Results 4,161-4,180 of 4,869 for speaker:Seán Haughey

Seanad: Northern Ireland Issues (9 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: It is important to acknowledge the enormous progress in building relationships on this island, both within Northern Ireland and between North and South, in the ten years since the Good Friday Agreement was signed. Compared to the long decades of the Troubles, we are truly in a new era of peace, prosperity and co-operation. An inclusive, power-sharing Executive headed by Dr. Ian Paisley and...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (3 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: The Deputy will be aware, from my previous reply to Parliamentary Question Number 428 on 11th March 2008, that the person referred to, in the details supplied, is not attending a recognised school and, accordingly, does not meet the eligibility criteria for receipt of a school transport service.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (3 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: My Department has requested Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme, to submit a report on the pupil referred to by the Deputy, in the details supplied. A decision on the pupil's eligibility for school transport will be made on receipt of this report.

Unemployment Rate: Motion (Resumed). (3 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: The motion refers to the need to upskill 500,000 people by 2020 and it is that aspect of it that I intend to address in my contribution. I am pleased to have the opportunity to recount progress in recent years on Ireland's human capital development. The Government has continued the policy of successive Governments since the 1960s in investing heavily in education and training. We have long...

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

Seán Haughey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 668 and 672 together. Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport service on behalf of my Department, plan bus routes in such a way as to ensure that, as far as possible, pupils have a reasonable level of service while at the same time, ensuring that school transport vehicles are fully utilised in an efficient and cost effective manner. The pupil...

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

Seán Haughey: Adult education services are funded by my Department through annual grants to Vocational Education Committees (VECs), which deliver the services locally. VECs provide courses free of charge or at nominal cost in their own centres. The centre referred to by the Deputy is not a VEC centre and my Department does not provide assistance for the payment of fees charged by centres that are not VEC...

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

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, that is, the centre serving the catchment area in which s/he lives. The scheme is not designed to facilitate parents who choose to send their children to a post-primary centre outside of the...

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

Seán Haughey: Vehicles operating under my Department's school transport scheme must be equipped with seat belts and pupils are required by law to wear these belts. The European Communities (Compulsory Use of Safety Belts and Child Restraint Systems in Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2006 — Statutory Instrument No. 240 of 2006, made by the Minister for Transport in May 2006, obliges owners of buses fitted...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (2 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to review the school transport system including catchment boundaries. My Department is currently developing proposals for progressing this commitment and the intention is to make substantial progress during the current year. The Forward Planning Section of my Department is currently examining educational provision for a number of areas,...

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (2 Apr 2008)

Seán Haughey: My Department is committed to providing an inclusive school environment to meet the needs of pupils for whom English is a second language. Such an inclusive school environment reflects values and affirms linguistic, ethnic and cultural diversity. In relation to this project, there has already been communication with the Principal of the school, indicating the services that are available,...

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

Seán Haughey: The parents/guardians of the pupil referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied should liaise, in the first instance, with the local Special Education Needs Organiser (S.E.N.O.). The provision of school transport will be considered by my Department upon receipt of an application via the S.E.N.O.

Written Answers — Interdepartmental Committees: Interdepartmental Committees (13 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: The interdepartmental Committee will be chaired by myself and will comprise senior officials from the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Education and Science and Finance.

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

Seán Haughey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 to 151, inclusive, together. The school transport scheme was established in the late 1960s. From the outset, the purpose of the scheme was to ensure access to primary and post-primary education for children who, because of where they live, might have difficulty in attending school regularly. At primary level, pupils who reside 3.2 kilometres or more...

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

Seán Haughey: The charges payable by post-primary pupils availing of school transport services are €33 per term at junior cycle and €51 per term at senior cycle. These charges have not been increased since 1998. In view of the significant increase in the cost of providing school transport in the interim, it has been decided that revised charges will be introduced with effect from the final term of the...

Student Support Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: The Ceann Comhairle should tread carefully.

Student Support Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: This is very relevant.

Sports Capital Programme. (12 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: Hear, hear.

School Transport. (12 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline the position on the commitment in the programme for Government to review the school transport system, including catchment boundaries. Before I address the issue, I will provide an outline of the extent of the school transport service. School transport is a very significant operation managed by Bus...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (12 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: My Department has received an application for a change in the transport arrangements for the pupil referred to by the Deputy, in the details supplied. A report has been requested from Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme. When this report is received and considered, my Department will be in contact with the family.

Capitation Grants: Motion (Resumed) (12 Mar 2008)

Seán Haughey: The Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, said last night that the priority this Government attaches to providing quality education is evident from the fact that the education budget has increased by more than 70% since 2002 to more than €9.3 billion this year. The extra €690 million being provided for education in 2008, compared with last year's budget, represents a major...