Results 581-600 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Written Answers — Third Level Funding: Third Level Funding (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The Higher Education Authority has published a consultation document as part of a review of the recurrent funding model currently in operation in the universities. According to the Higher Education Authority, the aim is to put a revised funding model in place which will enable increasingly autonomous and market driven institutions to respond to public interest agendas, at national,...

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

Noel Dempsey: The annual revenue currently generated from existing school transport charges is about 6% of the overall expenditure on school transport services. While I have no immediate plans to introduce charges for pupils attending primary schools or to increase charges for pupils attending post-primary schools, the matter is being kept under review in the context of the escalating cost of school...

Written Answers — Early School Leavers: Early School Leavers (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: My Department's commitment to tackling absenteeism and early school leaving is reflected in the national anti-poverty strategy, the national action plan against poverty and social exclusion, 2003-2005 and the latest social partnership agreement, Sustaining Progress, which contains a special initiative on tackling educational disadvantage: literacy, numeracy and early school leavers. My...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: There are no specific plans of the nature referred to by the Deputy under active consideration at present. The proposal referred to has been recently introduced as a suggestion into the wider public debate on the future of higher education in Ireland. As the Deputy will be aware, I have invited the OECD to conduct an extensive review of higher education in Ireland in order to map a future...

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

Noel Dempsey: Expenditure on the 2004 school building programme commenced last January and to date €66 million has been spent.

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

Noel Dempsey: The 350 special needs teacher posts that I announced recently will be allocated as part of a new weighted system of teacher support for pupils with special educational needs. This new weighted system will involve two main elements: (a) making a staffing allocation to schools based on a predicted incidence of pupils with special educational needs; and (b) making individual allocations in the...

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

Noel Dempsey: The detailed arrangements for the introduction of the weighted system that I announced recently are currently being finalised. The matter raised by the Deputy is being considered in that context.

Written Answers — Third Level Admissions: Third Level Admissions (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The remarks to which the Deputy refers were aimed at encouraging debate on the very important issues associated with high points pressure for second level students and the implications of this for the educational experience of students at senior cycle level. The main recommendation of the report of the commission on the points system of 1999 was that the points system should be retained on...

Written Answers — School Staff Development: School Staff Development (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: Funding for teacher in-career development has in fact increased by nearly three million euro since the year 2000. My Department has reviewed the processes whereby it supports a range of in-service activities for personnel working at primary and post-primary levels and continues to examine new models of professional development with a view to enhancing overall provision.

Written Answers — Post-Leaving Certificate Courses: Post-Leaving Certificate Courses (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 2004-2005 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...

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, including one for the pupil referred to by the Deputy, is being considered at present. Priority was given to almost 1,000 cases involving children starting school last September and all those...

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

Noel Dempsey: My Department has received applications for special educational resources, SER, for the pupil referred to by the Deputy. The position is that SER applications received between 15 February and 31 August 2003, including one for the pupil in question are being considered at present. In all, more than 5,000 such applications were received. Priority was given to cases involving children starting...

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

Noel Dempsey: The provision of a new school for Meánscoil an Leith-Triúigh, Castlegregory, Tralee, Co. Kerry is listed on section 1 of the 2004 school building programme to proceed to tender and construction this year. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that authorisation to proceed to tender has recently been given to the school authority.

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

Noel Dempsey: The school referred to by the Deputy currently has the services of two learning support teaching posts and two resource teaching posts based in the school. I can confirm that my Department has received applications for additional special educational resources, SER, from the school referred to by the Deputy. The position is that SER applications received between 15 February and 31 August 2003,...

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

Noel Dempsey: Section 4 of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 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 added to the Schedule. My Department has received...

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

Noel Dempsey: Sanction was given for one teaching post and two special needs assistant posts for the class referred to by the Deputy. Precise information regarding the level of funding provided for the class in question is not readily available. I have asked my officials to establish what level of funding was provided and whether this was appropriate in the circumstances. This information will be sent to...

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

Noel Dempsey: A revised home tuition form is being prepared by my Department and will be available to applicants in the near future. Decisions on the grant of home tuition will be notified to applicants without delay.

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

Noel Dempsey: My Department received an application for special educational resources, SER, for the pupil referred to by the Deputy on 29 March 2004. SER applications received between 15 February and 31 August 2003, are being considered at present. In all, more than 5,000 such applications were received. Priority was given to cases involving children starting school last September and all these cases were...

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

Noel Dempsey: The children to whom the Deputy refers in the details supplied are being provided with a transport service to Urlingford national school. They are obliged, however, to travel to a pick-up point. As a rule primary school transport routes are planned so that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 1.5 miles to travel to a pick-up point. The children in question reside 0.3...

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

Noel Dempsey: Schools selected for inclusion in the recent announcement of a further €30 million investment in school buildings were selected not by reference to their status or location but rather by reference to priority band rating, position in the architectural planning process and the ability of the projects to draw down funding during 2004. My Department is currently reviewing educational provision...