13 Nov 2012, 16:58
The Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection will tomorrow meet with the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn TD in advance of the Council of Education Ministers meeting in Brussels scheduled for 26 November 2012.
13 November 2012
Chair of the Committee Joanna Tuffy TD says: “Our Committee will engage with Minister Quinn on the approach he proposes to take at the forthcoming Council of Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Ministers meeting in Brussels. Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union commences in January, with the overarching theme of securing sustainable economic growth and jobs for Europe’s citizens. Minister Quinn will outline to his counterparts the priorities in the area of education and training during the six-month Presidency.
“The meeting in Brussels will also consider the EU’s ‘Erasmus for All’ programme to 2020, Council conclusions on advancing monitoring and awareness of literacy levels and a Cypriot Presidency recommendation on inviting Member States to establish a system that recognises non-formal and informal learning. Our Committee, by engaging with the Minister in advance of the Council meeting, hopes to inform his approach to the debate and discussions in Brussels.”
Separately, the Committee will also hear from the Comhairle na nÓg National Executive on Social, Personal and Health Education and Relationships and Sexuality Education. Comhairle na nÓg is a network of youth councils across Ireland, which provides a forum for children and young people to discuss national issues of relevance to them.
Deputy Tuffy continues: “We will tomorrow to hear from Comhairle na nÓg representatives on their views on Social, Personal and Health Education and Relationships and Sexuality Education in the school curriculum. This is an opportunity for our Committee to hear first-hand from youth representatives on these key components of the school curriculum which relate personal development.”
The meeting takes place tomorrow Tuesday 14 November at 1 p.m. in Committee Room 3, Leinster House 2000. It will commence with the briefing from Minister Quinn. Committee proceedings can be viewed online via this link.
For further information please contact:
Paul Hand,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +353 1 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
Committee Membership
Deputies:
James Bannon, Fine Gael
Ray Butler, Fine Gael
Joan Collins, People Before Profit
Clare Daly, Independent
Brendan Griffin, Fine Gael
Simon Harris, Fine Gael
Charlie McConalogue, Fianna Fáil
Nicky McFadden, Fine Gael
Jonathan O'Brien, Sinn Féin
Mary Mitchell O’Connor, Fine Gael
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Labour Party (Vice Chair)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Sinn Féin
Willie O’Dea, Fianna Fáil
Brendan Ryan, Labour Party
Joanna Tuffy, Labour Party (Chair)
Senators:
Jim D’Arcy
Fidelma Healy Eames
Marie Moloney
Marie Louise O’Donnell
Averil Power
Diarmuid Wilson