Results 3,381-3,400 of 4,869 for speaker:Seán Haughey

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (21 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: I understand that the appeal referred to by the Deputy, in the details supplied, is to be considered by the School Transport Appeals Board at their next meeting which is scheduled for Thursday 19th November 2009.

Seanad: Inland Fisheries. (21 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: I take this Adjournment debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. Primary responsibility for the management, conservation, protection and development of inland fisheries stocks rests with the central and regional fisheries boards in accordance with the Fisheries Acts 1959 to 2007. The Acts empower the regional fisheries boards to apply...

Seanad: Inland Fisheries. (21 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: I will convey the Senator's views to the Minister.

Seanad: Student Support Schemes (21 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I thank the Senator for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the Minister's position concerning the processing of student grant applications by County Donegal VEC and Donegal County Council. The Department funds four maintenance...

Seanad: Student Support Schemes (21 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: I did not have notice of the particular proposal the Senator was going to make. I will take it back to the Minister and his officials for a response.

Seanad: Public Transport (21 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: The Senator will be a little disappointed with this reply. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Transport. It is open to Bus Éireann and other bus operators to submit proposals to his Department in respect of new bus services for the area in question. On 1 October 2009, Bus Éireann submitted a notification to the Department seeking authorisation to re-route the 7 a.m....

Seanad: Public Transport (21 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: I could not give a commitment regarding how long the Department will take to consider this matter. It is open to the Senator to nab the Minister in the Dáil later, as I am sure he will be present for the division at 8.30 p.m., but I will bring it to his attention.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: My Department has received an application from the school to which the Deputy refers for large scale capital funding for an extension and refurbishment to provide accommodation for a projected long term enrolment of 550 pupils. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a 2.4 band rating. The...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (20 Oct 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. Evidence has shown that disadvantage associated with poverty and social exclusion assumes a multiplier effect where the levels are highly concentrated in schools. DEIS (Delivering...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (20 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: Bus Éireann which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department has provided the most recent figures available. On 31 October 2008, there were 75,237 post-primary tickets issued of which 20,335 were to medical card holders and 54,902 were fare paying post primary children. In contrast, on 16 October 2009, 66,021 tickets were issued, of which 23,901 were to medical card...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (20 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: Under the terms of my Department's primary school transport scheme, pupils who reside 3.2 kilometres or more from, and are attending, their nearest suitable national school, as determined by my Department, are eligible for free school transport. If the Deputy supplies the names and addresses of the pupils concerned, a report on their eligibility for school transport will be requested from...

School Staffing. (20 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: That has changed.

School Curriculum. (20 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: In the 2008-09 year, modern European languages were taught in 505, or 15%, of our primary schools as part of an initiative that was introduced by my Department in September 1998. The aims of this initiative include the development of communication skills in a modern European language, the fostering of positive attitudes to language learning and the diversification of the languages taught in...

School Curriculum. (20 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: The Barcelona conclusions are non-binding-----

School Curriculum. (20 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: -----and express the views and intentions of the European Council. Individual member states are invited to adopt the approaches set out in the conclusions in so far as is appropriate for their particular national priorities, circumstances and resources. My Department fully accepts the desirability of this approach as an EU policy direction. This does not mean, however, that it is...

School Curriculum. (20 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: As I said initially, I must be very conscious of the advice given by the NCCA. I must also be conscious of the budgetary situation as it is estimated that to extend this initiative nationwide could cost up to €28 million. It is also worth noting that English is the most widely studied language in upper second level education across the EU other than the mother tongue. The fact that all...

School Curriculum. (20 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: I have dealt with that question. There is a policy in regard to modern European languages and I could outline what is taking place at post-primary level as well. At the end of the day, we have studied this initiative and the NCCA has undertaken an assessment of it. In its view, due to the whole issue of curriculum overload in particular, it does not recommend an extension of this...

Motor Trade (15 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The Government is aware of the issues facing the motor industry, which are not just restricted to Ireland. The industry has suffered a serious downturn worldwide, which has resulted in catastrophic impacts on some of the world's largest automobile manufacturers and huge job losses in regions where the industry was a major source of employment in...

Departmental Agencies. (15 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Even though FÁS will either provide itself or contract with private firms for the training of over 100,000 learners in 2009, it is the Tánaiste's view and, I am sure, the view of all Members of the House that it is crucial we can have full confidence that each one of those learners has received appropriately certified training. We must ensure,...

Departmental Agencies. (15 Oct 2009)

Seán Haughey: I would like to point out that in the specific events in 2006 and 2007 described in the internal audit report-----