Results 541-560 of 4,869 for speaker:Seán Haughey

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (24 Oct 2007)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Senator for raising the matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline the Government's strategy for capital investment in educational projects and to outline the position regarding Gaelscoil Bharra. Modernising facilities in the 3,200 primary and 750 post-primary schools is not an easy task given the legacy of decades of under-investment in this area, as well as the need to...

Seanad: Rail Services (24 Oct 2007)

Seán Haughey: The Minister for Transport is aware of Senator Keaveney's sustained efforts to improve transport links in the north west, including Derry. The Minister for Transport will raise the matters she has brought up in this House with the Minister for Regional Development in Northern Ireland. However, Transport 21, which is the medium-term investment framework for transport, does not provide for a...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (25 Oct 2007)

Seán Haughey: Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme, a pupil is eligible for transport if s/he resides 4.8 kilometres or more from her/his local post primary education centre. The scheme is not designed to facilitate parents who choose to send their children to a post-primary centre outside of the catchment area in which they reside. However, children who are fully...

Seanad: Education Schemes (25 Oct 2007)

Seán Haughey: I thank Senator Hannigan for giving me the opportunity to clarify the position on proposed developments in the PLC sector. The current negotiations on the development of the PLC sector are being looked at in the context of Towards 2016, Ten-Year Framework Social Partnership Agreement 2006-2015, which states as follows: Having regard to developments in the PLC sector, including the McIver...

Seanad: Education Schemes (25 Oct 2007)

Seán Haughey: I undertake to do that.

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (25 Oct 2007)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and to outline the position regarding a new primary school in Rochestown. Modernising facilities in our 3,200 primary and 750 post-primary schools is not an easy task given the legacy of decades of under-investment in this...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (25 Oct 2007)

Seán Haughey: It will be considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme. I will try to get the Senator more specific information on the matter.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (31 Oct 2007)

Seán Haughey: The Board of Management of the school referred to by the Deputy, in the details supplied, submitted the names and addresses of a number of pupils who wished to avail of a school transport service. This list was forwarded by my Department to Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme, in order to determine these pupils' eligibility for school transport. Following this...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (31 Oct 2007)

Seán Haughey: The provision of transport under the School Transport Scheme may be considered in respect of education facilities which are recognised by my Department. As the facility referred to by the Deputy in the documentation supplied is neither recognised nor funded by my Department, the question of providing transport for the pupil in question, at this time, does not arise.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (31 Oct 2007)

Seán Haughey: As the Deputy is aware, under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme, a pupil is eligible for transport if s/he resides 4.8 km or more from her/his local post primary education centre. The scheme is not designed to facilitate parents who choose to send their children to a post-primary centre outside of the catchment area in which they reside. However, children who...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (6 Nov 2007)

Seán Haughey: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to review the school transport scheme, including catchment boundaries. My Department is currently considering how best to progress this task.

Written Answers — Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (6 Nov 2007)

Seán Haughey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 344, 366, 367, 370, 371, 373, 398 and 420 together. The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) is a second chance education initiative for unemployed persons, who are at least 21 years of age and in receipt of specified social welfare payments for at least six months, which is funded by my Department. It is operated through the Vocational Education...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (6 Nov 2007)

Seán Haughey: Bus Éireann operates school transport services on behalf of my Department. Where it is not possible to provide a reasonable level of service to meet the educational needs of a pupil, my Department may consider an application for a grant towards the cost of organising private transport. My Department is satisfied, in this instance, that a reasonable level of service was provided for the...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (6 Nov 2007)

Seán Haughey: Escorts are employed by Boards of Management of schools. My Department allocates funding to relevant schools for the employment of escorts specifically engaged to cater for children with special educational needs whose care requirements are such as to necessitate continuous support. The funding provided by my Department includes an additional 8% for holiday pay.

Written Answers — Educational Projects: Educational Projects (7 Nov 2007)

Seán Haughey: My Department received an application on behalf of the group in question for funding in 2007 under the Special Projects for Youth (SPY) Scheme administered by the Youth Affairs Section. It was not possible to accede to this request due to the high level of existing commitments in the youth work sector and the large number of new applications received this year. Eighty three (83) new SPY...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (8 Nov 2007)

Seán Haughey: School transport for children with specific learning disabilities who meet the Department's criteria is generally provided to the school nearest to the pupil's residence in which resources can be, or may already have been, allocated to support the child's educational needs. My Department is examining the background to the enrolment of four children, referred to in the letter from the person...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (8 Nov 2007)

Seán Haughey: The Transport Liaison Officer (TLO) for County Kildare has advised that an application for school transport received on behalf of the pupil referred to by the Deputy was received after the closing date for receipt of such applications. The service is currently operating to capacity. The person in question should continue to liaise with the TLO regarding the provision of a seat for the second...

School Transport. (13 Nov 2007)

Seán Haughey: The safety of children travelling on the school transport service is of paramount importance to my Department and to Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme. To this end, Bus Éireann has a wide range of checking procedures in place, in addition to statutory vehicle examinations, to ensure, as far as reasonably possible, that a safe and reliable service is delivered. These...

School Transport. (13 Nov 2007)

Seán Haughey: The phasing out process was completed in December 2006. As part of the school bus transport scheme, every student now has a seat belt and retrospective fitting of seat belts occurred in many cases.

School Transport. (13 Nov 2007)

Seán Haughey: There is a danger in having children in the vicinity of the school bus, which was identified by my Department and by Bus Éireann. The pilot scheme worked well and a number of areas are under consideration for an extension of the scheme. We have identified places and we hope to extend the scheme to them in the coming weeks.