Results 441-460 of 623 for speaker:Síle de Valera

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: My Department recently replied to the legal representative of the person concerned.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: The area in question is in the Bantry catchment area, whereas the school referred in the details supplied by the Deputy is located in another catchment area. Transport can only be provided within the terms of the School Transport Scheme.

Written Answers — Further Education: Further Education (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: The course referred to by the Deputy is a self-contained whole-time programme of education and training designed to provide successful participants with specific skills, to enhance their prospects of securing lasting, full-time employment or progression to other studies. My Department provides resources for these courses in relation to teachers' pay, non-pay running costs, student support and...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: My Department has already taken a number of actions to address issues of discrimination and victimisation in the education system which are concerned with all students, including Traveller students. In particular, Section 6 of the Education Act 1998 states that "every person concerned in the implementation of the Act shall have regard to the following objects .... to promote equality of...

Written Answers — Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: My Department provides funding to VECs to assist towards the childcare expenses of participants in certain further education programmes in order to facilitate the enrolment on these programmes of people for whom they were designed but who had been unable to enrol on them because of childcare responsibilities. These are the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS), Youthreach and Senior...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: My Department recently replied to the legal representative of the person concerned.

Written Answers — Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) consists of a range of full time courses designed to meet the education and training needs of unemployed people. The Scheme is funded by my Department and operated through the 33 Vocational Education Committees (VECs). A VTOS allowance is paid by the VECs to students who had a prior entitlement to unemployment benefit or assistance. This...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Service on behalf of my Department, has advised that a number of pupils attending the school referred to in the details supplied were availing of concessionary transport. I should point out that concessionary transport is not guaranteed. Pupils availing of such transport may only do so if spare seats are available on school buses and this is...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: The circumstances of the case referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied, are being reviewed by my Department. Arrangements will be made to notify all relevant parties as soon as a decision has been made.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: Bus Éireann, which operate the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department, have been requested to submit a report on the application for school transport as outlined in the details provided. When this report is received and reviewed, arrangements will be made to advise all interested parties.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: Bus Éireann has informed my Department that there are currently 106 vehicles providing school transport services in County Meath. It is too early to indicate the number of additional vehicles, if any, that may be required for the 2006/07 school year as applications for school transport are still being processed.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: The Transport Liaison Officers are responsible for the co-ordination of the school transport service for Primary and Post Primary schools within their area. Part of this co-ordination is to ensure schools standardise their opening and closing times to ensure the School Transport Service is delivered in a timely and cost effective manner. If the Deputy has any specific case in mind I will be...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: My Department has requested Bus Éireann to submit a report on the situation as outlined by the Deputy in the details provided. When this report is received and reviewed all interested parties will be advised.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: The circumstances of the case raised by the Deputy, in the details provided, are being reviewed at present by my Department. Arrangements will be made to notify all relevant parties as soon as a decision has been made.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: The following is a breakdown of my Department's expenditure on transport services for the years shown: 1997 — €49.5m 1998 — €51.2m 1999 — €58.0m 2000 — €65.1m 2001 — €77.1m 2002 — €96.0m 2003 — €101.7m 2004 — €109.8m 2005 — €122.2m.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: The number of pupils availing of school transport services in a school year varies from time to time. Accordingly, the figures which I am now providing are averages of pupils availing of the service within the years mentioned. 1997 — 160,000 1998 — 154,000 1999 — 145,000 2000 — 139,000 2001 — 140,000 2002 — 136,000 2003 — 138,000 2004 — 136,000 2005 — 135,500. In...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: The annual average numbers of pupils carried on Primary and Post Primary school transport services from 2003 is 136,500 of which over 6,300 are currently carried on a concessionary basis. The breakdown of these figures on a county-by-county basis is not available.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: Between eight and nine thousand children with special educational needs are availing of school transport. A breakdown of this figure on a county-by-county basis is not available.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: The number of vehicles operating under the school transport scheme is over 3,300. This figure includes about 2,700 vehicles (including standby vehicles) owned by private contractors. The average age of the Bus Éireann school bus fleet is 15.1 years. The average age of the entire school bus fleet, including contractors vehicles, is 11 years.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: Bus Éireann have informed my Department that all of the post-primary school transport services are now on a one for one seating basis. Plans are well advanced to provide children travelling on school buses to primary schools with single seats by the end of December 2006.