Results 5,781-5,800 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Other Questions: Third Level Funding (8 Oct 2014)

Damien English: This will detail and will consider different ways to fund higher education in a sustainable way in the future and will involve industry, as well as Departments.

Other Questions: Third Level Funding (8 Oct 2014)

Damien English: Again, I cannot go into details of the budget this week as the Government is in the middle of negotiations on it. To clarify, however, the amount allocated last year through the Higher Education Authority for this area was €939 million, while in 2013 it was just over €1 billion. While I acknowledge there undoubtedly has been a slight reduction in this regard, the Deputy might...

Other Questions: Third Level Funding (8 Oct 2014)

Damien English: The Deputy will probably be aware that there is substantial debate around the reliability of the various commercial global rankings and their capacity to capture the quality of higher education institutions. All international league tables vary greatly in how they rank universities and none captures the level of performance information that we are now tracking for the first time. The first...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development Funding (8 Oct 2014)

Damien English: Competitive research funding available from my Department is managed by the Irish Research Council. The Council has a broad remit to support and enhance human capital development, in particular at postgraduate and early stage postdoctoral levels. Its remit covers the full range of disciplines spanning the humanities, social sciences, business, law, sciences, engineering and technology. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Charges (8 Oct 2014)

Damien English: I can appreciate that supporting a student through third level education can be challenging. The decision to abolish the Gaeltacht Placement grants, from September 2012, has to be viewed in the context of the prevailing requirement to reduce costs and achieve efficiencies where possible. Priority was given to protecting resources for front line education services as far as possible in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (8 Oct 2014)

Damien English: The Education and Training Board (ETB), formerly VEC, staff referred to by the Deputy are not comprehended by the public service staffing moratoriam. However, former SOLAS staff that have recently transferred to ETBs are subject to the moratorium on recruitment. In relation to these staff, it is the practice in my Department to seek an exemption from the moratorium to replace mission...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (8 Oct 2014)

Damien English: Bus Éireann which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department has advised that the child in question is now availing of a service on a concessionary basis. Bus Éireann has confirmed that while a temporary service was in place initially, the service now being availed of by the child in question is operating to the same pick up point and time as last year.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Oct 2014)

Damien English: By its nature, the Irish Apprenticeship system is employer-led and the number of apprenticeship registrations is dictated by the numbers taken on by approved employers in the first instance. However, following on from the Apprenticeship Review an Apprenticeship Implementation Plan was published in June 2014. As part of this plan a new Apprenticeship Council is in the process of being...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (7 Oct 2014)

Damien English: Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. I have asked Bus Éireann to verify the factual position in relation to the child in question....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (2 Oct 2014)

Damien English: Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department, is responsible for the timetabling and scheduling of services. Officials in my Department are aware of the issues outlined by the Deputy and have requested that Bus Éireann address the timetabling issues in conjunction with the school and by reviewing the local school bus network as a matter of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (2 Oct 2014)

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

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Applications (2 Oct 2014)

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 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Bus Éireann, which operates the scheme on behalf of my Department, has advised that the child in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Administration (1 Oct 2014)

Damien English: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that Bus Éireann has confirmed that the issues which necessitated the setting up of the dedicated helpline have been resolved and the helpline was closed on 19th September 2014. I would like to explain to the Deputy that this year, with the introduction of a comprehensive new school transport online applications and payments system, every family who...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (1 Oct 2014)

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 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Bus Éireann, which operates the scheme on behalf of my Department, has advised that the child in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (1 Oct 2014)

Damien English: Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. In relation to school transport provision, ethos relates to religious ethos and is in the context...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (1 Oct 2014)

Damien English: The cost of not implementing the proposed 1% reduction, referred to by the deputy, for the VTOS, Youthreach, BTEI, PLC and Adult Literacy programmes this year is estimated at €200,000.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (1 Oct 2014)

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

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (1 Oct 2014)

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

Seanad: Matters on the Adjournment: Schools Building Projects Status (30 Sep 2014)

Damien English: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, who wanted to attend but could not do so. I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to clarify the current position on the provision of improved accommodation for Coláiste Pobail Osraí, Ormonde Road, Kilkenny. The Senator will be aware of the...

Seanad: Matters on the Adjournment: Schools Building Projects Status (30 Sep 2014)

Damien English: Just to clarify, an application has been made relating to a green field site. I will discuss this issue with the Minister, Deputy O'Sullivan, and her officials. I am interested in this because the PLC area falls under my remit and I am concerned that PLC colleges are not too squeezed. When I travel around the country I see a greater demand for PLC places and we must work on this. I will...