Results 681-700 of 1,759 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Ciarán Cannon

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Contract (11 Feb 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 to 182, inclusive, together. There is no investigation being conducted into the matters raised by the Deputy. My 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 Statement of Account has been prepared, in all material...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (11 Feb 2014)

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 advised that the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (11 Feb 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The Annual Student Contribution is levied on apprentices and students attending Institutes of Technology. This contribution has been levied by Institutes of Technology in respect of apprentices since 2004, with FÁS/SOLAS paying 70% of the contribution and apprentices themselves paying the remainder. As part of Budget 2014 and in the context of overall savings my Department had to find,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (11 Feb 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: As the Deputy is aware, where my Department is satisfied that a school does not have capacity to enrol additional children, then these children may have their transport eligibility considered by reference to the distance they reside from their next nearest school. However, my Department is not satisfied that the school in question is full as funding for the provision of additional capacity...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: European Globalisation Fund (5 Feb 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Since 2011 my Department has submitted final reports and statements justifying expenditure to the European Commission in respect of six completed programmes to assist redundant workers which were co-financed by the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund. It should be noted that the design of the EGF process provides for the return of unused EU co-financing, given the inherent difficulties in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Adult Education (4 Feb 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: My Department through SOLAS specifically funds English as a Second Language (ESOL) tuition for adults as part of the adult literacy service. Education and Training Boards (ETBs) deliver the tuition and decide on the level of funding and extent of the service provided in accordance with local demand and needs. ETBs may also provide English language tuition under the Back to Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Appeals (4 Feb 2014)

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 advised that the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Adult Education (4 Feb 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: My Department through SOLAS provides funding to Longford Westmeath Education and Training Board (ETB) by way of tuition hours and administrative support for the centre referred to by the Deputy. There is no provision for any other staffing allocation. As the Deputy is aware a moratorium on recruitment and promotion is applicable to the civil and public service and all positions other than...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: EU Regulations (30 Jan 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I will arrange for a direct reply to the Deputy when the issues raised have been considered by my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Childcare Education and Training Scheme Places (30 Jan 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Childcare assistance was introduced in the late 1990s as a way of providing assistance to people participating on specific Further Education programmes who faced barriers returning to education. In 2010, this programme was restructured into the Childcare Education and Training Scheme (CETS) administered by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The programmes targeted by the original...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (29 Jan 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: As the Deputy is aware, Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, is responsible for the negotiation and awarding of school transport contracts to private operators. The question referred to by the Deputy related to the costs of engaging a private bus contractor for the provision of a specific service. Bus Éireann has advised my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: FÁS Training Programmes Provision (29 Jan 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I am informed that following a comprehensive review of training programmes in what was then the FÁS North East Region in 2012 it was decided to discontinue driving courses. I am informed that this was due to there being no labour market demand with very few vacancies for commercial drivers being advertised. This continues to be the case. Through consultation with key stakeholders such as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (28 Jan 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The specific information sought by the Deputy regarding the times of buses is not held by my Department. However, the Deputy will be aware that 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (28 Jan 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: In order to provide a modern and flexible Irish Apprenticeship System, reflective of the relevant skills requirements of both industry and potential apprentices, I established an independent group to carry out a comprehensive review of the Apprenticeship System in Ireland last year. Following consultation with relevant stakeholders, the Review Group prepared a comprehensive report and made...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (28 Jan 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: SOLAS has introduced a range of measures to assist redundant apprentices who have a time deficit in their apprenticeship. A Competency Determination Mechanism (CDM) provides redundant apprentices with the opportunity, subject to demand, to demonstrate their skills and knowledge against the occupational standard for the following specified trades over a number of days in a Training Centre. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (28 Jan 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: As the Deputy will be aware, in June 2011, I announced that some 40 new schools are to be established up to 2017 to cater for increasing demographics across a number of locations. Many of these schools have commenced operation, one of which was a new post-primary school for Gorey, and plans are advanced to establish the remainder. The Forward Planning Section of my Department will continue...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Administration (28 Jan 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, is responsible for the negotiation and awarding of school transport contracts to private operators. Bus Éireann has advised my Department that it does not disclose tender pricing on the basis that such details constitute commercially sensitive information. Bus Éireann is satisfied that it is in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Availability (28 Jan 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The Deputy will be aware that children with special educational needs are eligible for school transport if they are attending the nearest recognised: mainstream school, special class / special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet their special educational needs. In relation to the issues raised by the Deputy, there are discussions ongoing between officials at my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Fees (28 Jan 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The Deputy will be aware that annual charging, as opposed to term charging, was introduced in the 2009/10 school year. The current annual charges for school transport are €100 per child at primary level and €350 per child at post primary level; these charges are subject to an annual family maximum of €220 for families with children attending primary schools only or an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Youthreach Programme Staff (28 Jan 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 to 262, inclusive, together. City of Cork Education and Training Board has informed my Department that 17 Resource Persons were appointed to the Youthreach programme since 2005. These were appointed on the following points of the Resource Persons pay scale: 14 at point 1, 1 at point 2, 1 at point 4 and 1 at point 7. Limerick and Clare Education and...