Results 521-540 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The number of pupils availing of school transport services in a school year varies from time to time. Accordingly, the figures set out below are averages of pupils availing of the service within the years mentioned. The figures are as follows: 1997 — 160,000; 1998 — 154,000; 1999 — 145,000; 2000 — 139,000; 2001 — 140,000; 2002 — 136,000; and 2003 — 138,000. Expenditure in the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The National Council for Special Education has been established as an independent statutory body with responsibilities as set out in the National Council for Special Education (Establishment) Order, 2003. The order requires the council to undertake its full range of functions with effect from 1 October 2004. My Department is in the process of agreeing protocols for the transfer of specific...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: My Department received more than 8,400 applications for special education resources since 15 February 2003. The batch of approximately 5,000 applications received between 15 February and 31 August 2003 are being considered at present. Priority was given to almost 1,000 cases involving children starting school last September and all those cases were responded to at or before the commencement...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous year. The number of mainstream posts is determined by reference to a schedule which is finalised for a particular school year following discussions with the education partners. The staffing schedule for the coming school year issued to all primary schools in...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: In fulfilment of my Department's commitment to tackle substandard school accommodation the level of capital investment in schools over the lifetime of this Government has progressively increased since 1998 to a total of almost €2 billion, the largest investment programme in the history of the State. The position in relation to any school or category of school, including schools that may be...

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The position is that the original agreements and understanding reached when the 16 comprehensive schools were established did not provide for parent and teacher representation on the boards of management. Clearly, this is an unacceptable position and my Department has been working for a number of years with the following interested parties, the Catholic Church, the Church of Ireland, the...

Written Answers — Inservice Training: Inservice Training (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 91 together. Training in teaching methodologies is currently an intrinsic part of inservice training including those national programmes provided to support curriculum reforms. There is currently a range of curriculum support services in place, including services for the primary curriculum and for a number of second level subjects and programmes. It is...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: At present 128 institutions are listed on the Schedule to the Residential Institutions Redress Act. Section 4 of the Act enables additional institutions that are identified as reformatory schools, industrial schools, orphanages, children's homes and special schools, in which children were placed and resident and in respect of which a public body had a regulatory or inspection function, to be...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: Since my appointment as Minister for Education and Science, I have made it clear that addressing educational disadvantage is my top priority. By ensuring that available educational resources are targeted at the most disadvantaged people in the education system at all levels, my objective is to ensure that all young people leave the education system with a high quality education and related...

Written Answers — Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The early start pre-school project was established in 40 primary schools in designated areas of urban disadvantage in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Drogheda and Dundalk during 1994 and 1995. The aims of early start are to expose young children to an educational programme which would enhance their overall development, prevent school failure and offset the effects of social...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: Since 1998 almost €2 billion has been invested in the school building programme at primary and post-primary level, the largest investment programme in the history of the State. This is a significant amount of investment. This level of investment will need to be maintained if the goal of eliminating sub-standard accommodation is to be achieved. The 2004 school building programme, which I...

Written Answers — School Discipline: School Discipline (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I am aware of the survey, conducted by the ASTI, referred to by the Deputy. It is important that while acknowledging that student discipline is an issue in schools we do not talk this up to being a crisis. It is undoubtedly the case that a small proportion of students cause serious problems in schools. The reasons for this are not simple and are societal as much as educational. That said, I...

Written Answers — Teaching Profession: Teaching Profession (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I am concerned about the position of imbalance between male and female applicants for the primary teaching profession. My Department commissioned a research study on the issue of take-up of primary teacher training by males and females. The report on the study, which was completed in 2002, showed that the pool of males with the necessary qualifications is smaller than the equivalent pool of...

Written Answers — School Facilities: School Facilities (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: In November 1998 my Department commissioned a national survey to ascertain the overall condition of science facilities in second level schools. In this context my Department considered a range of options to determine the most appropriate approach to addressing science facilities in post-primary schools. Capital funding is provided from the annual second level capital allocation for the...

Written Answers — Further Education: Further Education (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: In the current academic year the enrolments on PLC courses in certain schools and colleges have exceeded the number of places approved by my Department. Teacher allocations for 2004-05 and capitation grants have been allocated on the basis of the approved number of places or the numbers enrolled. In the 2003-04 academic year nearly 28,700 places were approved by my Department. Officials from...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The joint working group on teachers superannuation, set up on foot of a decision of the North-South Ministerial Council, is examining the feasibility and implication of establishing reciprocal arrangements to facilitate the transfer of pension entitlements between the jurisdictions. As part of the working group's consideration of a range of complex issues involved, the group asked actuaries...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The study of the Montessori courses run in the St. Nicholas's Montessori college, Dún Laoghaire is the subject of ongoing consideration within my Department. In terms of next steps, a meeting to discuss the outcomes of the study with representatives from the St. Nicholas's Montessori college is scheduled for the coming weeks. The question of broader recognition will be discussed in this context.

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: Since the beginning of 2004, my Department has been engaged in a process to recruit five additional psychologists to the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS. Four of the five started on 19 April 2004 and a fifth is expected to join shortly. There are 127 psychologists currently employed in NEPS, including the four new entrants. Further recruitment of psychologists to NEPS will...

Written Answers — School Insurance: School Insurance (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 171 together. Responsibility for arranging insurance cover on school property and against public liability is a matter for the managerial authorities of primary and secondary schools which are privately owned. I believe that it would not be reasonable to expect the State to meet the full insurance costs of privately owned buildings. Funding is provided...

Written Answers — Further Education: Further Education (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: By ensuring that available educational resources are targeted at the most disadvantaged people in the education system at all levels, my objective is to ensure that all young people complete first and second level with a high quality education and related qualifications to support their full participation in society and in the economy. In the area of further and adult education the principal...