Results 10,261-10,280 of 13,254 for speaker:Seán Sherlock

Other Questions: EPSEN Act 2004 (7 Mar 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I acknowledge the points made by the Deputy. As I stated earlier, the NCSE has been tasked with the provision of policy advice on the appropriate nature and configuration of educational supports required to be allocated in order to achieve as much as possible of EPSEN within the confines of the parcel of funding available in that regard. The Government will endeavour to ensure as much as...

Other Questions: EPSEN Act 2004 (7 Mar 2013)

Seán Sherlock: Without being facetious, that is too optimistic. A number of sections have already been implemented. I can provide a list of all the sections that have been implemented thus far but for the sake of brevity, I will not do so now. I take the point made by Deputy O'Brien in regard to ensuring greater collaboration between the Departments of Education and Skills and Health and for people to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (7 Mar 2013)

Seán Sherlock: Children with Down's syndrome whose level of intellectual disability places them in the mild general learning disability, GLD, range may receive individual resource teaching hours in the same manner as children with other low-incidence disabilities but they receive their support through the general allocation model, GAM. Schools have provision, under the GAM, to allocate and target resources...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (7 Mar 2013)

Seán Sherlock: Historically, the Department allocates resources to support children with special needs on the basis of categories of disabilities but for many years children with special needs were primarily educated in special schools or special classes. These schools and classes were designated as catering for a specific category of disability, but the report of the Special Education Review Committee,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (7 Mar 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I acknowledge the points made by Deputy Finian McGrath. They will be taken on board.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (7 Mar 2013)

Seán Sherlock: Supports for pupils with Down's syndrome are based on the extent of their general learning disability. Pupils with Down's syndrome receive additional teaching support either under the general allocation model in primary schools or equivalent provision in post primary schools if their educational assessments place them in the mild general learning disability category. Pupils with more...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: EU Funding (26 Feb 2013)

Seán Sherlock: Ireland’s researchers and companies have been involved in more than 1,500 successful applications obtaining European Commission funding of approximately €485 million (2007-2012) under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The overall Irish success rate at 22.7%, is above the European Member State average of 22.1%, and a very positive indication of the prospects for Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Copyright Legislation Review (21 Feb 2013)

Seán Sherlock: An independent Copyright Review Committee was established by Minister Richard Bruton in May 2011 to examine the Irish copyright framework in order to identify areas that might be considered to create barriers to innovation and to make recommendations to resolve any problems identified, whether at national or EU level. As part of the Committee's terms of reference, they were asked also to...

Finance Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I would never buy a car in Limerick.

Finance Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Feb 2013)

Seán Sherlock: "The Madness of King George".

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland)(Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Feb 2013)

Seán Sherlock: The section amends section 9 of the Industrial Development Act 1993 by requiring an institution engaged in research and development funded wholly or partly from moneys provided by the Oireachtas to supply information to Forfás from time to time. This is required by a Commission regulation relating to statistics on science and technology. Forfás compiles data on a yearly basis regarding...

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland)(Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Feb 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I thank the Members for the time afforded to me and for the opportunity to debate the issues. I am grateful for the insights of Senator Barrett on the amendments he tabled and for the contributions of Members on Second Stage.

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland)(Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Feb 2013)

Seán Sherlock: A thorough reading of the research prioritisation steering group document will reveal a clear statement about research for knowledge and for policy. Science Foundation Ireland is not the only game in town. Science Foundation Ireland and the research prioritisation exercise is one of a number of research funders within the State. There are entities like the Health Research Board, the Higher...

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland)(Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Feb 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I always accept Senator Barrett's interventions in the spirit in which he makes them. We must be clear, however. Prioritisation is not the entire funding game. There is a myriad of sources. If the principle of excellence is adhered to and impact measured there should be no reason any researcher who is doing excellent research with impact within Irish society could not derive funding from...

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland)(Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Feb 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I addressed this point in my last intervention where I spoke about the power of the Minister to issue directions. That is for the purpose of specifying particular actions. The directions relate to general policy. I do not think that we are being in any way draconian in that sense. There is a strong culture in this country of successive Governments, regardless of their political hue,...

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland)(Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Feb 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I accept the Senator's point, but it raises the issue of the culture surrounding higher education institutions and asks whether this is a matter for those institutions in terms of their contractual arrangements with employees. I agree that this issue needs to be raised. It is not strictly within the remit of this legislation but I will undertake to discuss it further with the Senator at a...

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland)(Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Feb 2013)

Seán Sherlock: In March 2012, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation transferred responsibility for delivery of the discover science and engineering, DSE, programme from Forfás to Science Foundation Ireland, SFI, on an administrative basis. Since its establishment in 2003, the programme has been actively working with companies and higher education institutions as well as representative bodies,...

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland)(Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Feb 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments expressed by Senator Barrett. It is important to state for the record that the Department has, via a tender won by the National Centre for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and Learning, NCE-MSTL, out of the University of Limerick and NUIG, spent more than ¤2 million in the past year through a professional diploma, which is being...

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland)(Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Feb 2013)

Seán Sherlock: I am not sure I agree with the points made by Senator Barrett. This process on prioritisation and this legislation is not about propagating a system, rather it is about creating a new system. The legislation is designed in the first instance to create more jobs and in the second to create a system of knowledge that can be supported. It is eminently sensible that the Government via the...

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland)(Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Feb 2013)

Seán Sherlock: This section provides Science Foundation Ireland with the power to devise and administer research grant schemes using funds authorised and provided by the Minister with the agreement of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. I consider the proposed amendment as tabled by Senator Barrett unnecessary as all public bodies are required to comply with public financial procedures which are...