Results 381-400 of 4,869 for speaker:Seán Haughey

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed) (21 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: I am also intrigued by the contribution of Deputy Stagg, who said Deputy Quinn was responsible for the Celtic tiger. He is possibly the only person in the country to hold that view. I have never heard it expressed before.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed) (21 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: Deputy Stagg is deluding himself. As the Minister for Education and Science set out yesterday, major improvements have been made in education under the Government. Some 10,000 extra teachers have been put in place and primary class sizes have been reduced to their lowest level ever. Supports for children from disadvantaged areas and those with special needs have been dramatically improved....

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion (Resumed) (21 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: I support the Government amendment and acknowledge the great progress made on dealing with class size over the past few years.

Cancer Screening Programme. (21 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: I am taking the Adjournment debate on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. I welcome the opportunity to address the issues raised by the Deputy and to set out the current position on the roll-out of the national breast screening programme in the west. I can confirm that BreastCheck screening will commence in the west from next April. My colleague, the Minister for...

Homeless Persons. (21 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: I am taking the Adjournment debate on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children and thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Irish policy is that appropriate health care is accessible to all. While the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government holds lead responsibility for the provision of accommodation to homeless persons, the provision of health services to this...

School Accommodation. (21 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and also the position of the Department of Education and Science on the application for an extension to Dromclough national school, Listowel, County Kerry. Modernising facilities in our 3,200 primary and 750 post-primary...

School Closures. (21 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline to the House the current position of the Department of Education and Science with regard to the planned closure of Greendale community school, Kilbarrack, Dublin 5. Greendale community school is located in the Howth deanery, a unit of 13 parishes in the archdiocese of Dublin. Located in Kilbarrack,...

Written Answers — Youthreach Programme: Youthreach Programme (22 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: The Youthreach Programme is an Inter-Departmental initiative which provides two years integrated education, training and work experience to young people aged 15-20 years who are at least six months in the labour market and who have left school early without any qualifications or vocational training. The programme is funded by my Department and delivered in out-of-school centres and is...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (22 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: My Department has been assured by Bus Éireann, which administers the school transport scheme, that children travelling on buses in the school transport scheme now have a seat of their own and all vehicles nominated to serve in the school transport scheme have also been equipped with seat belts. I see information and education as key factors influencing safety-conscious behaviour on school...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (22 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: In the organisation of the school transport system, buses are normally required to operate a number of runs. This is to provide a basic level of service, while achieving optimum value from available resources. In order to facilitate the operation of services, children may be required to wait some time, both morning and evening, for their service. This is a feature of the School Transport...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (22 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: I welcome the Report of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, "Tomorrow's Skills: Towards a National Skills Strategy". It complements and reinforces policy for upskilling the workforce in accordance with the recommendations of the White Paper on Adult Education, "Learning for Life" (2000), the Report of the Task Force on Lifelong Learning (2002) and the OECD Report, "Promoting Adult...

Written Answers — Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (22 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: The Vocational Training and Opportunities Scheme is a second-chance education and training programme available to people who are over 21 years of age and in receipt of certain Social Welfare payments, especially people who are long-term unemployed. The objective of the Scheme is to enhance their prospects of employment. The Scheme is funded by my Department and is delivered locally by...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (22 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: If the Deputy can provide the name of the pupil's nearest school, my Department will investigate the matter and revert to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (22 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: The Youth Affairs Section of my Department has received an application for funding on behalf of the project in question. This application was submitted for consideration in the 2007 round of grants under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme. Funding allocations for 2007 are currently being examined by my Department and consideration will be given to this application in light of available...

Written Answers — Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (27 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: The Vocational Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) provides full-time second chance education and training opportunities for unemployed adults who are at least 21 years of age and in receipt of specified social welfare payments for at least six months. The scheme is funded by my Department and operated through the 33 Vocational Educational Committees (VECs). The Vocational Education Committee (VEC)...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (27 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: In general primary school transport routes are planned by Bus Éireann so that, as far as possible, no eligible pupil will have more than 2.4 kilometres to travel to a pick up point. The school transport service provided to the family referred to in the details supplied by the Deputy is within this guideline. My Department understands from Bus Éireann that an extension to the existing...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (27 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 542 and 543 together. Greendale Community School is due to close in June 2007 due to falling enrolments. I am aware of the existing Adult Education service. This adult education service is mainly self-funded adult night time courses. There are also a number of students participating on the Back to Education Initiative. In the context of the impending...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (27 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: The documentation submitted by the Deputy has been forwarded to the head office of the organisation involved for direct reply to the company referred to in the details supplied.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (27 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: Following a meeting with a deputation representing parents of some children from the Blackwater area, my Department agreed to arrange for an independent examination to establish the position in relation to maps used to determine eligibility for school transport in this area. In the interim, and as a temporary measure pending the outcome of the examination, I am prepared to provide transport...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (27 Mar 2007)

Seán Haughey: The person referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied has recently applied to the Department for school transport. My Department has requested the Transport Liaison Officer for County Kildare to examine the situation and communicate with the family when this examination is completed.