Results 221-240 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Written Answers — Inservice Training: Inservice Training (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: In addition to funding a number of national support services, for example in the areas of curricular reform and special needs, my Department supports a wide range of continuing professional development programmes provided by a network of education centres at local level for personnel working in primary and post-primary schools. In this regard the in-career development unit of my Department...

Written Answers — Education Welfare Service: Education Welfare Service (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The Education (Welfare) Act was fully commenced on 5 July 2002. Under the Act, the National Educational Welfare Board was established to ensure every child attends school regularly or otherwise receives an education. The board is developing a nationwide service to provide welfare-focused services to children, families and schools to discharge its responsibilities. It has appointed a chief...

Written Answers — Inquiry into Child Abuse: Inquiry into Child Abuse (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I am not aware if the institution referred to by the Deputy has been investigated for the abuse of children. The Oireachtas, through the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000, established a statutory body with the powers of the High Court to undertake such investigations. The Act specifically provides that the commission shall inquire into abuse allegations and shall determine the...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The appropriate grant in respect of supervision for the 2002-03 school year issued to the board of management of the school concerned in December 2003. It is suggested that the teacher referred to by the Deputy should take the matter up directly with the schoolauthorities.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The school building programme for 2004 as published is focused towards the construction of large-scale new building projects which were in the advanced stages of architectural planning. The proposed extension project at Meánscoil Iognáid Rís is in the early stages of architectural planning and, consequently, did not feature in the 2004 programme. However, given the difficulties being...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 312 and 318 to 320, inclusive, together. There are 4,319 full-time and 1,353 part-time special needs assistants at primary level being paid salary on my Department's payroll. To date, my Department has allocated a total of 461.39 whole-time equivalent special needs assistants at post-primary level. The budget for the provision of special needs assistants is...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 313 to 317, inclusive, together. Special needs assistants may be approved to assist a pupil who has a significant medical need for such assistance, a significant impairment of physical or sensory function or where their behaviour is such that they are a danger to themselves or other pupils. The criteria used for the assessment of the need for special needs...

Written Answers — School Textbooks: School Textbooks (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: Apart from a small number of prescribed texts at second level, mainly in the case of language subjects, school textbooks are not approved or prescribed by my Department at first or second level. Decisions on which books to use are taken at school level. The publication and sale of school books are in the hands of independent commercial enterprises and it is not open to me to compel publishing...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: An application for additional accommodation for Coláiste Mhuire, Johnstown, County Kilkenny, has been received in my Department and it is being examined in school planning section to determine the long-term accommodation needs of the school. Following completion of this assessment contact will be made directly with the school authorities. With regard to the school completion programme, the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: My Department is considering options for the long term accommodation needs of Gaelscoil Cholmcille and among these options is the possible purchase of a site. The property management section of the Office of Public Works is acting on behalf of my Department regarding site acquisitions generally and is exploring the possibility of acquiring a site for the school in question.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The proposed large-scale building project for Presentation College, Carlow, is listed in section 8 of the 2004 school building programme, which is published on my Department's website at www.education.ie The proposed project is at stage 4 of architectural planning. It has been assigned a band 3 rating by my Department in accordance with the published criteria for prioritising large-scale...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the school is one of 32 additional schools that will benefit from the recent additional investment of €30 million in school buildings. These schools will bring to more than 200 the number of schools with significant building projects to be authorised to go to tender and construction during 2004. The project for the school will include the provision of...

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 327 and 328 together. Where schools are amalgamating or realigning, my Department has operated a consistent policy whereby, under the new arrangements, the entitlements of the pupils concerned under disadvantaged initiatives would not be less favourable than their entitlements prior to amalgamation or realignment.

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 329 and 330 together. The Deputy will be aware my Department is reviewing existing arrangements for the allocation of special educational supports to primary schools. In that context, my officials have initiated discussions on the matter with representative interests. It would be premature to anticipate the outcome. I can confirm, however, that the basic...

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I take it that by realignment the Deputy is referring to the amalgamation of two or more primary schools. In this regard the commission on school accommodation published two reports in September 2001, namely, the Amalgamation of First Level Schools and Amalgamation of Second Level Schools. These reports present a framework of key issues and recommend detailed models for the amalgamation...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: In September 2003, all primary school principals, including those in the Laois-Kildare area, were informed by letter of the name and contact details of the assigned primary inspector for the school. School management was advised to contact the assigned inspector as soon as possible if any teachers on probation were employed for the current school year. A divisional inspector, with...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: Teaching service for the purpose of post-primary circular 4/98 is that which has been duly certified as service that was given in a state-recognised school either in this State or abroad; was satisfactory whole, full-time teaching service and for which the teacher was fully qualified at the time and was remunerated. It is a matter for a school authority to confirm the veracity of information...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The school referred to by the Deputy has the services of two shared full-time resource teachers, together with a shared learning support teacher. I can confirm also that my Department has received an application for special educational resources, SER, in respect of the child referred to by the Deputy. SER applications received between 15 February and 31 August 2003 are being considered. More...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: As I recently announced, over the remainder of this school year a new school planning model involving published area development plans will be piloted in five areas. The north Dublin-south Louth region, which covers the Balbriggan area is included in the pilot scheme. The purpose of this new approach to school planning is to ensure, in future, the provision of school infrastructure will be...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The proposed large-scale building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is listed in section 8 of the 2004 school building programme which is published on my Department's website at www.education.ie. The proposed project is at stage 3, developed sketch scheme, of architectural planning. It has been assigned a band 1 rating by my Department in accordance with the published criteria...