Results 1,401-1,420 of 3,797 for speaker:Ciarán Cannon

Topical Issue Debate: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (11 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: It is the fastest-growing area in western Europe.

Topical Issue Debate: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (11 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I did tell Deputy Crowe the reason.

Topical Issue Debate: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (11 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Then perhaps Deputy Crowe was not listening.

Topical Issue Debate: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (11 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Great. Well done to him. I told Deputy Crowe that the reason was that the board is responsible for the allocation of resources within its region. That power has been conferred upon the board by legislation passed in this House. The board also has significant representation. Local authority representatives as across the region have a serious role to play in determining the policy within...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (10 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Changes to the Post Primary School Transport Scheme mean that from the 2012/13 school year, eligibility for all children newly entering a post primary school is determined by reference to the distance they reside from their nearest Post-Primary Education Centre having regard, as heretofore, to ethos and language. In general, existing eligible and catchment boundary children including those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Investigations (10 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 to 216, inclusive, together. Bus Éireann has advised that the Company completed the report entitled 'Report into Allegations of Misconduct of Bus Éireann Employees with respect to the Operation of the School Transport Scheme' on April 28 last. This report was then submitted to me, Minister Varadkar and Minister Kelly, Department of Transport,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (10 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: This is an operational matter for Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board. I am informed that to facilitate progression from the Security Studies level 5 course already operating in Galway Technical Institute (GTI), it was decided to offer a level 6 course in Security Studies for the 2014/2015 academic year. Applicants were advised that the running of this course was contingent on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Administration (5 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, is responsible for the procurement of contractors to provide transport services under the School Transport Scheme. I am satisfied with the current tendering process. Bus Éireann is obliged to tender all works, goods and services in line with the European Directives on public procurement. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Staff (4 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The person referred to by the Deputy is employed by Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB). I understand from GRETB that this person was employed in the Senior Traveller Training Centre programme which was phased out in 2012. This person was inadvertently offered voluntary redundancy by GRETB in 2013, however, the offer was withdrawn as he did not meet the eligibility...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (4 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB) was established in July 2013 and the CDETB now has responsibility for the planning and delivery of services previously delivered by the former VECs and FAS training centres in Dublin 12. I understand that the Youth Centre in question currently has two local training initiatives operating under the LEAP programme and the Horizon...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Administration (4 Jun 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann has advised, and the Department is satisfied, that all charges for maintenance costs attributable to the school transport scheme have been calculated in line with the 1975 Summary of Accounting Arrangements. I am satisfied that no issue of unlawful state aid and/or claw back arises. Furthermore, Bus Éireann has repeatedly confirmed that it does not cross subsidise...

Other Questions: School Curriculum (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Reform is about more than just the Minister for Education and Skills. However, there are times in the lifetime of any Government when somebody must take the lead and a stand in terms of what needs to be done to reform the education system. Nobody denies that the junior certificate programme, as constituted, is broken. It serves no function or purpose in empowering young people to be...

Other Questions: School Curriculum (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: We must be careful not to lose faith in the professional capacity of teachers to independently, fairly and transparently verify the progress of their students. I am not suggesting the Deputy is making that charge. As parents, we receive reports on the academic achievements and social success or otherwise in the school setting of our children at the end of first and second year and the first...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I do not think Deputy Wallace will be playing midfield with Wexford Youths any time in the future. Section 7 of the circular states that in the case of new applications for SNA support, for children with behavioural care needs - that is, where a professional report has identified the care needs as being related to behaviour - in general, it will not be possible to consider access to SNA...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: No, it is not true. They are being put in place to clarify the role of the SNA and to ensure that this nation's scarce resources are directed towards those who need them most. The Government approved an extra 390 SNA posts last December up to the end of this year, which means that almost 11,000 SNAs are now available to work. That is the largest number of SNAs we have had since the...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: It has increased the numbers.

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I was fortunate to work for seven years for a charity that cares for children with special needs. It is not fair to characterise - I am not making this accusation about Deputy Wallace - all children with special needs as having behavioural difficulties; a significant number of them do not. The professional assessment and conclusion drawn by the SENO should be the main factor in determining...

Other Questions: School Curriculum (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15, 18 and 43 together. I am aware of and have noted the findings of the Irish Independent-Millward Brown opinion poll which was published last week. Last year, officials from the Department went to 12 locations around the country and met with parents to explain the implications of the implementation of the framework for the junior cycle. Parents had concerns...

Other Questions: State Examinations Reviews (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: A national working group has been established to see how best we can achieve this welcome reform of our junior cycle system. The group includes representatives from the Teachers Union of Ireland, TUI, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland, ASTI, all the school management bodies, the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, NAPD, Educate Together, the National Council...

Other Questions: State Examinations Reviews (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: While I hope the review will be completed by the end of the year, it is being stalled - I do not suggest deliberately - by the non-engagement of the unions in terms of a written submission. The sooner we receive such a submission the quicker we can move towards a conclusion.