Results 3,341-3,360 of 4,869 for speaker:Seán Haughey

Seanad: Guardianship Payments (26 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Senator for raising this matter on the Adjournment and which I am taking on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Hanafin. The original orphan's allowance scheme was set up in 1935 to support orphans where both parents were deceased. The definition of "orphan" has broadened considerably since. In 1995 it was extended to allow a claim on...

Seanad: Guardianship Payments (26 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: I will bring the Senator's contribution to the attention of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs with a view to having clarity brought to the issue.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (24 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: My Department's school transport section must be satisfied, in accordance with the terms of the scheme, that the pupil referred to by the Deputy, in the details supplied, attended the nearest recognised school that was resourced to meet his educational needs during the period in question. In this case, enquiries are on-going to establish the facts and a decision regarding the payment of a...

Written Answers — Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (24 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 534 to 536, inclusive, together. The number of awards achieved by Travellers participating in the Senior Traveller Training Centre (STTC) programme is set out in the attached table. This is based on an annual survey conducted of STTCs. The number of Travellers achieving these awards is not available. Travellers are a target group within the Back to...

Written Answers — Post-Leaving Certificate Courses: Post-Leaving Certificate Courses (24 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: The Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) programme provides an integrated general education, vocational training and work experience programme for young people who have completed their Leaving Certificate and adults returning to education. There are 31,688 PLC places nationwide. Since its introduction in 1985, there has been a steady increase in older participants (age 21 and over) so that...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (24 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: I advised the Deputy in a reply to a previous Parliamentary Question that a new annual charge was introduced with effect from the beginning of the 2009/10 school year. Receipts from charges represent about 6% of the overall cost of school transport. The allocation for 2009 is €192 million. In order to minimise the impact of the new annual charge of €300 - A maximum family rate of €650...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (19 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: The majority of schools include among their pupils, children with disadvantaged backgrounds. In general most schools address the individual needs of these children without recourse to additional targeted resources and supports. Evidence has shown however that disadvantage associated with poverty and social exclusion assumes a multiplier effect where the levels are highly concentrated in...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (19 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), is my Department's action plan for educational inclusion, and provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and an integrated School Support Programme (SSP). The process of identifying schools for participation in DEIS, was managed by the Educational Research Centre (ERC) on behalf of my Department and...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (19 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department, is responsible for the establishment and timetabling of school transport services. I have already informed the Deputy that the specialised nature of transport services for children with special needs includes both a home pick up and drop off which are designed to provide a safe and comfortable level of...

Seanad: Adoption Services (18 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: I thank Senator Healy Eames for raising this matter. I am responding on behalf of the Minister of State with responsibility for children and youth affairs, Deputy Barry Andrews, who is currently speaking in the Dáil Chamber in the debate on human trafficking on Private Members' business. The Government's objective in regard to adoption is to provide a regime in which the child will be at...

Seanad: Adoption Services (18 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: I would not take that interpretation from my reply.

Seanad: Adoption Services (18 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: The record speaks for itself and I have nothing further to add.

Seanad: Institutes of Technology (18 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: I am taking this Adjournment debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the House the progress made by the Grangegorman Development Agency since its establishment in 2006. As the Senator is aware, in 2001 the Government appointed an...

Seanad: Institutes of Technology (18 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: I cannot anticipate a Government decision on this but I appreciate the Senator's interest in the matter. My interpretation of the response to the House is that it was reasonably positive.

Seanad: Transport of Musical Instruments (18 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague the Minister for Transport, Deputy Noel Dempsey. Aviation security at EU airports is governed by EU Regulations (EC) Nos. 2320/2002, 300/2008 and 820/2008. These regulations established common Community rules in the field of civil aviation security and have been in force since January 2003. The regulations, along with a series of...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: Deputy O'Connor is well able to protect himself.

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (17 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tables. For full time programmes, the number of approved places is supplied. For part-time programmes, the number of participants is supplied. The number of participants for 2009 will not be available until early 2010. FURTHER EDUCATION PROGRAMME PLACES Full time approved places 2007 2008 2009 Post Leaving Certificate...

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

Seán Haughey: The grant payment referred to by the Deputy, in the details supplied, is being processed at present and will be issued in the normal way.

Written Answers — Post-Leaving Certificate Courses: Post-Leaving Certificate Courses (17 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: The overall number of approved Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) places is set at its current level because there is a continuing requirement to plan and control numbers and to manage expenditure within the context of overall educational policy and provision. An additional 1,500 PLC places were allocated in 2009 for the 2009/2010 academic year, bringing the total number of approved PLC places...

Pre-budget Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (17 Nov 2009)

Seán Haughey: I welcome the opportunity to speak in this pre-budget debate. For some considerable time the Government has announced its intention to reduce the budget deficit by €4 billion next year. Earlier today the Minister for Finance indicated that the scope for increases in taxes is minimal and that reductions in expenditure will be the priority on this occasion. Over the last 12 months the...