Results 10,921-10,940 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I have no plans at present to extend disadvantaged status to additional schools, including the school to which the Deputy refers. Currently, there are more than 200 second level schools which have been designated disadvantaged under an initiative adopted in the mid-1990s. These schools, which were selected by reference to a range of socio-economic criteria, are in receipt of additional...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: An application for grant aid for additional accommodation has been received from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. The application is currently being assessed in the school planning section of my Department. As soon as the assessment is complete, contact will be made directly with the management authority of the school in the matter.

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I have now appointed all 13 members of the National Council for Special Education.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: My Department provides grant-aid to boards of management of participating schools to employ escorts. At present, there are morethan 600 escorts employed on special needs services.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: My Department does not have special grants available for schools seeking to add eco-friendly features such as solar panels or under floor heating to new buildings. Tenders have recently been invited for the new gaelscoil in Ballinasloe. The heating system will be in accordance with my Department's existing guidelines for mechanical and electrical installations.

Written Answers — Early School Leavers: Early School Leavers (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: In 2002, my Department introduced the school completion programme, SCP, which is a new and significantly expanded programme to deal with early school leaving incorporating the learning, experience and best practice derived from previous early school leaving initiatives, namely, the eight to 15 early school leaver initiative, ESLI, and stay in school retention initiative at second level, SSRI....

Written Answers — Summer Works Scheme: Summer Works Scheme (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: An application under the summer works scheme was received from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. All applications received under this scheme were assessed and categorised by reference to the criteria detailed in appendix B of the circular letter governing the scheme — Prim 34/03. In the context of available funding and the number of applications for that...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: A report has been received from Bus Éireann regarding transport to the school in question. My Department has sought further clarification on the matter and a decision will be taken as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: There are approximately 1,200 teachers currently holding provisional recognition. However, it should be borne in mind that as these teachers are granted restricted recognition in conjunction with provisional recognition, many of them may hold posts in special schools or classes using their restricted recognition and may therefore not be interested in obtaining a pass in the SCG as this is not...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The final public meeting in the first phase of the YES process will take place tonight. It will not be possible to give the costings for this phase of the process until all of these meetings have been finalised. The figures will be compiled over the next few days and will be forwarded to the Deputy shortly.

Written Answers — Literacy Levels: Literacy Levels (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I remain fully committed to achieving the headline NAPS target relating to literacy at school level, namely, halving the proportion of pupils with serious literacy difficulties by 2006. My concern to improve literacy levels is reflected in commitments given under the National Action Plan Against Poverty and Social Exclusion, 2003-2005, and under the latest social partnership agreement,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I will arrange for a list of these projects to be forwarded to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: Since 1995, the student support schemes provide that candidates must hold EU nationality, have official refugee status or have been granted humanitarian leave to remain in the State. The Equal Status Act 2000 provides at section 7(3)(d)(i) and (ii) that the charging of differentiated fees to EU and non-EU nationals by the institutions of further and higher education, as well as the offering...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The details requested by the Deputy are as follows. The number of learning support teachers in the primary school system stands at 1,531 at present. The annual salary cost of these teachers is approximately €54 million. The number of resource teachers in primary schools is more than 2,600 currently. The annual salary cost of these teachers is estimated at more than €75 million. The number...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: When publishing the 2004 school building programme, I outlined that my strategy will be grounded in capital investment based on multi-annual allocations. My officials are reviewing all projects which were not authorised to proceed to construction as part of the 2004 school building programme with a view to including them as part of a multi-annual school building programme from 2005. I expect...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: An application has been received from the school management authority for a new school. The proposed project has not yet commenced architectural planning. When publishing the 2004 school building programme, I outlined that my strategy will be grounded in capital investment based on multi-annual allocations. My officials are reviewing all projects which were not authorised to proceed to...

Written Answers — Summer Works Scheme: Summer Works Scheme (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: An application under the summer works scheme was received from the management authorities of the school to which the Deputy refers. All applications received were assessed and categorised by reference to the criteria detailed in appendix B of the circular letter governing the scheme — Prim 34/03. In the context of the available funding and the number of applications for that funding,...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 278 and 279 together. Negotiations for the purchase of a site for St. Brigid's school, the Coombe, Dublin 8, are at an advanced stage. Details will be placed on my Department's website when the acquisition has been completed. The new school building project is listed in section 8 of the 2004 school building programme which is published on my Department's...

Written Answers — Summer Works Scheme: Summer Works Scheme (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The accommodation needs of Scoil Chaitríona will be addressed as part of a major redevelopment project that is in the early stages of architectural planning.

Written Answers — Early School Leavers: Early School Leavers (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: My Department's commitment to tackling the problem of early school leaving is reflected in the national anti-poverty strategy, the National Action Plan Against Poverty and Social Exclusion, 2003-2005, and the latest social partnership agreement, Sustaining Progress, which contains a special initiative on tackling educational disadvantage — literacy, numeracy and early school leavers. My...