Results 5,361-5,380 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Topical Issue Debate: School Relocation (23 Jun 2015)

Damien English: I understand the frustration felt by Deputy Boyd Barrett and students at Gaelscoil Phádraig having been educated in a prefabricated building for four years. This type of building tends to be too hot in summer and too cold in winter and I do not blame the pupils of the school for wanting to get out of prefabs. The building project is progressing. I am not aware of any alternative...

Topical Issue Debate: Student Support Schemes (23 Jun 2015)

Damien English: I will meet the Deputy on that issue.

Topical Issue Debate: School Relocation (23 Jun 2015)

Damien English: I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy O'Sullivan, and I apologise that she was not able to take it. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me the opportunity to outline to the House the current position regarding the accommodation needs of Gaelscoil Phádraig, Ballybrack. The school is currently located in...

Topical Issue Debate: Student Support Schemes (23 Jun 2015)

Damien English: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. As the Minister, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, cannot be present, I am taking the debate on her behalf. I am not familiar with the case but I accept that it is a genuine case. For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances, whether as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (23 Jun 2015)

Damien English: Upon the commencement of section 30 of the Teaching Council Act, 2001 which was commenced on 28 January 2014, those staff who were in teaching posts and were classed as Teachers when the Haddington Road Agreement came into force on 1 July 2013 were therefore liable to deliver additional hours in the form of Supervision & Substitution (S&S). For those staff who converted to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Staff (23 Jun 2015)

Damien English: As advised previously the employment of staff in an ETB is a matter for the individual ETB and I have asked the ETB in question to contact the Deputy directly to clarify the position.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Administration (23 Jun 2015)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 568 and 569 together. Bus Éireann which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department has advised that Trapeze (UK) Limited was awarded the tender for the IT system for school transport. The estimated cost of IT services which were advertised for tender was some €1.3 million of which €985,000 including VAT has been expended...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (18 Jun 2015)

Damien English: Under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme, a child who is eligible for school transport but for whom no transport service is available may, following an application for transport within the prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements. Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of...

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

Damien English: Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, has confirmed that Buncrana post primary education centre is the nearest education centre to families residing in the Urris area. Distance eligibility for school transport is determined by measuring the shortest traversable route from a child's home to the nearest education centre. The Deputy will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Administration (11 Jun 2015)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 187 to 189, inclusive, together. I have referred the Deputy's questions to Bus Éireann for direct reply.

Other Questions: EU Directives (10 Jun 2015)

Damien English: My Department has engaged with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the National Standards Authority of Ireland, NSAI, on this issue. An information leaflet is being prepared for the sector for distribution through local enterprise offices, LEOs. In 2015, education and training boards, ETBs, and institutes of technology will offer over 2,000 places on a variety of welding...

Other Questions: EU Directives (10 Jun 2015)

Damien English: We are monitoring what is happening in other countries and I will check what is happening in the UK. We help with the training and qualifications end of this. Full-time and part-time courses are provided in all the areas affected by this directive through the ETBs and institutes of technology, as well as Skillnets which involves employers. There are many options available at the training...

Other Questions: EU Directives (10 Jun 2015)

Damien English: There are over 2,000 places for upskilling in this area through a combination of full-time and evening programmes. Some of this is subsidised. If one is unemployed, these courses are provided free by the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Education and Skills. In other cases, there is a charge. A course is generally 25 weeks to 28 weeks long and costs usually between...

Other Questions: EU Directives (10 Jun 2015)

Damien English: I will investigate exactly what is on offer in England compared to here to see what the different systems provide and if there is anything to improve our provision. A range of options through many courses are being provided through various arms of the State. The Deputy is correct that the cost is often borne by a combination of employers, business owners and the taxpayer. I will certainly...

Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (10 Jun 2015)

Damien English: I agree we need to expand the areas covered and believe there is cross-party support for that. This is something we have been involved in with the setting up of the new apprenticeship council. Expansion is part of the Government's plan and we have addressed the issue at Cabinet, where there is agreement across the table that this should happen and that we should increase the number of...

Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (10 Jun 2015)

Damien English: I will begin with the last question. I agree there is too much emphasis on third level and during the boom years or over the past 20 years we have probably turned our backs on the further education and training sector. I sense that most people recognise now we must correct that and the Department is trying to do so. From talking to career guidance teachers, to teachers in general and to...

Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (10 Jun 2015)

Damien English: Apprenticeships must be employer driven and employers must be involved. On capacity, it is a bit of a chicken and egg situation. We needed to find out what was wanted and needed and we put significant effort, through various Departments such as the Departments of Education and Skills and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, into getting people interested in this issue and to get people to make...

Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (10 Jun 2015)

Damien English: That is what we are trying to do. We are trying to cater for now and for the future. Some of the sectors that have made proposals are the hotel and catering sector and manufacturing and engineering, with 24 submissions. There were 12 submissions in the built environment area, ten in tourism, ten in financial services, eight in arts, crafts and media, six in information technology, six in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Appeals (10 Jun 2015)

Damien English: The issue referred to by the Deputy is subject of appeal to the School Transport Appeals Board. The School Transport Appeals Board is independent of my Department and it would not be appropriate for me to intervene in cases which are due for consideration by the Board.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bus Éireann (9 Jun 2015)

Damien English: Bus Éireann has advised that the vast majority of vehicles that were temporarily suspended from use following spot checks arranged by the Company, were suspended until any minor defects detected during the inspections - i.e. those having no significant or immediate effect on the safety of the vehicle, or other road users - were rectified, before being permitted back into service. These...