Results 10,121-10,140 of 18,325 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Departmental Expenditure (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: I got a few second preference votes in Monaghan.

Special Educational Needs (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: Question 10: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of the 475 special needs assistant posts that were withheld, have been allocated to date; and if he will give a commitment that the 475 special needs assistants will be allocated by the end of the year. [34760/11]

Special Educational Needs (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for providing an update on this important issue. Some media commentary has been unfair to the Department and National Council for Special Education given the significant progress that has been made in providing special needs assistants. The Minister of State, Deputy Sean Sherlock, spoke in the House about the remarkable progress that has been made in this regard in the...

Special Educational Needs (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: One issue that repeatedly crops up - I am sure the Minister has heard concerns expressed about it by colleagues in the House - is a perception that needs assessments lack consistency. If this issue were addressed, it would allay the genuine fears of many parents, families and public representatives.

Third Level Remuneration (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for his reply. I would be disappointed if there were no instant responses to the Minister's calls for volunteers on this issue. I hope that people volunteer quickly. I had an earlier question and the reply was somewhat different to the reply given by the Minister. It states that under section 25(4) of the Universities Act 1997, the remuneration of fees, allowances and...

Vocational Education Committees (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: The Minister knows that I have been supportive of the general rationalisation of vocational education committees and the developments in further education.

Vocational Education Committees (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: One issue that has arisen is security of employment. Where sub-offices have been established, the employees in the VECs are anxious to know if this is a short-term measure. When the time span of the Croke Park agreement is complete, will those employees be protected and remain in the newly established sub-offices? In some cases there is a large distance to be travelled to the newly...

Vocational Education Committees (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: Is the Minister considering any existing VEC headquarters for designation as a sub-office?

School Curriculum (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: What are the main recommendations of the report referred to in the freagra?

Third Level Funding (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: Question 1: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when he intends to publish the report by the Higher Education Authority into funding for third level; if he will commit to publishing it prior to Budget 2012; and if he will provide details on the proposal in the report. [35173/11]

Third Level Funding (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: When did the Minister receive the report? Why does it have to go back to the board of the Higher Education Authority, given that the authority drew up the report in the first place? I would have assumed that the board cleared the report before it went to the Minister. I ask the Minister to impress on the authority the need to publish the report. Perhaps it is within his own capability to...

Third Level Funding (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: The Minister gave a commitment and a strong pledge to the Union of Students in Ireland and the student body. He said that if he was in government, he would reverse the €500 increase in the student service charge and the €200 charge for post-leaving certificate courses, both of which were introduced by the previous Government. A year ago, the Tánaiste gave a commitment to the effect...

Third Level Funding (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: The Minister is aware that there has been a huge increase in participation in further and higher education, thankfully. The number of students in third level education increased from 100,000 in 1997 to 160,000 in 2010. Such a 60% increase was a remarkable and necessary achievement. Like everyone else in this House, I want to see a further increase in participation levels. I ask the...

Third Level Funding (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: The Minister made the pledge to which I refer on 21 February last, when the fiscal position of this country was well known. This country's expenditure and income targets had been laid down in the budget that was delivered in this House in early December 2010. All Government reports suggest those targets will be met this year. The fiscal position has not changed. It has improved somewhat,...

Third Level Funding (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: So election promises should not be taken seriously.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: Question 4: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will commit to no further increases in class sizes for the 2012/2013 school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35174/11]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: As the Minister said, the game is on and we wish him every success that he will have a good result in his Estimates. We all appreciate it is not easy as there are competing demands. Fine Gael and the Labour Party quite rightly included in their programme for Government a pledge to protect front-line services in education, which we all welcome. The first debate on education in this Dáil was...

State Examinations (16 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: I welcomed the NCCA report when it was published both through a press release and at the Oireachtas committee on education. I compliment Professor Tom Collins, Anne Looney and their colleagues in the NCCA for the large amount of work they have carried out in the review since it was launched in 2009. I welcome the Minister indicating to Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan that he would meet the...

Written Answers — European Financial Stability Fund: European Financial Stability Fund (15 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: Question 66: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide details of the way Ireland will benefit from the enhanced role of the European Financial Stability Facility as set out in the 21 July and 26 October European Summit [i]communiqués[/i]; the plans he has in that regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34421/11]

Written Answers — Higher Education Budget: Higher Education Budget (15 Nov 2011)

Brendan Smith: Question 190: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total budget for higher education in 2011; and the total budget for higher education in each of the previous years since 1997. [34321/11]