Results 3,981-4,000 of 4,869 for speaker:Seán Haughey

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (2 Oct 2008)

Seán Haughey: The Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) provides an opportunity for adults to combine a return to learning with family, work and other responsibilities. Programmes are offered on a part-time basis: in the mornings, afternoons, evenings or at weekends. Courses from FETAC Levels 1 to 6, including the Leaving Certificate, are offered. Since its inception in 2002, funding for the BTEI has...

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

Seán Haughey: Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport service on behalf of my Department, has been asked to provide a detailed report on the case referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied. When the report is received and considered, my Department will advise the families of the position.

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (2 Oct 2008)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and the current position regarding the provision of a new second level school in Kinvara, County Galway. Modernising facilities in our existing building stock as well as responding to emerging needs in areas of rapid...

Seanad: Schools Refurbishment (2 Oct 2008)

Seán Haughey: I thank Senator Fitzgerald for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the Seanad the Department's capital programme of works for 2008 and to outline the current position with regard to St. Brigid's national school, Palmerstown, Dublin 20. St. Brigid's national school is a primary school catering for girls. The enrolment, as at 30 September 2007, is 399...

Seanad: Schools Refurbishment (2 Oct 2008)

Seán Haughey: The system is transparent and there is democratic accountability in the House. There are set procedures in place for the selection of projects, I mentioned the banding system. I will seek a more comprehensive response on the transparency of the system for the Senator from the Department.

Seanad: Educational Projects (2 Oct 2008)

Seán Haughey: The changing shape of our society is placing new and complex demands on our education system as it responds to the diverse needs of our communities. The Government is acutely aware of this challenge. Our model of school patronage has served us successfully for many generations. We are indebted to the churches and, in more recent times, the newer patronage bodies for their leadership in...

Seanad: Educational Projects (2 Oct 2008)

Seán Haughey: As I said at the outset, everybody, including the Department of Education and Science, recognises the dramatic changes taking place in Irish society. The Department is particularly conscious of the number of primary school students who will present themselves over the next five to ten years. As I said, the Minister has announced a full review of the criteria and procedures for the...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (1 Oct 2008)

Seán Haughey: As the Deputy is aware, the Finance Act 2008 provided the legislative changes to withdraw relief in respect of fuel used for public transport vehicles with effect from 1 November 2008 in line with the European Union Energy Tax Directive. The appropriate full excise duties will apply from that date. My Department is in discussions with the Department of Finance on the impact of the withdrawal...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (1 Oct 2008)

Seán Haughey: As the Deputy is aware DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the action plan for educational inclusion, provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated School Support Programme (SSP). The DEIS plan states that as well as provision being made for schools with a concentrated level of disadvantage, financial support will also...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (1 Oct 2008)

Seán Haughey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 233 to 235, inclusive, together. I would like to advise the Deputy that negotiations with school bus operators regarding school bus contracts are a matter between Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport service on behalf of my Department, and the operators. In 2007, contractors received 63% of the overall budget paid to Bus Éireann and since 2000...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (30 Sep 2008)

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. The position in this case is that the Gaelscoil referred to by the Deputy is the nearest Gaelscoil to the estate referred to. The parents of pupils...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (30 Sep 2008)

Seán Haughey: The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 established the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) as the national body with responsibility for school attendance. The Act provides a comprehensive framework, promoting regular school attendance and tackling the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. The general functions of the Board are to ensure that each child attends a recognised...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (30 Sep 2008)

Seán Haughey: Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department has advised that the family referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied will be issued with tickets this week.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (30 Sep 2008)

Seán Haughey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 576 to 580, 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 (30 Sep 2008)

Seán Haughey: I have asked the School Transport Section of my Department to request Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department, to put arrangements in place to address the matters raised by the Deputy in the details supplied. Bus Eireann will liaise directly with the families in question when a transport service has been established.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (30 Sep 2008)

Seán Haughey: Under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme, transport is provided in respect of eligible primary and post-primary pupils only. There is no provision in the School Transport Scheme for the pupils referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Early School Leavers: Early School Leavers (30 Sep 2008)

Seán Haughey: The School Completion Programme encompasses both primary and post-primary levels and focuses on young people between the ages of 4 and 18 years and is designed to deal with issues of both concentrated and regionally dispersed disadvantage. SCP is a key component of DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunities in Schools) the action plan for educational inclusion, which discriminates positively...

Written Answers — Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (30 Sep 2008)

Seán Haughey: The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) provides full-time second chance education and training opportunities for unemployed adults who are at least 21 years of age and in receipt of specified social welfare payments for at least six months. The scheme is funded by my Department and operated through the 33 Vocational Education Committees (VECs). The number of approved places on...

Written Answers — Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (30 Sep 2008)

Seán Haughey: The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) is a second chance education initiative which is funded by my Department for unemployed persons who are at least 21 years of age and in receipt of certain social welfare payments for at least six months. It is operated through the Vocational Education Committees. The aim of the Scheme is to give unemployed people education and training...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (30 Sep 2008)

Seán Haughey: One of the main objectives of my Department's School Transport Scheme is to provide a basic level of service for children who live long distances from school, and who might otherwise experience difficulty in attending regularly. As a general rule, special transport services are not established in areas where public scheduled bus services already exist. Eligible pupils in such cases are...