Results 1,881-1,900 of 3,797 for speaker:Ciarán Cannon

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Amalgamation (10 Jul 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me an opportunity to outline to the House my Department's position on the construction of a new school building for St. Colman's boys national school and convent girls national school in Kanturk, County Cork. As the Deputy is aware and as he has outlined, my Department is endeavouring to maximise the efficient use of all available...

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Amalgamation (10 Jul 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I have indicated that officials in the building unit of my Department are examining the reasons given by the local authority for the refusal of planning permission and whether these reasons can be addressed, taking into account a value for money perspective, which is important. The Department would not be engaging in this assessment of the outcome of the planning process if it was not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (9 Jul 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: School Transport Provision (9 Jul 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: Due to the increased volume of administration work in relation to school transport provision generally, regrettably, it was not possible to deal with all representations. Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department, has advised that the pupil in question is currently availing of a school transport service.

Topical Issue Debate: Smarter Transport (4 Jul 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I agree wholeheartedly with the Deputy and congratulate him on his initiative in promoting these new travel and transport opportunities for those living within the greater Dublin area. They are innovative and will provide for new and interesting opportunities for transport within the city. The commitment given by the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, judging from the response I read out for the...

Topical Issue Debate: Disposal of Hazardous Waste (4 Jul 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I thank Deputy Kyne for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan. Functions relating to the environmental planning, licensing and control of hazardous waste are the responsibility of the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and local authorities. Under section 60(3) of the Waste...

Topical Issue Debate: Disposal of Hazardous Waste (4 Jul 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: For the information of the Deputy, the EPA is reviewing the national hazardous waste management plan at present for the period from 2013 to 2017, as it is so obliged under section 26 of the Waste Management Act. The Deputy might make a submission to that review process. As I pointed out earlier, functions relating to the environmental planning, licensing and control of hazardous waste are...

Topical Issue Debate: Smarter Transport (4 Jul 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I thank Deputy Eoghan Murphy for attending the Dáil dojo yesterday. He has been a strong and articulate advocate of the CoderDojo movement, which we both agree is one of the most exciting movements to emerge from within the community sector in Ireland for many years. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy...

Topical Issue Debate: School Curriculum (4 Jul 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I am replying on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn. Currently, only 52% or just over half of all post-primary schools are obliged to provide history as a core subject. Although that is the case, it is great to acknowledge that over 90% of the students who sit the junior certificate enter the examination for history....

Topical Issue Debate: School Curriculum (4 Jul 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I have every reason to expect that in ten years' time we may have a similar if not an increased number of students studying history. I do not see any facet of the new junior certificate framework that in any way threatens that proposition. The implementation of the framework provides an opportunity to recast history as a vibrant student-centred subject with a significant emphasis on the...

Topical Issue Debate: Medical Card Eligibility (4 Jul 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: It is certainly not the intention of the Government to restrict access to the medical card system for people who are genuinely in need of it. On that basis, as I confirmed earlier, some 250,000 more people now have access to that sort of support than had such access when we came into government. In my personal experience, in my constituency office in Galway East we have actively engaged in...

Topical Issue Debate: Medical Card Eligibility (4 Jul 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I thank Deputy Ó Fearghaíl for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly. I advise the Deputy that, overall, nearly 44% of the national population has free access to general practitioner services under the general medical services, GMS, scheme. The HSE continues to issue medical and GP visit cards, with 2 million people currently...

Seanad: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (3 Jul 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: The legislation allows the Minister, Deputy Quinn, to decide on the commencement of the legislation, thus signalling the dissolution of FÁS and the creation of SOLAS and the further education and training authority. It is envisaged that will happen in the near future. It will certainly happen in the next two to four months. I cannot provide an exact timeframe at this stage but I will...

Seanad: Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (3 Jul 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I thank Senator Power for her kind comments. This is ground-breaking legislation that seeks to introduce significant reform in the way we provide further education and training in this country. It provides a structure and a delivery mechanism to ensure that every time a person seeks our support and assistance in accessing further education or training, the programmes provided will be of the...

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

Ciarán Cannon: Due to the increased volume of administration work in relation to school transport provision generally, regrettably, it was not possible to deal with all representations. 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 my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (2 Jul 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 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 that the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (2 Jul 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: The purpose of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest education centre. From the commencement of the 2012/13 school year, catchment areas are no longer a factor in determining eligibility for school transport. Children are now eligible for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (2 Jul 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. Children are eligible for school transport where they satisfy the distance criterion and are attending their nearest national school or post primary centre, having regard to ethos and language....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: FÁS Local Training Initiatives Places (27 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: This is an operational matter for FÁS. I am informed that FÁS began running the full Java Programmer Course in the Tralee Training Centre in 2012. The first Course started on 14th May 2012 with a capacity of 20 places and finished in February 2013. A second Java Programmer Course with a capacity of 20 places started in January 2013 and is due to finish in October 2013. In addition...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (27 Jun 2013)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 135 together. 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 my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport...