Results 5,221-5,240 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: I will get the figures for the Deputy. My figures are concentrated on the past year or two, under my watch. The situation is that each year we have new routes and we also have some routes that end, because there is no longer a need for them. To clarify, if pupils are eligible, but the number on the route goes below a figure of ten, the remote grant kicks in and people receive financial...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: The changes that were implemented probably kicked in earlier, probably for the school year 2011-2012 and these would have had an impact on 2013. I will get the exact details and provide them to the Deputy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: The Senator has gone now but I wish to clarify. Research has been reclassified from current to capital owing to a change in the EU accounting rules. Under the US accounting rules for many years, research was regarded as a capital spend because it gives a return over a long period of time. We did not in Europe. We counted it as current spend. That has been changed and now our budgets...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: I am not finished.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: I am not finished the point. There is an issue when it goes below the magic number, be it ten or seven, as it was in the past, with regard to what happens these people. If they are eligible for a bus ticket they will receive a contribution towards the cost of transport. This is the remote grant. The families of children eligible to get a bus which is no longer running because it is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: -----in that one case-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: To be clear, the scheme is run nationally, and it is logical at that level from a budget point of view. It might seem illogical in individual cases, but the same rules must apply throughout the system. With regard to who makes the decision, special education needs organisers, SENOs, implement national rules. They cannot discard the rules. They try to follow guidelines and principles....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: It is the same with SENOs.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: With respect, we would all love if every parent could decide what school a child will attend, and we try to facilitate choice as best we can, but it is taxpayers' money and we are trying to provide a public transport system for more than 100,000 pupils as best we can within the budget. We do not have the finances to allow endless choice. This is why a scheme was introduced. If parents made...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: I hope I have covered it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: To be clear, they are not left on the side of the road.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: We have to judge what is efficient for a bus. Originally the buses were 50-seaters, and over the years, as the route gets smaller or the number is reduced, the bus is reduced to a minibus. Generally, minibuses carry more than ten people. Sometimes there must be a cut-off. Parents receive a grant, and in some cases they pool it to pay for another mode of transport for a group of people....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: That is fine.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: I have to attend a European meeting. That is why I must leave. I am sorry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: I will work backwards. Deputy Ryan raised a good point. Much of our focus in the science strategy has been on research and development, innovation, working with enterprise and third level education. Whereas Science Foundation Ireland, SFI, is given the job of advocating for and encouraging science through primary and secondary levels, the Deputy called for an important target. All...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Youthreach Programme Staff (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: The Youthreach Operators Guidelines were drawn up in late 2010. The draft guidelines were circulated to a number of stakeholders including the TUI at that time for their views. The Guidelines are designed to assist in the management and administration of the Youthreach programme. They are intended to establish common practices and procedures across the Youthreach programme and to bring...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Tendering (30 Sep 2015)

Damien English: The services of internationally recognised experts in the field of vehicle maintenance systems and safety standards are engaged by Bus Éireann to conduct inspections on school buses that are utilised to provide services on its behalf under the Department of Education & Skills School Transport Scheme nationally. As previously advised, these inspections are designed to complement...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2015: Vote 32 - Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (29 Sep 2015)

Damien English: I would like to add a few comments to what the Minister said. I thank the committee for having me here again; the year goes by very fast. In working with the Minister, Deputy Bruton, on the area of research and development, it is important to look at the rationale behind that. It is important we realise it is about future-proofing the economy. We have had great success through research...