Results 10,421-10,440 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 351 and 352 together. The Government's decentralisation programme includes the decentralisation of Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, to Clonakilty, the Central Fisheries Board, CFB, to Carrick-on Shannon and Sustainable Energy Ireland, SEI, to Dundalk. Each organisation involved in the programme has submitted a decentralisation implementation plan to the...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The Government's decentralisation programme includes the decentralisation of Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, to Clonakilty, the Central Fisheries Board, CFB, to Carrick-on Shannon and Sustainable Energy Ireland, SEI, to Dundalk. Analysis of the most recent data from the central applications facility indicates that some 62% of staff in the SEI have expressed an interest in decentralising with the...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The Government announcement of 3 December 2003 provided for the relocation of my Department's headquarters and functions to Cavan and An Bord Iascaigh Mhara to Clonakilty. It was subsequently decided that the Department's seafood and coastal zone functions would also be located in Clonakilty. Our focus has been on widespread consultation with stakeholders both internal and external since...

Written Answers — Departmental Websites: Departmental Websites (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Dempsey: Each division within my Department is responsible for updating its own website content and our overall objective is to ensure that the information on the website is posted promptly and maintained up to date. All press releases relating to my Department are posted on the website at the time of their issue.

Written Answers — Post Office Network: Post Office Network (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The provision of post office services is already set out in section 12 of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983, and under the memorandum and articles of association of An Post. The Government is committed to a viable and sustainable post office network. This is set out in its commitment for the retention of the post office network in the White Paper on rural development. The...

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilites: Services for People with Disabilites (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources outline sectoral plan, published in conjunction with the Disability Bill 2004, covers the operators of passenger ships on voyages within the State or to and from the State, the international ferry ports which serve these passenger ships and, where applicable, regional ports or harbours. A passenger ship is a vessel which carries...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (17 Jun 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I can confirm that my Department received an application for special educational resources for the pupil referred to by the Deputy. The pupil in question is in receipt of 2.5 hours resource teaching support per week. Applications for special educational resources received between 15 February and 31 August 2003 are being considered. In all, more than 5,000 such applications were received....

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (17 Jun 2004)

Noel Dempsey: Applications for special educational resources received between 15 February and 31 August 2003 are being considered. In all, more than 5,000 such applications were received. Priority was given to cases involving children starting school last September and all these cases were responded to at or before the commencement of the current school year. The balance of more than 4,000 applications has...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (17 Jun 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I can confirm that my Department received an application for special needs assistant and resource teaching support for the pupil referred to by the Deputy in September 2003. Applications for special educational resources received between 15 February and 31 August 2003 are being considered. In all, more than 5,000 such applications were received. Priority was given to cases involving children...

Written Answers — Literacy Levels: Literacy Levels (17 Jun 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development carried out an international literacy survey of adults aged 16 to 64 years in 1994/95. Findings indicated that approximately half a million people, 25% of Irish adults in that age-group, were at the lowest level, level one, indicating a reading ability no higher than that of an average 12 year old. The comparative figures for the...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (17 Jun 2004)

Noel Dempsey: All matters regarding pay and conditions of service of teachers is a matter for the Teachers Conciliation Council which comprises representatives from the managerial authorities of schools, teacher unions and the Departments of Education and Science and Finance. There are no proposals before the council in relation to the introduction of performance pay for teachers and any such proposal...

Written Answers — Early School Leavers: Early School Leavers (17 Jun 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The most recently published analysis by my Department of retention rates at second level was released in August 2003. The report indicates that of those who commenced the junior cycle programme in September 1994, approximately 3,900, or 5.7%, left school before completing the junior certificate three years later, and approximately 12,500, or 18.2%, students leave school annually without the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (17 Jun 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The school referred to by the Deputy currently has the services of a full-time shared learning support teacher. My Department is at present reviewing existing arrangements for the allocation of special educational supports to primary schools. In that context, my officials have initiated discussions on the matter with representative interests. At this stage, it would be premature to anticipate...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (17 Jun 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The pupil-teacher ratio at primary level has improved significantly in recent years. The ratio has fallen from 22.2:1 in the 1996-97 school year to 18.0:1 in the 2002-03 school year. The projected ratio for the current school year is 17.35:1. In line with Government policy, my Department will continue to provide further reductions in the pupil-teacher ratio within available resources and...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (17 Jun 2004)

Noel Dempsey: In accordance with the agreed staffing schedule for primary schools, an enrolment of 12 pupils on 30 September of the previous year is required for the purposes of the appointment or retention of a second teacher for a particular school year. The question of reducing this enrolment figure in the future will be considered in the context of available resources and subject to spending priorities...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (17 Jun 2004)

Noel Dempsey: Part-time and temporary service given by teachers employed by vocational education committees is pensionable on an ongoing basis with effect from 1 September 1996. Temporary service given by members of the administrative staff of vocational education committees is pensionable on an ongoing basis with effect from 1 January 1998. Part-time service given by such staff is pensionable on an...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (1 Jun 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 164 and 207 together. My Department has approximately 335 staff in Athlone following previous decentralisations which took place since 1977. Some of those staff would have decentralised from the Dublin offices of my Department or from other Departments, some would have been promoted and some would have been recruited to Athlone. My Department does not keep...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (1 Jun 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 208 together. The initial decision to proceed with the first phase of the decentralisation of my Department to Athlone was made in November 1967. This phase was completed in August 1977. A further decision was made in November 1980 to proceed with a second phase of decentralisation and this was completed in September 1991.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Jun 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The large-scale building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is listed in section 8 of the 2004 school building programme which is published on my Department's website at www.education.ie. This project is at stage 3, developed sketch scheme, of architectural planning. It has been assigned a band 1 rating by my Department in accordance with the published criteria for prioritising...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (1 Jun 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I am most anxious that all children, including children with autistic spectrum disorders, receive education appropriate to their needs. My Department is actively considering an application to establish an autistic class in the school referred to by the Deputy. This process involves liaison with my Department's inspectorate, the National Educational Psychological Service — NEPS — and the...