Results 5,221-5,240 of 6,286 for speaker:Carol Nolan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Engagement with Caranua (30 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: I thank the representatives of Caranua for coming here today. It is extremely concerning that in too many instances complaints have been raised. We are talking about survivors of abuse. It would take a great deal for them to reach out to any organisation for support and it is unacceptable for them to be left as disillusioned as many of them are at present. It is also of concern that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (30 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: 172. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that children from Gleneely, County Donegal, are unable to attend their school of choice (details supplied) due to the nearest distance rule and that these children are therefore educated separately from their siblings; and his plans to address the matter. [25402/17]

Residential Institutions Statutory Fund: Motion [Private Members] (24 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle as ucht an deis seo a thabhairt dom labhairt ar an topaic seo. I confirm that Sinn Féin will be supporting the motion proposed by Independents 4 Change and I commend them for raising this issue for debate. It is an important issue that details the harrowing experiences of too many people in the State. I attended a briefing today....

Topical Issue Debate: Ambulance Service (24 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: Go raibh maith ag a Cheann Comhairle as ucht an deis chun labhairt ar an topaic fíor-thábhachtach seo. I wish to raise the issue of the cost of private ambulances being used to transport public patients in the midlands area. This is an issue of serious concern. I will outline why I believe it should be investigated. When we look at our health service, we can see clearly that...

Topical Issue Debate: Ambulance Service (24 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: I thank the Minister of State for her response. I have a serious concern that the increased use of private ambulances for HSE patients is an outworking of the policy of dynamic deployment. That policy is failing miserably and is putting ambulance staff under pressure and patients at risk. Given the reduced availability of public ambulances, we are now in a position where we need to rely on...

Priority Questions: Back to School Costs (24 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: I welcome that the Department is examining the issue of back-to-school costs, which, as consistently highlighted by Sinn Féin, puts a huge amount of pressure on families every year. I welcome that it is acknowledged. However, I am concerned about the lack of detail in the circular. I wonder whether the Minister's approach in this regard is the right one. For example, capitation in...

Priority Questions: Back to School Costs (24 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: I thank the Minister for his detailed response. I welcome the acknowledgement that back-to-school costs is an issue but I do not agree with his approach to link it to school capitation. I think that is very unfair. Schools have managed to do more with less money and this is not the right approach. I am still unclear as to how the Department will implement this proposal. Will schools be...

Priority Questions: Student Retention Rates (24 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: 31. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address the non-progression rates in institutes of technology. [24756/17]

Priority Questions: Student Retention Rates (24 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: Will the Minister outline his plans to address the high non-progression rates in institutes of technology?

Priority Questions: Student Retention Rates (24 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: I thank the Minister for his response. It is important we address this issue as soon as possible. The fact the non-progression rate stands at 15% is extremely worrying. The Minister has pointed out that there was improvement in some courses, but there are courses such as construction and level 6 and level 7 courses that still have an unacceptably high rate of non-progression. The Minister...

Priority Questions: Student Retention Rates (24 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: I totally agree with the Minister's point that students may make mistakes or errors in choices. Would the Minister not agree, however, that this is due to the cuts in guidance counsellors and the impact of that measure? Those cuts were at second and third level. The Minister has rightly pointed this out and I am glad he has acknowledged it. That is the reason. I know the HEA is trying...

Priority Questions: Back to School Costs (24 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: 32. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address school costs. [24755/17]

Priority Questions: Back to School Costs (24 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: Will the Minister please outline how he intends to implement the recent circular on back-to-school costs? I would especially like to hear how the Minister will assess the implementation of the circular and the rate of premium capitation to be paid to schools as an incentive in reducing back-to-school costs.

Priority Questions: Appointments to State Boards (24 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: 26. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his role in the appointment of the CEO of the Teaching Council. [24780/17]

Priority Questions: Appointments to State Boards (24 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: Given that this has become a contentious issue, what was the Minister's role?

Priority Questions: Appointments to State Boards (24 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: The Minister is aware that the salary of the CEO is believed to be in the region of €120,000. Many newly qualified teachers will find it very difficult to comprehend how such a highly paid role can be automatically renewed without any public competition. Newly qualified teachers are put through a rigorous interview process, so how can this be right? Is it one law for some and...

Priority Questions: Appointments to State Boards (24 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: The chair of the Teaching Council stood down because he felt that this position should have been open to public competition. Surely to God that is a serious enough issue for the Minister to take into consideration. It is also my understanding that several members of the board wanted the appointment to be open to public competition, yet it was not. I am not aware of any difficulty in...

Ceisteanna - Questions: National Economic and Social Council (23 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: The role of the National Economic and Social Council is to analyse and report to the Taoiseach on strategic issues in respect of the State's economic, social, environmental and sustainable development. It is an important body bringing together representatives from across society, including business and employers' organisations, trade unions, farming bodies and the community and voluntary...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Issues (23 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: The EU's 27 Ministers agreed on Monday the negotiating directives for the Brexit negotiations, which are now expected to begin in the week of 19 June. The directives agreed that the priorities in the first phase of negotiations would be: the status of the EU’s citizens in the UK and the 1.2 million Britons on the continent; the so-called Brexit bill for the UK; and the issue of a hard...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (23 May 2017)

Carol Nolan: Does the Taoiseach accept that the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill, which commenced Report Stage in the Dáil last week, has failed to legislate for a key recommendation of the Mahon report into planning corruption?