Results 681-700 of 4,869 for speaker:Seán Haughey

Capitation Grants: Motion (Resumed) (12 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: It was not quite the Famine when the coalition was in power, although it seemed like that for many people. There is a lot of doublespeak.

Capitation Grants: Motion (Resumed) (12 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: How much time do I have left?

Capitation Grants: Motion (Resumed) (12 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: There is a lot of doublespeak from the Opposition. For the past week the Opposition criticised the Minister for Finance for not curtailing public expenditure, given the current economic environment.

Capitation Grants: Motion (Resumed) (12 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: In this debate, Opposition Members have called for an extra €80 million for school funding. The Labour Party's potential coalition partners, Fine Gael, said that. Maybe they are not the Labour Party's coalition partners.

Capitation Grants: Motion (Resumed) (12 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: I assure the Deputy that I am not speaking from a script. I am re-iterating the points made by the Minister in her contribution. From where does the Opposition believe that €80 million could come?

Capitation Grants: Motion (Resumed) (12 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: Before I conclude I wish to deal with criticisms regarding teacher numbers and school buildings. The Government is committed to providing 4,000 extra primary teachers by 2012. We are ahead of target in that regard. With the additional teachers in place this year, and those provided for in budget 2000, extra primary teachers will be provided in just two years.

Capitation Grants: Motion (Resumed) (12 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: Record investment is being provided for school buildings. This year, capital investment at primary level will amount to €390 million compared to €140 million in 2001. This Government is committed to primary schools and its commitment is unprecedented. We intend to deliver significant improvements in the years ahead.

Capitation Grants: Motion (Resumed) (12 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: We have had a constructive debate over the course of last night and this evening. I am delighted to re-iterate the Government's commitment in the programme for Government and the commitments of the Towards 2016 agreement. We have made substantial progress in recent years.

Capitation Grants: Motion (Resumed) (12 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: Our commitments are for the lifetime of this Government. In 2002, there was an economic setback but the commitments made prior to the 2002 election were implemented during the course of the Government.

Capitation Grants: Motion (Resumed) (12 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: We must be conscious of the economic situation that prevailed in the second half of the year. Statistics show that the economic downturn occurred in the second half of the year and it would be irresponsible of the Government not to be conscious of that. Our commitments are there and refer to education generally. Our record can be seen and some €9.3 billion will be spent on education this...

Sports Capital Programme. (12 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: Hear, hear.

School Transport. (12 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline the position on the commitment in the programme for Government to review the school transport system, including catchment boundaries. Before I address the issue, I will provide an outline of the extent of the school transport service. School transport is a very significant operation managed by Bus...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (12 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: My Department has received an application for a change in the transport arrangements for the pupil referred to by the Deputy, in the details supplied. A report has been requested from Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme. When this report is received and considered, my Department will be in contact with the family.

Student Support Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: The Ceann Comhairle should tread carefully.

Student Support Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: This is very relevant.

Written Answers — Interdepartmental Committees: Interdepartmental Committees (13 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: The interdepartmental Committee will be chaired by myself and will comprise senior officials from the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Education and Science and Finance.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (13 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 to 151, inclusive, together. The school transport scheme was established in the late 1960s. From the outset, the purpose of the scheme was to ensure access to primary and post-primary education for children who, because of where they live, might have difficulty in attending school regularly. At primary level, pupils who reside 3.2 kilometres or more...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (13 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: The charges payable by post-primary pupils availing of school transport services are €33 per term at junior cycle and €51 per term at senior cycle. These charges have not been increased since 1998. In view of the significant increase in the cost of providing school transport in the interim, it has been decided that revised charges will be introduced with effect from the final term of the...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (2 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 668 and 672 together. Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport service on behalf of my Department, plan bus routes in such a way as to ensure that, as far as possible, pupils have a reasonable level of service while at the same time, ensuring that school transport vehicles are fully utilised in an efficient and cost effective manner. The pupil...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (2 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: Adult education services are funded by my Department through annual grants to Vocational Education Committees (VECs), which deliver the services locally. VECs provide courses free of charge or at nominal cost in their own centres. The centre referred to by the Deputy is not a VEC centre and my Department does not provide assistance for the payment of fees charged by centres that are not VEC...