Results 10,441-10,460 of 18,459 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: Question 216: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made to date in relation to the establishment of a new second level school (details supplied) in County Cavan; when the project will proceed to the next stage; the likely timescale for construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21376/11]

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: Question 217: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the proposal to provide permanent additional accommodation at a school (details supplied) in County Cavan; when this project is likely to proceed to construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21377/11]

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: Question 218: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the proposal to provide permanent additional accommodation at a school (details supplied) in County Cavan; when this project is likely to proceed to construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21378/11]

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: Question 219: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when approval will issue in respect of the need to provide additional permanent accommodation at a school (details supplied) in County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21379/11]

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (19 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: Question 453: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will give urgent and detailed consideration to the request by Foróige for funding towards the mentoring programme Big Brother Big Sisters of Ireland for 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21314/11]

Departmental Expenditure (14 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: Question 11: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his target date for publishing the Estimates of Expenditure for 2012. [20317/11]

Departmental Expenditure (14 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: Question 40: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the date by which he expects to be in a position to know the proposed annual estimates amount within which he will prepare the 2012 estimate. [20318/11]

Residential Institutions Redress (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: Previous speakers have made the point that it is not a good time of year to try to get information to the widest possible number of people. We are all aware that the activities of voluntary organisations, apart from sporting organisations, cease during the month of August. Many of the people we know who are leaders in Irish communities or voluntary organisations abroad come back home to...

Residential Institutions Redress (Amendment) Bill, 2011: Second Stage (14 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the outline by the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, of what has been a comprehensive undertaking by the State, in particular by the Department of Education and Skills and the Residential Institutions Redress Board. As the Minister of State indicated, this is a short two section Bill to enable the winding up of the Residential Institutions Redress Board. The board, which has done...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (13 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: Question 98: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has examined if and the way there should be pension consequences for retired teachers taking up short-term teaching posts or substitute positions; and the outcome of this examination. [20366/11]

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (13 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: Question 99: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the actions taken to date to ensure that all schools around the country keep a list of appropriately qualified registered teachers who are available for substitute teaching at short notice. [20367/11]

Special Educational Needs: Motion (12 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: I wish to share time with Deputy Browne.

Special Educational Needs: Motion (12 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on this issue, which is of great concern to many families throughout the country. As public representatives we are aware of the concern of many parents in regard to special needs provision. In the Fianna Fáil amendment to the motion, I have asked that the Government and the Minister prioritise funding for special education within the...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (7 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: Question 22: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will give a commitment to protect class sizes in this year's budget following recent figures from him which indicate a higher than expected increase in student numbers between now and 2017 and also following the publication of Census 2011. [19173/11]

Written Answers — School Books: School Books (7 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: Question 37: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress, if any, made following his meeting with book publishers in relation to the need to reduce the costs of school books; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19172/11]

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (7 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: Question 87: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will give a commitment to protect class sizes in this years budget following recent figures from his Department which indicate a greater than expected increase in student numbers between now and 2017. [19412/11]

Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: The Minister made the point earlier that there had been an increase of 1,000% in the number of special needs assistants in schools. He also said there were 60,000 primary teachers and 10,000 special needs assistants. It might be useful to know how these compare with the figures for primary level education in other countries in the European Union. Deputy Crowe has referred to a lack of...

School IT Systems (7 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: There has been a major IT investment in primary and secondary schools over the past four or five years in particular. In schools that I have had the opportunity to visit, it is great to see good suites of hi-tech equipment. Will the Minister consider the possibility that progressive VECs could have a role in providing support services for our primary schools? It is already happening in my...

School Transport (7 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the Minister of State's statement that school breaks will be standardised. However, we have heard this before. A number of years ago, a predecessor of the Minister, Deputy Quinn, was forceful on that issue. I understood - I am open to correction on this - that immediately following the then Minister's announcement school breaks were standardised. However, this has lapsed in the...

School Transport (7 Jul 2011)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the Minister of State's commitment. This should be strictly enforced. The Minister of State mentioned that school transport costs €1 million per day and that his Department must save more than €70 million over a four year period. A considerable amount of that €70 million could be achieved by practical measures. I have previously tabled questions to the Minister of State in...