Results 321-340 of 3,664 for speaker:Ciarán Cannon

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (6 Apr 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: All school bus services provided under the School Transport Scheme are operated on behalf of my Department by Bus Éireann. Accordingly, it is appropriate for Bus Éireann to set the operating standards to be met by private bus operators whom they employ as Contractors to provide these services. In previous decades it was not unusual to see buses over twenty years old providing school...

Adult Education (7 Apr 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I thank Deputy Hannigan for raising this issue and for his words of congratulations. I reciprocate by congratulating him on his election to Dáil Éireann. I know how much it means to him. Dunboyne College of Further Education is managed through St. Peter's College, Dunboyne by County Meath VEC to provide courses under my Department's post-leaving certificate programme. The PLC programme...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (7 Apr 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Under the terms of my Department's primary school transport scheme, pupils who reside 3.2 kilometres or more from, and are attending their nearest suitable national school, as determined by my Department, are eligible for school transport. The pupils referred to by the Deputy, in the details supplied, are not attending their nearest national school and are therefore not eligible for school...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (7 Apr 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Under the terms of my Department's primary school transport scheme, pupils may avail of concessionary fare paying transport subject to a number of conditions including the availability of spare seats on an existing service. In this regard the parents/guardians of the pupils in question should liaise with their local Bus Éireann office.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (7 Apr 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Changes to school transport services were announced in the 2011 budget by the previous Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government and derive from a recommendation in the recently published Value for Money Review of the scheme. From the 2012/13 school year, the use of the catchment boundary system will cease and school transport eligibility for all new children entering post-primary education will...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (12 Apr 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann which operates the school transport schemes on behalf of my Department has informed my Department that henceforth the designated route will be operated both morning and evening.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (12 Apr 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The changes to the school transport scheme were announced in the 2011 Budget by the previous Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government and derive from a recommendation in the recently published Value for Money Review of the scheme. From the beginning of the 2011/12 school year a €50 charge, which applies to all eligible primary pupils, is being introduced to ensure that school transport provided...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (12 Apr 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 187 together. The purpose of the Ombudsman for Children is to promote and safeguard the rights and welfare of children and young people under the age of 18. In specific circumstances as outlined under the relevant Act, the Ombudsman for Children may investigate any action taken (being an action taken in the performance of administrative functions) by...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (13 Apr 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: FAS has been designated to manage the European Globalisation Fund as it applies to former DELL and related workers in Limerick. The question of mobility allowances and their application to these workers is an operational one for FAS.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (14 Apr 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme, on behalf of my Department, has advised that the pupils referred to by the Deputy, in the details supplied, reside between 18.2 kilometres and 23.5 kilometres from the school in question. Bus Éireann further advises that the pupils can avail of a service which has a pick up point between 7.9 kilometres and 12.1 kilometres from their...

Written Answers — Adult Literacy: Adult Literacy (19 Apr 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: My Department provides funds to Vocational Education Committees (VECs) which deliver adult literacy services. That funding has increased from €1 million in 1997 to €30 million in 2010. The number of adult literacy participants that received tuition increased from 5,000 to 50,000 in the same period.

Written Answers — Adult Literacy: Adult Literacy (19 Apr 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The last major survey of adult literacy in Ireland was the survey referred to by the Deputy - the OECD International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) which was carried out in 1995 and published in 1997. My Department is funding Ireland's participation in a new international adult literacy survey - the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). PIAAC is being...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (19 Apr 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The changes to the school transport scheme were announced in the 2011 Budget by the previous Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government and derive from a recommendation in the recently published Value for Money Review of the scheme. From the beginning of the 2011/12 school year, services under the minimum numbers, either single services or which are part of double tripping arrangements, will be...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (19 Apr 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 to 124, inclusive, together. DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the action plan for Educational Inclusion was launched on 30 May 2005 and has been rolled out on a phased basis – commencing during the school year 2005/2006. The action plan provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and an integrated...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (19 Apr 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The changes to school transport services were announced in the 2011 Budget by the previous Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government and derive from a recommendation in the recently published Value for Money Review of the scheme. The change to the closed school rule, referred to by the Deputy, means that the distance criteria will be applied uniformly and equitably on a national basis. All pupils...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (20 Apr 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The changes to school transport services were announced in the 2011 Budget by the previous Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government and derive from a recommendation in the recently published Value for Money Review of the scheme. Changes in the 2011/2012 school year will mean that the distance criteria will be applied to all pupils attending primary schools and the exemption under the closed...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (21 Apr 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, is responsible for matters such as the planning of bus routes, the timetabling of services and the designation of pick up and set down points in such a way as to ensure that, as far as possible, pupils have a reasonable level of service consistent with school transport policy while at the same time, ensuring...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (3 May 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The Deputy will be aware that the programme for Government clearly states that education will be a priority for this Government and that we will endeavour to protect and enhance the educational experience of children, young people and students. To that end, we will endeavour to protect frontline services in education. However, I do not intend to revisit the decision of the previous...

Written Answers — Literacy Levels: Literacy Levels (3 May 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The forthcoming survey referred to by the Deputy is the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). PIAAC is being organised by the OECD and Ireland's participation is being funded by my Department. The survey will be administered in Ireland by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). Results are expected to be published in 2013. PIAAC will provide data, including...

Written Answers — Literacy Levels: Literacy Levels (3 May 2011)

Ciarán Cannon: The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the table, including the latest updated figures for 2010. They include participants in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses which are also funded under the Adult Literacy scheme. Adult Literacy Programme Statistics 1997-2010 Year No of Participants 1997 5,000 1998 5,000 1999 13,000 2000 17,150 2001 22,732 2002...