Results 3,881-3,900 of 4,869 for speaker:Seán Haughey

Foreign Conflicts. (13 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: The process of moving towards peace in Colombia has seen significant developments during the course of this year, and this is an opportune moment to consider the current situation. Deputies will recall the rescue of Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages in July of this year, which was welcomed by the world as a signal that the situation in Colombia is changing. This high profile...

Schools Building Projects. (13 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to this House the Department's plans for the proposed building project for Scoil Eoin national school, Tralee, County Kerry. Scoil Eoin national school is a coeducational facility at junior level and a single sex girls school at senior level. It has a current enrolment of 567 pupils. The staffing...

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

Seán Haughey: I indicated to the Deputy in reply to Parliamentary Question Number 620 of 21October, 2008 that eligible pupils may avail of school transport services, subject to certain criteria, under the terms of my Department's Primary or Post Primary School Transport Schemes which are operated on behalf of the Department by Bus Éireann. Bus Éireann advised my Department that pupils, where eligible,...

Written Answers — Schools Funding: Schools Funding (13 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: As you will be aware, the Education budget for 2009 has been increased by some €302 million. Notwithstanding this, a number of tough and difficult decisions have had to be taken, which have seen a number of spending cuts across the education sector. However, the overall allocation for the School Completion Programme in 2009 will increase by approximately 1% over the allocation for 2007/08....

Employment Rights. (13 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: The consolidated EU directive on working time, which has been transposed into domestic legislation, represents a key instrument on working hours. In that respect, it is a very important achievement which has established standards in the areas of health and safety for workers. These core standards embody periods of daily and weekly rest, breaks, annual leave, maximum weekly working time,...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (13 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to this House my Department's plans for long term accommodation for Gaelscoil Bharra in Cabra, Dublin 7. Gaelscoil Bharra is a fully vertical co-educational primary school teaching through the medium of Irish. It has a current enrolment of 221 pupils and a staffing complement of a principal, eight...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (13 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: I appreciate the question but I am not in a position to give a definite answer to the Senator, other than to restate the Department's commitment to achieving a satisfactory solution. Much depends on factors such as funding and when the Minister intends to make new announcements. I will bring the Senator's comments to the attention of the Minister and the Department's building unit with a...

Written Answers — Skills Shortages: Skills Shortages (12 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: Since its establishment I have been the chair of the Inter-Departmental Committee for the implementation of the National Skills Strategy. The other members of the Committee are as follows: Mr Sean Gorman — Secretary General, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Ms Brigid McManus — Secretary General, Department of Education and Science Mr Paddy McDonagh — Department of...

Written Answers — Skills Shortages: Skills Shortages (12 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: An Implementation Plan for the National Skills Strategy is currently being developed by an Inter-Departmental Committee which I chair and comprises of the Secretaries General and other senior officials of my Department and the Department of Education and Science. The Department of Finance is also represented at senior official level. The plan, which is due for completion next year, will...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (11 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to this House the current position with regard to the proposed building project for St. Angela's school, St. Patrick's Hill, Cork city. First, all applications for capital funding are assessed in the modernisation and policy unit of the Department. The assessment process determines the extent and...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (6 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: My Department has been advised by Bus Éireann and the Transport Liaison Officer for Co. Cork that the children in question are availing of a public transport service and that the combined travel and waiting times for these children are within the guidelines of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme. As a general rule, special school transport services are not established in areas...

Written Answers — School Completion Programme: School Completion Programme (6 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 258 to 260, inclusive, together. The School Completion Programme is a key component of DEIS ( Delivering Equality of Opportunities in Schools) the action plan for educational inclusion, which discriminates positively in favour of children and young people who are at risk of early school leaving. The Programme supports 468 primary and 224 post-primary...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (6 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 270 and 271 together. The breakdown of costs for the private contractors seat belt programme is as follows: €872,940 for the visual inspections of seat belts fitted to vehicles; €250,763 for the retrofitting of vehicles; and €319,121 for the development of specifications In the region of 100 buses owned by private contractors were included in the...

Seanad: Support Services Grants. (6 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: I am pleased to be given the opportunity to clarify for the House the position with regard to the withdrawal of certain grants from Protestant fee-paying schools. The 2009 budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. Decisions were made in order to control expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long term. In this respect, education, while...

Seanad: Support Services Grants. (6 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: I am reluctant to address the Senator's question. The Minister answered oral parliamentary questions on the matter in the Dáil this week. He said there is a constitutional issue and he is setting up a meeting with the Protestant Archbishop of Dublin.

Seanad: Support Services Grants. (6 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: I will forward the additional questions to the Minister. I am sure there will be further debate on the matter.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: I recently announced that the school transport charges for the 2009/10 school year will be as follows: Pupil Category Current Term Charge Annual Charge Daily Rate Increase Sept. 2009 Annual Charge Daily Rate % Increase â'¬ â'¬ â'¬ â'¬ â'¬ â'¬ Eligible Post Primary Junior Cycle 56 168 1.01 300 1.80 78 Senior Cycle 78 234 1.40 300 1.80 28 Concessionary Post...

Training Programmes: Motion (Resumed) (5 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: The Government has repeatedly proven its ability to manage the Irish economy, irrespective of the circumstances of the day. Since we came to power in 1997 we have guided the State through one of the most remarkable transformations that has ever occurred in any modern economy. We have created record levels of employment — an additional 640,000 jobs in the past decade. We have...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (4 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: The school transport scheme, which is operated by Bus Éireann on my Department's behalf, is primarily a rural based scheme which facilitates the transportation of over 134,000 children to primary and post-primary schools each day. The Deputy will be aware that the School Transport system is a very significant operation involving about 42 million journeys of over 82 million kilometres on...

Written Answers — School Completion Programme: School Completion Programme (4 Nov 2008)

Seán Haughey: As the Deputy will be aware, the Education budget for 2009 has been increased by some €302 million, which is a real achievement in the current economic climate. Notwithstanding this, a number of tough and difficult decisions have had to be taken, which have seen a number of spending cuts across the education sector. My Department notified all 124 school completion projects in August last...