Results 1,621-1,640 of 5,756 for speaker:Fiona O'Loughlin

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Interim Report on Reduced Timetables: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: The joint committee will suggest that reduced timetables be classified as a separate category and not recorded as a form of suspension because the latter is viewed as a sanction or punishment when that is not always the case. I thank the officials from the Department. We will be in contact about the possibility of members meeting officials to discuss some of these issues privately. It...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: The next matter on the agenda is engagement with SOLAS and Ireland's representatives at the WorldSkills competition in Russia. The purpose of this part of the meeting is to welcome Mr. Andrew Brownlee, the new chief executive officer of SOLAS, who will talk to us about the success of the team that represented Ireland in Russia earlier this year. We take this opportunity to wish Mr. Brownlee...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank Mr. Brownlee. I would like to welcome the Deputy Butler, Chairman of the Joint Committee on Business, Enterprise and Innovation, which is also doing a report on apprenticeships. Would Mr. English like to say a few words?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank Mr. English. On behalf of the committee, I want to congratulate everyone on their achievements. Given the Olympic standard, it is incredible to think how well everyone did, and across such a wide breadth of different skills and areas. It is really fascinating. On behalf of the State, I thank everyone and acknowledge the positive impression of Ireland I have no doubt everyone...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: The partnership Ms Yeates highlighted is incredibly important. Of course, we in Kildare are very proud of her as a Kildare person.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Would anybody else like to say a few words about how they found the experience and perhaps something about their own areas of expertise? Perhaps they might do so after the members have asked a few questions. I will hand the floor over to the members.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: We will wait until everybody has had an opportunity before coming back to the witnesses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: It is quite shocking to think that only 4% of apprentices last year were female and the number prior to that was only 2%.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I will put the witnesses on the spot. I have given them enough time to warm up. I wish to ask about their areas of expertise. When I heard about the various areas, I thought it was incredible to have such a wide variety. I ask them to say a little about their area and how they think apprenticeships or training can be given more prominence. It seems there is not parity of esteem between...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Ms Yeates told us about freight forwarding earlier. Perhaps she will tell us what attracted her to that as opposed to anything else, and respond to any of the questions that have been put.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: During transition year, all students should have the opportunity to attend a taster session of a skill or apprenticeship and learn a little more about the options through that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank Ms Mathe. It is a shame that this is not a practical session because she could have cooked dinner for all of us. It would have been nice.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Mr. Twomey enjoyed it anyway.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Good.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank Mr. Twomey.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Mr. Wasson is welcome.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: What is Mr. Kehoe's particular skill?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Good man. I saw a video that Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board did about a female welder as a really good way to encourage women to get into this area of activity.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank Mr. Flynn for his observations.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: WorldSkills Competition 2019: Discussion (24 Sep 2019)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank Mr. Lynch. It has been interesting to listen to the experiences and observations of the witnesses. On behalf of all of us, I congratulate them and assure them that they are ambassadors for Ireland in this area. We will call on them when we need to avail of more expertise as we make a input into the whole apprenticeship area. I think they have shone a light on where we need to go...