Results 1,421-1,440 of 4,869 for speaker:Seán Haughey

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (7 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: Under the terms of the Primary School Transport Scheme pupils are eligible for free school transport if they reside 3.2 kilometres or more from and are attending their nearest school or school of amalgamation. Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, have advised that a school transport service, catering for eligible pupils, is operating to the...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (7 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: The latest report entitled "Retention Rates of Pupils in Second-Level Schools 1999 Cohort" which is available on my Department's website at the following address: www.education.ie under Statistics contains details in tabular form on the numbers of students failing to complete the Leaving Certificate in 2005. Data showing the proportions of students dropping out by County are available in...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (8 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: A Value for Money Review of the School Transport Scheme, including catchment boundaries, is currently being undertaken by my Department and is due to be completed by the end of the year. The Steering Committee of the Review is looking at the original objectives of the scheme, whether these objectives remain valid today, the extent to which the objectives are being achieved and whether...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (8 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: The National Council for Special Education has responsibility, through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for the establishment of special education facilities and for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. Under the terms of the school transport scheme for children with special needs, a child is...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (8 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 545 and 546 together. The posts referred to by the Deputy are subject to the moratorium on recruitment and promotion applicable to the civil and public service and my Department does not have any authority to approve the filling of the posts. On 30 March 2009, the Department issued Circular 23/2009 - Implementation of Moratorium on Recruitment and Promotions...

Seanad: Stardust Tragedy: Motion (8 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: On behalf of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, I welcome the opportunity to move this important motion. The statement before us complements the motion passed in the Dáil earlier this year and is in keeping with the recommendations made by Mr. Paul Coffey SC, who carried out the independent examination of the case made by the Stardust Victims Committee. The horrific events...

Seanad: Stardust Tragedy: Motion (8 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Senators for their contributions. We have had a very honest, reflective and constructive debate on this motion. I welcome that there is all-party support for it in this House. A number of Senators spoke and various issues were raised. Senator Quinn said he personally knew five of the victims and he spoke poignantly about that, for which I thank him. Senator Callely paid tribute...

Written Answers — Youthreach Programme: Youthreach Programme (9 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: Towards 2016 provided for an increase of 1,000 places on the Youthreach programme from 2007 to 2009. In 2007, funding was provided for 400 places and these were allocated to VECs. As a result there are almost 3,700 places available nationwide on the Youthreach programme in over 100 centres run by VECs. Due to the difficult budgetary position it has not been possible to allocate further...

Written Answers — DEIS Programme: DEIS Programme (9 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the action plan for educational inclusion, provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and an integrated School Support Programme (SSP). As a result of the identification and review processes, 876 schools have been included in the School Support Programme (SSP) under DEIS. These comprise 673 primary schools...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (9 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 established the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) as the National body with responsibility for school attendance. The general functions of the Board are to ensure that each child attends a recognised school or otherwise receives a certain minimum education. The service has been developed incrementally, and, in April 2007, sanction was given to the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (9 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: My Department provides for English language training for adult immigrants (English for Speakers of Other Languages, ESOL) through the adult literacy budget. Funds are allocated to VECs who are the main statutory providers of ESOL tuition. In 2008, over 12,500 learners availed of ESOL tuition, up from 6,000 in 2003. Over 61,000 participants have availed of English language tuition since 2003....

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (9 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: A Value for Money Review of the School Transport Scheme, including catchment boundaries, is currently being undertaken by my Department and is due to be completed by the end of the year. The Steering Committee of the Review is looking at the original objectives of the scheme, whether these objectives remain valid today, the extent to which the objectives are being achieved and whether there...

Written Answers — Literacy Levels: Literacy Levels (9 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: Adult Literacy services are funded by my Department through annual grants to the Vocational Education Committees (VECs), which deliver the services locally. Community groups and community development projects may also apply to their local VEC for funding to provide adult literacy tuition. The Adult Literacy service has expanded significantly in recent years from 5,000 participants in 1997 to...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (9 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: The Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) commenced in October 2002. It provides flexible, part-time options across Further Education and an opportunity to combine a return to learning with family, work and other responsibilities. It is aimed at adults with less than upper second level education, including unemployed adults. The Programme for Government (2007-2012) provided for an increase...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: My Department is committed to encouraging and facilitating the participation of people with disabilities in Further Education by providing supports to enable their access to the various programmes on offer. The Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) provides part-time Further Education programmes for adults to give them an opportunity to combine a return to learning with family, work and other...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (9 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: I am happy to reply on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, who unfortunately cannot be present. I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the Seanad the position on the application to the Department of Education and Science from Ballinkillen national school in County Carlow for large-scale capital...

Seanad: Home Help Service (9 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: I will respond to Senator Doherty on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children. I thank the Senator for raising this issue and thereby giving me an opportunity to reaffirm the Government's continued commitment to services for older people and, in particular, the important area of home help services. The Government's policy on older people involves supporting them to live...

Seanad: Missing Persons. (9 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: I am replying on behalf of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, who is unable to be present due to other business. The joint Garda-HSE protocol referred to by the Senator sets out the roles and responsibilities of both agencies in relation to children missing from care. The joint aim of both organisations is to reduce the number of such cases, prevent them from suffering harm...

Seanad: Missing Persons. (9 Jul 2009)

Seán Haughey: I will endeavour to get the additional information for the Senator. I note her comments and will ensure they are considered by the relevant Ministers.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (17 Sep 2009)

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...