Results 541-560 of 1,759 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Ciarán Cannon

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (17 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: 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. While it is the prerogative of parents to send their children to the school of their choice, eligibility for school transport is to the nearest school or education centre. Children who are not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (12 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The Annual Student Contribution is levied on apprentices and students attending Institutes of Technology. This contribution has been levied by Institutes of Technology in respect of apprentices since 2004, with FÁS/SOLAS paying 70% of the contribution and apprentices themselves paying the remainder. Following a Budget 2014 decision, SOLAS ceased making this payment to the Institutes of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (12 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 to 93, inclusive, together. Changes to the Post Primary School Transport Scheme mean that from the 2012/13 school year, eligibility for all children newly entering a post primary school is determined by reference to the distance they reside from their nearest Post-Primary Education Centre having regard, as heretofore, to ethos and language. In general,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (10 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Changes to the Post Primary School Transport Scheme mean that from the 2012/13 school year, eligibility for all children newly entering a post primary school is determined by reference to the distance they reside from their nearest Post-Primary Education Centre having regard, as heretofore, to ethos and language. In general, existing eligible and catchment boundary children including those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Investigations (10 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 to 216, inclusive, together. Bus Éireann has advised that the Company completed the report entitled 'Report into Allegations of Misconduct of Bus Éireann Employees with respect to the Operation of the School Transport Scheme' on April 28 last. This report was then submitted to me, Minister Varadkar and Minister Kelly, Department of Transport,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (10 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: This is an operational matter for Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board. I am informed that to facilitate progression from the Security Studies level 5 course already operating in Galway Technical Institute (GTI), it was decided to offer a level 6 course in Security Studies for the 2014/2015 academic year. Applicants were advised that the running of this course was contingent on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Administration (5 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, is responsible for the procurement of contractors to provide transport services under the School Transport Scheme. I am satisfied with the current tendering process. Bus Éireann is obliged to tender all works, goods and services in line with the European Directives on public procurement. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Staff (4 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The person referred to by the Deputy is employed by Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB). I understand from GRETB that this person was employed in the Senior Traveller Training Centre programme which was phased out in 2012. This person was inadvertently offered voluntary redundancy by GRETB in 2013, however, the offer was withdrawn as he did not meet the eligibility...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (4 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB) was established in July 2013 and the CDETB now has responsibility for the planning and delivery of services previously delivered by the former VECs and FAS training centres in Dublin 12. I understand that the Youth Centre in question currently has two local training initiatives operating under the LEAP programme and the Horizon...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Administration (4 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann has advised, and the Department is satisfied, that all charges for maintenance costs attributable to the school transport scheme have been calculated in line with the 1975 Summary of Accounting Arrangements. I am satisfied that no issue of unlawful state aid and/or claw back arises. Furthermore, Bus Éireann has repeatedly confirmed that it does not cross subsidise...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Expenditure (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The Deputy will be aware that the Minister has approved more than €70 million in total on the 2014 Summer Works Scheme to allow 772 schools nationwide undertake vital improvement works to gas, electrical, mechanical, toilet and roofs. Commensurate with the level of funding set aside for the Scheme, applications were assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The Government's focus in recent years has been on operating a budgetary programme that is designed to return the Government finances to a sustainable basis. This has helped Ireland to return to a position where we are seeing some economic growth. It is a continuing improvement in our economic growth that will enable us to move to a point in future budgets where we can look again at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: My Department's policy on the education of children with autism resides within the overall policies on the education of children including those with special educational needs. I have asked the NCSE to provide me with Policy advice on the education of children with Autism and I expect this advice in the Spring of 2015. This advice will inform the development of future policy. The report...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 19, 41, 46 and 48 together. The purpose of Circular 0030/2014 is not to reduce the number of SNA posts in schools, but to clarify the role and purpose of SNA support and to ensure it is targeted at those pupils who need it. My officials have already consulted with school Management Bodies prior to issuing the circular and is currently setting up further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The NCCA has recently provided me with new specifications for Leaving Certificate Physics, Chemistry and Biology. However the NCCA will trial the specifications, particularly in the context of the proposed new practical examination. It is expected that these science specifications will not only attract more higher level students but, for Physics, it is hoped that it will also attract more...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. Children with specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, as well as those with physical conditions, are accommodated in the examinations under the SEC's scheme of Reasonable Accommodations at the Certificate Examinations (RACE Scheme). However, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I note that the Deputy has clarified that she is referring to private pre-schools which are attended by children using their home tuition grant. Some parents of young children with autism, who are eligible for home tuition, requested that my Department accommodate the tuition being provided in a group setting offered by private providers. My Department has facilitated direct payment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Redeployment (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The Primary Staffing Appeals Board meets three times per year - February, June and October. The first meeting was held in February, 2014. Most schools that intend to submit appeals generally do so for the February meeting of the Appeals Board. This gives schools an early opportunity to have their appeals heard. The second meeting of the Appeals Board is normally held in June. This year...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Anti-Bullying Procedures (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: When the new anti-bullying procedures for schools were published last September, it was acknowledged that schools would need time to develop an anti-bullying policy in line with the new procedures. Accordingly the accompanying circular allowed schools a period up to the Easter break of this year to make the necessary arrangements, including consultations with the school community, for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelscoileanna Issues (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department recently received a submission from an advocacy group concerning the establishment of an all-Irish post-primary school to serve the north side of Cork City. The Department's current five-year construction plan is focused on meeting demographic demands to ensure that every child will have access to a physical school place and that our school...