Results 5,021-5,040 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Designation (20 Jan 2016)

Damien English: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The school referred to by him is a new school which was established in September 2011 on foot of an amalgamation agreed to by the patrons of two existing post-primary schools, one DEIS school and one non-DElS school. I was not familiar with the issue before today, but it is something I will discuss with our colleague, the Minister, Deputy Jan...

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Designation (20 Jan 2016)

Damien English: The Deputy has stated again that assurances were given. I am led to believe by my officials that that is not the case. They are and have been very clear in the replies to parliamentary questions and on other occasions too that assurances were not given because it was not in their gift to give them. They are very clear on that point and they are usually right on these things. They are also...

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Designation (20 Jan 2016)

Damien English: The Minister of State, Deputy Paudie Coffey, was stuck in traffic, but he has now landed. He will be here. He wants to take the Topical Issue himself.

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Designation (20 Jan 2016)

Damien English: Yes, I am. I know that the Minister of State, Deputy Paudie Coffey, wants to take the issue to be raised by Deputy Gerry Adams. There was a bad crash on the road and we were all caught, but the Minister of State should be here in the next two minutes.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (20 Jan 2016)

Damien English: Under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, children are eligible for transport where they are attending the nearest recognised school that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs. My Department has no record of a school transport application for the child in question. In this regard, the family should liaise...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (19 Jan 2016)

Damien English: The child referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme. The closing date for receipt of payments for school transport was 31st July 2015. Bus Éireann has advised that payment details for this child were only submitted in September 2015 and at that time the service was operating to capacity. They have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Health and Safety (14 Jan 2016)

Damien English: Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department, has confirmed that from a safety perspective turning buses at the school in question cannot be recommended. To serve this school some buses would have to use a junction which has been deemed unsafe for this purpose because buses would have to make a left-hand turn and in doing so the bus would be obliged...

Seanad: Innovation 2020: Statements (13 Jan 2016)

Damien English: I welcome the opportunity to address Seanad Éireann on Innovation 2020, Ireland's new strategy for research and development, science and technology. Innovation 2020 is based on a shared vision of Ireland becoming a global innovation leader, driving a strong sustainable economy and a better society. Its launch was the culmination of a year-long process of collaboration and consultation...

Seanad: Innovation 2020: Statements (13 Jan 2016)

Damien English: I will try to get through all the questions. I thank the Senators for their support for and recognition of the importance of Innovation 2020 and the science strategy. This House certainly understands the importance of investing in research and development. This is taxpayers' money and we have a duty to invest it properly. We have had this discussion before about following the money and...

Seanad: Innovation 2020: Statements (13 Jan 2016)

Damien English: Correct. However, they do not know what is out there. They are not really aware, but that is our job. We all need to encourage awareness, be it through the science strategy or the work with SFI and the discover science programmes. We need to get the message out there and open their minds to it. That is what we are trying to do here. There is a report on the desk of the Minister, Deputy...

Seanad: Innovation 2020: Statements (13 Jan 2016)

Damien English: I have a few items that I will come back to individually. The Senator asked the reason we look at Denmark, Sweden and Israel. It is because they are comparative countries. They are investing heavily in research and development and they are driving innovation. They are countries with which we are competing and we have to match them and be ahead of them. They are already well on the road...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Research and Development Supports (13 Jan 2016)

Damien English: In 2015, my Department was responsible for a research budget of €392m representing 53.32% of the total Government investment in R&D.The majority of this funding is administered through the various research funding agencies under the aegis of my Department as well as bodies such as the Higher Education Authority which is responsible for the administration of the Programme for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (13 Jan 2016)

Damien English: Buses provide services to carry schoolchildren both under the Department of Education & Skills School Transport Scheme and also in a private capacity hired by, for example, parents of schoolchildren or schools. Every school bus is required to be tested under the Road Safety Authority's (RSA) Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Test (CVRT), which is the primary annual vehicle safety...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (13 Jan 2016)

Damien English: Changes to my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme were announced in December 2010 by the then Government as part of measures contained in Budget 2011 and derived from recommendations contained in the Value for Money review of the scheme. The changes announced covered the uniform application of the distance eligibility criterion, the cessation of the Closed/Central School Rule (CSR),...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (13 Jan 2016)

Damien English: Changes to my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme were announced in December 2010 by the then Government as part of measures contained in Budget 2011 and derived from recommendations contained in the Value for Money review of the scheme. The changes announced covered the uniform application of the distance eligibility criterion, the cessation of the Closed/Central School Rule...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Availability (13 Jan 2016)

Damien English: Given the increase in the School Transport Section workload at the commencement of a new school year combined with the routine administrative work in relation to school transport provision generally, regrettably, it was not feasible to deal with the increased volume of representations in a more timely manner. In relation to the query raised by the Deputy, I can advise that under the terms...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (17 Dec 2015)

Damien English: The purpose of my Department's School Transport Schemes is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. Children who are not eligible for school transport, under the terms of the schemes, may apply to Bus Éireann for transport on a concessionary basis subject to a number of conditions including...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Programmes Funding (17 Dec 2015)

Damien English: The allocation of Further Education and Training (FET) funding to Education and Training Boards (ETBs) is an operational matter for SOLAS and I have forwarded your request to SOLAS for direct response. SOLAS took over the allocation of funding for further education and training programmes in 2014. This includes funding from the National Training Fund (NTF) for Training Centres which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (17 Dec 2015)

Damien English: Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department, has advised that one school transport service currently operates to the school in question and that they have no issue with safety at the set down and pick up point. Furthermore, they have advised that there is a crossing guard in attendance at the school. In general, individual school authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Tendering (17 Dec 2015)

Damien English: Bus Éireann is obliged to tender all works, goods and services in line with the European Directives on public procurement. This includes school transport services performed by contractors under the School Transport Scheme, which Bus Éireann operates on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. Bus Éireann is satisfied that the tendering process is a competitive...