Results 10,721-10,740 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: A range of actions is being taken to promote an increased uptake of science in second level schools, in line with the recommendations in the report of the task force on the physical sciences. In particular, important progress is being made in regard to the following: curricular reform and inservice support, with new syllabi already implemented in leaving certificate biology and physics and...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: My Department is committed to providing a full educational psychological service to all schools. The National Educational Psychological Service has been expanding gradually on a national basis over the past few years in accordance with the Government's decision of February 1999. I am aware that, during this development phase of NEPS, some schools have experienced difficulties in accessing...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: My Department received more than 8,400 applications for special education resources since 15 February, 2003. The batch of approximately 5,000 applications received between 15 February and 31 August 2003 are being considered at present. Priority was given to almost 1,000 cases involving children starting school last September and all those cases were responded to at or before the commencement...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: My Department received more than 8,400 applications for special education resources in primary schools since 15 February, 2003. The batch of approximately 5,000 applications received between 15 February and 31 August 2003 are being considered at present. Priority was given to almost 1,000 cases involving children starting school last September and all those cases were responded to at or...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: Since my appointment as Minister for Education and Science, I have made it clear, at every opportunity, that addressing educational disadvantage is my top priority. It is my intention to ensure that available educational resources are targeted at the most disadvantaged people in the education system at all levels. The overall pupil-teacher ratio at primary level has been improved...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I have arranged for my officials to examine the matter of resource teaching provision for this pupil and contact will be made with the school in question shortly.

Order of Business. (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The whole lot together makes up 12%.

Special Educational Needs. (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: My Department received more than 8,400 applications for special education resources since February 2003. The batch of approximately 5,000 applications received between 15 February and 31 August 2003 is being considered at present. Priority was given to almost 1,000 cases involving children starting school last September and all those cases were responded to at or before the commencement of...

Special Educational Needs. (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The 4,000 applications are being considered in the context of the assignment of resources to particular schools. They are part of the assessment of what is available and of what is needed in the schools. We hope to be in a position before the end of this school year to allocate resources on that basis. The practice in regard to smaller schools is that those schools are clustered for resource...

School Enrolment. (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I am deeply concerned about the situation in Limerick city at present where a substantial number of pupils, mainly boys from disadvantaged areas of the city, who were refused enrolment in the school of their first choice, are still experiencing difficulty in finding school places. I met community and school representatives in Limerick city in early April and was briefed on the situation....

School Enrolment. (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: My responsibility as Minister for Education and Science is to ensure there are sufficient places within catchment boundaries to meet the needs of the pupils in that area. It is a general obligation, not a specific one. The irony of the situation in Limerick is that there are sufficient places to cater for the pupils in the area. The reason I intend to call the groups and individuals in...

School Enrolment. (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: When one does not have directive powers and each school is, in many respects, a law unto itself, albeit working within the——

School Enrolment. (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: Yes, I can make regulations but we cannot direct individual schools to take individual pupils except through section 29. However, I agree with the Deputy that this situation should not arise. In certain instances people may want their children to go to certain schools and we cannot facilitate that. I take the Deputy's point, in so far as there are places available, no school should be in a...

Residential Institutions Redress Scheme. (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The Residential Institutions Redress Act was enacted on 10 April 2002. It provided for the establishment of the Residential Institutions Redress Board to provide a mechanism to make financial awards to victims of abuse to assist them in their recovery and enhance the quality of the remainder of their lives. It also provided an alternative to their having to pursue traumatic civil court cases...

Residential Institutions Redress Scheme. (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: As the Deputy knows, Judge Ryan and Judge Laffoy have made reports. The Attorney General made a report on the process and made various recommendations, many of which are being introduced and will be put into legislation at the appropriate time, depending on what I might call the Christian Brothers' case. In determining the level of awards, the commission must operate on the basis of the...

Education Schemes. (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I recognise that high quality early education prior to entry into formal schooling can lead to lasting social benefits that persist throughout life both for the individual and for society. Research also indicates that early childhood education is particularly beneficial for children who are disadvantaged or who have special needs. Parents too can benefit significantly from involvement in...

Education Schemes. (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The area of pre-school and early learning will have a priority in the new disadvantage programme we put in place. I agree that the earlier we intervene on behalf of children from disadvantaged backgrounds, the better it is for the children, as proven by some stark facts and figures. The Deputy asked whether I thought the early start programme should be extended. I would not go that far at...

Education Schemes. (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The short answer to that is "Yes". It may be extremely important. Until now, the Department has not been actively engaged in the pre-school area. While there has been a demarcation issue with other Departments, part of our focus will be to try to advance our remit and extend education from birth to 18 years.

Higher Education. (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: While it was originally expected that the review group would report to the Higher Education Authority not later than 31 October 2003, the authority has advised my Department that the task was more complex than expected. The group has completed a great deal of work and its efforts are at an advanced stage. It is the intention of the group to submit a report to the HEA next month at which time...

Higher Education. (18 May 2004)

Noel Dempsey: While I sympathise with the Deputy, I assure him that the case he has made for Tallaght has been made for every other third level institution. Every one has some ten different priorities. The Deputy will appreciate, given the limited resources available, that it can never be easy to make decisions in this area. For that reason, I decided to try to bring some order to the third level sector....