Results 1,521-1,540 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: I welcome Dr. Ruth Freeman, director of science for society, Science Foundation Ireland, SFI; Mr. Lee Reynolds, head of Ireland and Northern Ireland, Institute of Physics, IoP. Representatives of the Irish Research Council were also due to attend, but cannot do so due to other important business. The witnesses are here to discuss the future of science, technology, engineering and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: The IoP is a strong believer in specialist teachers. We have the Subjects Matter report, which demonstrates that the best experience for a child is to be taught by a teacher with the relevant specialist background. We are not tied up with the means of delivery but if that is the means of delivery which gets a specialist physics teacher in front of a physics class, we would welcome it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: How does Dr. Freeman envisage teachers being incentivised to complete continuing professional development, CPD, courses? I am interested in her view on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: A couple of issues came up in conversation with some of the witnesses at last week's meeting. What specifically intrigued me was the issue of primary education and primary school teachers. Dr. Freeman's generation might be more aware of STEM, although I do not want to be ageist in any way. Her comment to Deputy O'Callaghan about how some toys go to certain cohorts was interesting. Girls...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: I will ask Mr. Lee to comment on that question as well but also, what can be gained and what impact would it have if Ireland were to gain membership of the European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: I thank both witnesses for coming before the committee. It has been productive and will be of assistance and importance to the work we are doing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: On behalf of the committee I welcome Ms Claire McGee, head of education and innovation policy at the Irish Business and Economic Confederation, IBEC; Ms Helen McMahon, senior strategy policy adviser, Enterprise Ireland; Mr. Neil McDonnell, chief executive, Irish Small and Medium Employers, ISME; Dr. Aisling Soden, project manager, talent transformation and innovation department, Industrial...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: I thank all our guests. Our first member to contribute is Deputy Conway-Walsh, in place of Deputy Ó Laoghaire. As we have quite a number of guests, I ask members to direct their questions to the person they wish to respond.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: Deputy Ó Cathasaigh will be followed by Deputy Jim O'Callaghan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: I thank the Deputy and call Deputy Nolan to speak now, please.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: I will come in now as I have a couple of questions to put to Mr. McDonnell. In respect of college, apprentices depend greatly on the small and medium-sized businesses through which to do their apprenticeships. Quite a number of businesses may not take on apprentices but what changes - and I appreciate that he has mentioned some of these in reply to Deputy Jim O’Callaghan - are needed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: Does ISME get many inquiries - I will not say "complaints" - from small and medium-sized businesses which cannot recruit people in specific roles and cannot expand because the staff are not available?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: I thank Mr. McDonnell. Mr. Michael Fitzgerald is here from the ESB, which I compliment on its apprenticeship programme. I have no doubt that a large number of people want to get into the ESB apprenticeship programme. It receives a high number of applications and does not take in enough people. That is the nature of the game. Of those who complete the apprenticeship programme and become...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: Will the ESB increase the number of apprenticeships it takes? The number of houses is increasing and there is greater demand from ESB Networks. Does Mr. Fitzgerald expect the ESB to increase its apprentice intake going forward?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: I know ESB Networks has some work overseas as well. Is that still the case?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: Do any of the apprentices do their training overseas or is it all done on the island of Ireland?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: On the participation of females, 25% is quite a high rate because it is a big challenge for women to participate in apprenticeships. Did the ESB set a target some years ago to build up to where it is today and to build on the 25%?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: I have one last question for Mr. Fitzgerald. He mentioned that DEIS schools are a very important element of the recruitment of apprenticeships, and I commend the ESB on that. DEIS schools can often be forgotten about. How important are they in recruitment? Some people have come through DEIS schools who are very good with their hands. Would that have been part of it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: The committee has heard conflicting views on my next question in the past couple of weeks. At what age should students be talking about STEM subjects, their importance, the choice within STEM and the choice of careers? Some of our witnesses said we should be doing this from primary school and educating primary school teachers to educate primary school children on STEM subjects and their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Mar 2023)

Paul Kehoe: One of the previous witnesses this morning spoke about how research shows that at a young age, boys play with STEM-based toys more than females. I never thought of it that way, but I can see it in my own house where there are two girls and a boy from ages eight to 12. The girls have the dolls and I will not tell you what the little fellow is at. I think we can all guess. Does Mr....