Results 5,701-5,720 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Industrial Development (23 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: 18. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps he will take with the Industrial Development Agency following its failure to again meet the target of 50% of investment located outside of the major urban centres of Cork and Dublin. [2947/14]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Local Enterprise Offices Establishment (23 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: 23. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if the proposed local enterprise offices will be fully functioning in 2014. [2948/14]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Youth Employment Initiative (23 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: 31. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will confirm that the building of youth employment will be a key priority and theme for the action plan for jobs 2014. [2946/14]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Microenterprise Loan Fund Applications (23 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: 32. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps he will take to review and enhance the microenterprise loans fund and loan guarantee scheme to ensure that lending targets are reached in 2014. [2949/14]

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: I wish to pose a question. I do not want to put the Minister on the spot but I will ask it in any event. We do not get the opportunity to question him very often. We are able to question him once every five weeks in the Dáil but, as a result of the lottery used, I only got to pose two questions, which is not sufficient. I will take that matter up with the Whips. There has been a...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: The major issue in the Gaelscoil sector is that we are seeing an ever-increasing number of such schools at primary level but no continuation for pupils at post-primary level. That is an issue the Department must address. In my constituency in Cork, for example, we have several primary schools which teach through the medium of Irish but only one such school at second level. Students who are...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: My question probably does not refer to capital services. I received an interesting email from a group of parents from the Polish community inquiring about the possibility of setting up a school to teach the curriculum through their own language. Have such requests been received by the Department, given the increasing number of nationalities locating in Ireland? Cork has significant...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: Where does the report on capital assets sit at the moment? The Minister has announced that he will bring forward the heads of the Bill on technological universities. Leaving aside the educational advantages or outcomes of the proposal, what financial or resourcing pressures would be put on the Department with the implementation of that legislation?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: We tend to be critical of the Department but it has introduced some radical policy changes in the area of skills development, for example, the establishment of SOLAS and Quality and Qualifications Ireland. These changes do not receive sufficient publicity or public attention. I commend the work of the Minister in this area. These are significant policy developments which will benefit the...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: Why did the Department not wait until the report was completed?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: I wish to refer to the apprenticeship schemes. We spoke about them in the Dáil yesterday and the specific issue of the changes in the fees being charged. I have looked at the figures and worked out that the changes will result in the raising of an additional €1.6 million. Apprentices will now have to pay a pro ratastudent contribution, proportionate to the time spent in...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: It will only yield €1.6 million, but it will cause a high level of hardship for apprentices. Given that we are awaiting a report on a review of the apprenticeship system, it seems to be a very premature move by the Department. I know that it is probably tied in with the establishment of SOLAS which will be taking over responsibility from FÁS for training courses, but it is a...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: It is in the context of the overall budget.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: Those involved often have additional costs, including the cost of travelling to and from work, the cost of tools and so forth. It is not right to compare apprentices with the ordinary student population in institutes of technology. There are significant differences between them.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: In regard to capitation grants, we are looking at another 1% reduction this year. We are also looking at an ever-increasing number of schools running financial deficits. Obviously, that burden is being picked up by parents. I know the Minister's Department is trying to address the cost of sending children back to school and trying to alleviate some of that financial burden parents must...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: Has the Department given out guidelines or information?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: There is good communication between the Department and schools in regard to possible ways to close that gap in terms of financial incentives.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: If one looks at the figures for capitation, we are actually increasing the spend on capitation but that is to offset the increase in the number of students.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: I do not think the Minister will be able to continue to do that over the next number of years because the student population will continue to grow. If it is a policy decision - I am not saying it is one - to keep the capitation payout at the same level, then one is looking at decreasing it continually to offset the increase in the number of students.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Jonathan O'Brien: I asked about bullying and the implementation of-----