Results 701-720 of 4,869 for speaker:Seán Haughey

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

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, that is, the centre serving the catchment area in which s/he lives. The scheme is not designed to facilitate parents who choose to send their children to a post-primary centre outside of the...

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

Seán Haughey: Vehicles operating under my Department's school transport scheme must be equipped with seat belts and pupils are required by law to wear these belts. The European Communities (Compulsory Use of Safety Belts and Child Restraint Systems in Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2006 — Statutory Instrument No. 240 of 2006, made by the Minister for Transport in May 2006, obliges owners of buses fitted...

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

Seán Haughey: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to review the school transport system including catchment boundaries. My Department is currently developing proposals for progressing this commitment and the intention is to make substantial progress during the current year. The Forward Planning Section of my Department is currently examining educational provision for a number of areas,...

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

Seán Haughey: My Department is committed to providing an inclusive school environment to meet the needs of pupils for whom English is a second language. Such an inclusive school environment reflects values and affirms linguistic, ethnic and cultural diversity. In relation to this project, there has already been communication with the Principal of the school, indicating the services that are available,...

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

Seán Haughey: The parents/guardians of the pupil referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied should liaise, in the first instance, with the local Special Education Needs Organiser (S.E.N.O.). The provision of school transport will be considered by my Department upon receipt of an application via the S.E.N.O.

Unemployment Rate: Motion (Resumed). (3 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: The motion refers to the need to upskill 500,000 people by 2020 and it is that aspect of it that I intend to address in my contribution. I am pleased to have the opportunity to recount progress in recent years on Ireland's human capital development. The Government has continued the policy of successive Governments since the 1960s in investing heavily in education and training. We have long...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (3 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: The Deputy will be aware, from my previous reply to Parliamentary Question Number 428 on 11th March 2008, that the person referred to, in the details supplied, is not attending a recognised school and, accordingly, does not meet the eligibility criteria for receipt of a school transport service.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (3 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: My Department has requested Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme, to submit a report on the pupil referred to by the Deputy, in the details supplied. A decision on the pupil's eligibility for school transport will be made on receipt of this report.

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (9 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: My Department has and will continue to put the resources and supports in place to ensure there are a wide range of course options available in the Further and Higher Education sectors for people who wish to continue their studies after second-level or return to education later in life. The priority target group of Further Education programmes generally is those who are educationally...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (9 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the Seanad the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and to outline the current position regarding Colaiste Pobail Osraí, Cill Chainnigh, in particular. In the lifetime of the current national development plan almost €4.5 billion will be invested in schools. Of...

Seanad: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: I thank Senator Ross for raising this matter and giving me an opportunity to outline to the House the improvements that have been made in this area in recent years. In the primary sector alone there are approximately 6,000 more teachers on the Department's payroll than there were in 2002. Extra teachers have been provided in the 2006-07 and 2007-08 school years specifically to reduce class...

Seanad: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: It is the intention to implement all the commitments in the programme for Government during the course of the lifetime of this Government.

Seanad: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: Yes, including this one.

Seanad: Northern Ireland Issues (9 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: It is important to acknowledge the enormous progress in building relationships on this island, both within Northern Ireland and between North and South, in the ten years since the Good Friday Agreement was signed. Compared to the long decades of the Troubles, we are truly in a new era of peace, prosperity and co-operation. An inclusive, power-sharing Executive headed by Dr. Ian Paisley and...

Services for People with Disabilities. (10 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: I will be taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. I am pleased to take this opportunity to address the important issues raised by the Deputy. I wish to emphasise the Government's commitment to providing a high quality service to all people with a disability. This commitment is illustrated by the substantial investment we have...

Schools Building Projects. (10 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the House the position regarding a proposed building project for the Convent national school in Listowel, County Kerry. I wish to explain the Deputy's reference to the commission on school accommodation. He is referring here to what is known as an area development plan for the north Kerry area...

School Accommodation. (10 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Deputy for raising these matters and giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the actions being taken by the Department of Education and Science to address the accommodation needs of the schools referred to in County Kildare. Under the national development plan, €4.5 billion has been assigned to the capital requirements of the primary and post-primary sectors. Almost...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (10 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 to 139, inclusive, together. 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...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (10 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: In framing the school transport charges in the early 1980s, my Department was anxious to positively discriminate in favour of pupils at the earlier stages of their education and accordingly eligible junior cycle pupils were allowed, as a concession, to avail of a lower rate of charge than senior cycle pupils. The current charges per term for eligible pupils, applicable from the final term of...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (17 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: My Department will request further information from the Transport Liaison Officer for County Dublin regarding the background to the matter referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied. The case will be examined on receipt of the report.