Results 5,261-5,280 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (22 Sep 2015)

Damien English: Under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometers from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. In general children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (22 Sep 2015)

Damien English: In general, children with special educational needs are eligible for school transport if they are attending the nearest recognised mainstream school or unit that is or can be resourced, to meet their special educational needs under Department of Education and Skills' criteria. An application for school transport for the child referred to by the Deputy was submitted on 24th July 2015 and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Administration (22 Sep 2015)

Damien English: The purpose of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. In general, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Administration (22 Sep 2015)

Damien English: Under the terms of my Department's Primary and Post Primary School Transport Scheme a minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits. The Deputy will be aware that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (22 Sep 2015)

Damien English: Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Bus Éireann which operates the School Transport Scheme has advised that the child...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (22 Sep 2015)

Damien English: A new school transport service for the child referred to by the Deputy has been sanctioned by my Department in accordance with the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs. Bus Éireann has advised that a service will be in place shortly and the local office in Limerick (phone, 061 217484) will contact the family directly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Scéim Iompair Scoile (22 Sep 2015)

Damien English: Faoi théarmaí Scéim Iompair Iarbhunscoile mo Roinne, cáilíonn páistí don iompar scoile má chónaíonn siad 4.8 ciliméadar ón lárionad oideachais is gaire dóibh agus má fhreastalaíonn siad ar an lárionad oideachais is gaire dóibh, faoi mar a chinneann mo Roinn/Bus Éireann é, agus ag...

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: From the Seanad (16 Jul 2015)

Damien English: This is the amendment for which the Deputy was looking. Amendment No. 57 concerns the appointment of a panel to conduct an inquiry under section 43. The amendment proposes the replacement of Schedule 3 of the principal Act. Much of the detail of Schedule 3 is now dealt with in the proposed amendment to section 43. Accordingly, this is essentially a structural amendment and all of its...

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: From the Seanad (16 Jul 2015)

Damien English: It reads: "Notwithstanding any vacancies in the membership of the Disciplinary Committee, a panel may be appointed from among the members of that Committee." It does not relate to public hearings.

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: From the Seanad (16 Jul 2015)

Damien English: This is largely a technical amendment to transfer the provisions in subsections (1) to (6), inclusive, from Schedule 3 to the 2001 Act, as amended by the Bill, into a new section 43A. The new section 43A separately sets outs the relevant provisions of the Bill relating to the use and assessment of vetting disclosure by a panel undertaking an inquiry under section 43. In addition to the...

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: From the Seanad (16 Jul 2015)

Damien English: This amendment provides that a person commits an offence in the course of an inquiry when he or she fails to attend having been summoned, refuses to take an oath, refuses to produce any document in his or her power or control lawfully required by the panel or refuses to answer a question. In addition, it is an offence if a person does anything which, if the panel were a court of law, would...

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: From the Seanad (16 Jul 2015)

Damien English: This amendment provides that where a complaint is withdrawn by the complainant while it is being considered by the investigating committee or where it has progressed to a panel inquiry, the committee or the panel may, with the agreement of the council, decide either that no further action is to be taken or proceed as if the complaint had not been withdrawn. This is to prevent a situation...

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: From the Seanad (16 Jul 2015)

Damien English: I have already outlined amendment No. 41 which provides, inter alia, that a panel may request a teacher to give certain undertakings or consent to certain measures. Amendment No. 50 is necessary to provide that in such circumstances the panel will make a decision to confirm these measures. Amendment No. 53 ensures such decisions which are arrived at on foot of voluntary agreement by the...

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: From the Seanad (16 Jul 2015)

Damien English: This is an additional amendment to section 44(3) of the principal Act which deals with the removal, suspension or retention of a teacher on the register following an inquiry. The amendment provides that measures entered into by a teacher voluntarily are not appealable to the High Court. It deletes the words “of the Disciplinary Committee” from the phrase “vary the...

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: From the Seanad (16 Jul 2015)

Damien English: Amendment No. 54 inserts a new section into the Act and provides that, where it comes to the Teaching Council’s attention that a decision to sanction a registered teacher has been made in another state, the council will, as soon as practicable, inform the Minister and the teacher’s employer, where relevant. The amendment further provides for the Teaching Council, where it has...

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: From the Seanad (16 Jul 2015)

Damien English: Section 46B was introduced as an amendment on Committee Stage in the Seanad to provide for the publication of certain information on the outcomes of fitness to teach inquiries. It was further amended on Report Stage in the Seanad to set out in a clearer manner the provisions in relation to the circumstances in which the council would inform the public of such information. It provides that...

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: From the Seanad (16 Jul 2015)

Damien English: Amendment No. 56 replaces the current section 60 of the principal Act and concerns the non-admissibility of a statement or admission made by a person to a panel in relation to a complaint in other proceedings. It does not apply, however, where a person commits an offence in respect of a panel inquiry. The proposed amendment follows the form of non-admissibility provisions in more recent...

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: From the Seanad (16 Jul 2015)

Damien English: The purpose of this provision is to enable the Teaching Council, where it has received a vetting disclosure in respect of a registered teacher for the purposes of the renewal of his or her registration and information in that disclosure gives rise to a bona fide child protection concern, to provide that information to the employer of the teacher, where that employer is known to the council....

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: From the Seanad (16 Jul 2015)

Damien English: The purpose of this provision is to provide for non-compliance with an undertaking given by a registered teacher following an inquiry by the disciplinary committee under section 43 of the Act, as an additional reason for complaint under section 42, inquiry by investigating committee. If a teacher has agreed to measures as part of an inquiry it makes sense that non-compliance with the...

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: From the Seanad (16 Jul 2015)

Damien English: Section 16 of the Bill amends section 42 of the 2001 Act. That section sets out the grounds on which complaints about registered teachers may be made and the role and processes to be followed by the director and the investigating committee in respect of such complaints. Subsection (1D) of section 42 as amended by the Bill provides that the council may make a complaint to the investigating...