. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the provision of a new school in Naas, County Kildare; if her attention has been drawn to the fact a brand new school is lying empty in Craddockstown; if her attention has been further drawn to the fact that the Education and Training Board has a primary school with 220 children in prefabs, of which 30 are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (23 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: 464. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the excessive delays in the operations of Caranua; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that citizens have lost places on education courses due to the inability of Caranua to process their appeals in a timely manner; if her attention has been further drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) lost a place on a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Placement (23 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: 468. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her policy on twins in primary schools remaining in the same class or being separated. [35866/14]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Fees (23 Sep 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: 469. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the recourse open to a parent who paid a fee for books to a non-fee-paying primary school at the beginning of September and then subsequently removed the children from that school and put them in another but received no refund for the fees paid and no books; if the school is obliged to refund this money; and if she will make a statement on the...