Results 1,701-1,720 of 3,797 for speaker:Ciarán Cannon

Topical Issue Debate: Services for People with Disabilities (3 Dec 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: In responding to Deputy Mitchell O'Connor's question I will outline the measures being adopted by the Department in addressing what she quite rightly describes as the digital divide. It is also important to note the very important work being done by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, in rolling out the national digital strategy and the serious...

Topical Issue Debate: Services for People with Disabilities (3 Dec 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I agree with Deputy Mitchell O'Connor's final remark. It is something we should at least contemplate. Perhaps we should examine the significant body of experience, learning and wisdom amassed throughout our primary and post-primary school system in recent years with regard to the use of technology in education, and then use this wisdom to determine how best we serve the needs of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: SOLAS Training and Education Programmes Provision (3 Dec 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: This is a day to day operational matter for SOLAS who manage the Momentum programme. I understand that contracts issued under the Momentum programme operate on an outcome based payments system and to achieve the maximum amount of the contract the company will need to recruit the full number of participants, train them and assess them. The contracts in question issued to SDMG Ltd. T/A...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Training Fund (3 Dec 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: Over the last number of years annual expenditure from the National Training Fund has exceeded annual income and as a result the surplus has been falling. The accumulated surplus in the fund has been critical in maintaining expenditure levels, particularly in the provision of training for the unemployed, in a period when receipts were falling. It is considered prudent to continue to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (3 Dec 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: Under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Bus Éireann which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department has confirmed that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Issues (3 Dec 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann has advised my Department that it is the Company's policy to encourage any employee, customer or other person who has information regarding any alleged wrongdoing on the part of the management or staff of the Company to come forward and come forward with that information without fear of victimisation, subsequent discrimination or disadvantage. As with every citizen,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Appeals (3 Dec 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, has advised...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Allowances (3 Dec 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: There is provision for payment of allowances to persons that fill certain co-ordinator posts in adult education either on a permanent or temporary basis. If the Deputy can provide details of any specific instance to which he is referring, I would be happy to provide further information.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (3 Dec 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: Changes to the School Transport Scheme have generated an increase in the number of queries and representations to my Department and when combined with the routine administrative work undertaken within my Department in relation to school transport provision generally, regrettably, it was not feasible to deal with the increased volume of representations in a more timely manner. However, I am...

Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (28 Nov 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter because it gives me the opportunity to outline to the House the Department's policy on providing furniture and equipment for special needs pupils in general and the present position with regard to a request for five therapy beds for pupils in Rosedale school, Galway. My Department provides funding for furniture and equipment that is required for...

Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (28 Nov 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: As the Deputy is aware, there is a significant difference between a changing bench, which is provided primarily for the toileting purposes of children with severe and profound special needs, and therapy beds, which are far more holistic pieces of equipment that address issues other than the simple toileting facilities. The application received in July was for therapy benches, which I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Scheme (27 Nov 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I am aware of a number of allegations made of wrongdoing by individual employees of Bus Éireann involved in the school transport scheme and have responded to a number of Parliamentary Questions regarding these. Any allegation of wrongdoing by an employee/employees of Bus Éireann is treated as a very serious issue by both Bus Éireann and my Department. It is usual and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Scheme (27 Nov 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I would like to preface this reply by noting that it is not for the Minister for Education and Skills to speak on behalf of the EU Commission. That said, the agreed document of 1975 provides the basis for payment to Bus Éireann in respect of the arrangements between my Department and Bus Éireann under which the school transport scheme operates. To describe the details contained in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Momentum Programme Issues (27 Nov 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: In the design of the Momentum Programme, consideration was given to the question of additional payments/supports but in the current difficult economic circumstances, it was decided that no additional payments, other than the retention of social welfare benefits, was warranted. This approach was discussed between the relevant Government Departments when the Programme was being designed last...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (27 Nov 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: The agreed document of 1975 provides the basis for payment to Bus Éireann in respect of the arrangements between my Department and Bus Éireann under which the school transport scheme operates. The Department receives a copy of the Statement of Account for School Transport, prepared by the CIE Group auditors, each year which confirms that, in the opinion of the auditors, the...

Topical Issues: Third-Level Feeder Schools (26 Nov 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: As I mentioned earlier, the league tables published present a very inaccurate and unhelpful view of schools in that they provide information on only one aspect of school performance. I would encourage parents to look at school inspection reports, which are available on the Department's website and provide a far fuller, accurate and holistic view of what is happening in the individual school...

Topical Issues: Third-Level Feeder Schools (26 Nov 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I am aware that reports have been published on feeder schools for third level. Similar tables have been published by newspapers annually for more than a decade. My Department does not endorse these tables nor does it normally comment on them or encourage them in any way. I am not in favour of the publication of these league tables based solely on rates of third level admissions in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (26 Nov 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 111together. Any allegation of wrongdoing by an employee of Bus Éireann involved in the school transport scheme is treated as a very serious issue by both Bus Éireann and my Department. It is usual and appropriate that an allegation against an employee is investigated by the employer in question under its internal control procedures. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (26 Nov 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: School Transport was the subject of a Value for Money Review carried out as part of the 2009-2011 round of Value for Money Reviews. This review, which is available on my Department's website, looked in detail at the various cost factors impacting on the provision of school transport including the scale of provision for children with special educational needs, levels of parental choice and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (26 Nov 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I understand that the population of redundant apprentices recorded on the SOLAS Apprenticeship Client Services System at the end of October 2013 is 1,736. The breakdown across the different phases is attached for the Deputy's attention. The number of redundant apprentices currently on the Redundant Apprentice Placement Scheme at the end of October is 185. It is expected that these will...