Results 10,201-10,220 of 13,254 for speaker:Seán Sherlock

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Reform (17 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 29 together. The Deputy will be aware that, following agreement in principle by the Government to broaden the current means testing arrangements for student grants by way of inclusion of the value of capital assets, Minister Quinn set up a dedicated implementation group to bring forward detailed proposals. The Minister has received a draft report...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Guidance Counsellors (17 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: The Minister for Education and Skills has already acknowledged to the House that bringing guidance within quota is challenging for schools. However the alternative was to adjust the PTR staffing allocations. The budget decision sheltered the impact for all DEIS post-primary schools by improving their standard staffing allocations. There are no plans to review this decision. It is important...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Post-Leaving Certificate Courses (17 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 33, 52 and 56 together. The number of approved places available under the PLC programme is 32,688. My Department is not in a position to increase this number as there is a continuing requirement to plan and control numbers and to manage expenditure within the context of overall educational policy and provision. The change of pupil teacher ratio for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (17 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: It is vitally important for children to avail of the opportunity to exercise at school. Children should be able to run and move freely in the school yard unless there are very compelling health and safety reasons for individual schools to prohibit such activity. The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 sets out the responsibilities on individual school management authorities to have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Performance Management Systems (17 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 24 together. School boards, principals and teachers are accountable for the work of the school including the quality of learning and teaching. The new school self-evaluation system, introduced during this school year, requires principals and teachers to identify what they are doing well and what needs to improve. In addition, there is a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Travel (17 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: China is a priority market for promotion of Irish education and political engagement with the country is a national priority. The Minister, Deputy Quinn, visited Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai from 9 to 16 March, accompanied by 13 higher education institutions on an Enterprise Ireland education mission. He held talks with Chinese Education Minister Yuan, at which they agreed to hold...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (17 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I recently announced that section 30 of the Teaching Council Act 2001 will commence on 1 November 2013. Subject to very limited exceptions, which will be controlled by Ministerial regulation, section 30 will prohibit payment by the State of people employed as teachers in recognised schools unless they are registered with the Teaching Council. My Department, the VECs and the Teaching Council...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Fee Paying Schools (17 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I commissioned the report in question in order to inform future budgetary decisions in relation to the allocation of teachers to schools in particular. I do not propose at this stage to anticipate any specific decisions the Government might take in respect of the next budget. It is important to look at the context in which exchequer funding to fee charging schools must be approached. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (17 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. The design team is currently working on the completion of the Stage 2(a) submission. When Stage 2(a) is approved, the project will then progress to stage 2(b) which includes applications for planning permission, Fire Safety Certification, Disability Access Certification and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (17 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: Expenditure supporting pupils with Special Educational Needs in 2013 is expected to be in line with that provided in 2012, at some €1.3bn, which is approximately 15% of the entire budget of the Department. Despite the current economic difficulties, the number of Special Needs Assistants and Resource and Learning Support Teachers has been maintained. Specifically, 9,950 posts have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Croke Park Agreement Issues (17 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: In relation to estimates of savings arising from the LRC proposals, the Revised Estimates Volume for 2013 is expected to be published very shortly. This document will set out the revised allocations for Votes arising from the proposals made. The Revised Estimates Volume for 2013 will be submitted to the Oireachtas for consideration in due course. Following the publication of the 2013...

Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) (Amendment) Bill 2012: Second Stage (16 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time". I will briefly outline the principal objectives of the Bill. The primary changes extend the remit of Science Foundation Ireland, SFI. Through funding supports via our higher education institutions, SFI will be able to fund applied research as well as continuing to support oriented basic research. This will allow SFI to take the outcome...

Topical Issue Debate: Health and Safety Regulations (16 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. I have a technical response on children ingesting detergent "liquitabs" and I will outline it with your indulgence, Acting Chairman.

Topical Issue Debate: Health and Safety Regulations (16 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: Okay. I take the point. I understand that the National Poisons Information Centre was in contact with the Health and Safety Authority, HSA, as the competent authority for detergent regulations last August to September, as it was concerned about the number of incidents reported - as highlighted by the Deputy - involving children and liquid detergent tablets. More than 50% of the inquiries...

Topical Issue Debate: Health and Safety Regulations (16 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: Again, I fully acknowledge the points made by the Deputy. It is fair to say – I speak objectively – that the HSA is quite fastidious in terms of how it approaches matters such as this one. The Government is happy to allow the HSA to continue to work with the National Poisons Information Centre to monitor and review progress on the voluntary product stewardship programme. If...

Topical Issue Debate: Animal Feedstuffs (16 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I take the Acting Chairman's point, but my understanding is that, with due respect to the Chair, three speakers indicated under the rules of the House and four speakers were granted time. If it is my fault that the time allocation has been impacted upon, I apologise and stand corrected.

Topical Issue Debate: Animal Feedstuffs (16 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: No Deputy does not acknowledge the problems facing farmers, particularly those in rural and disadvantaged areas. Some of the prescribed solutions border on blind rhetoric. Fair enough, as that is part and parcel of what we are about in the House. However, that a former Cabinet Minister claims that €10 million should be made available from administration and other sources within the...

Topical Issue Debate: Animal Feedstuffs (16 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: -----it should be taken from other schemes.

Topical Issue Debate: Animal Feedstuffs (16 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: If that is the case, the Deputy should prescribe from which schemes and farmers the money would be taken.

Topical Issue Debate: Animal Feedstuffs (16 Apr 2013)

Seán Sherlock: This is a difficult situation. Some reasonable interventions were made about the potential development of a hardship fund. In that sense, I will convey the Deputies' concerns to the Minister.