Results 10,961-10,980 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

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

Noel Dempsey: The Office of Public Works is managing the State's asbestos remediation programme. I understand the roof of the school in question is an asbestos roof. Accordingly, the matter has been referred to the OPW.

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

Noel Dempsey: The school to which the Deputy refers is operating with provisional recognition from my Department. The question of permanent recognition will be considered when my Department is satisfied that long-term viability of the school has been demonstrated and that the school is operating in accordance with the rules for national schools. The school's accommodation needs are the responsibility of...

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

Noel Dempsey: The property management section of the OPW is acting on behalf of my Department in site acquisitions generally and is currently exploring the possibility of acquiring a site for Kill national school in County Kildare. It is not known at this stage if a site will be acquired in 2004. The school authorities will be kept informed of developments.

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

Noel Dempsey: The new school for Colaiste Cois Life in Lucan in County Dublin is listed for proceeding to tender and construction as part of the 2004 school building programme which is published on my Department's website at www.education.ie. The indicative time scale in the programme for this project proceeding to tender is the second quarter of 2004 and this process has commenced. The school authorities...

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

Noel Dempsey: My Department has received an application for retrospective funding from St. Corban's school in Naas in County Kildare in respect of a capital project which was progressed without the agreement of my Department. The school building programme lists projects to be funded in any given year. A circular letter is currently being drafted in my Department's planning and building unit to advise...

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

Noel Dempsey: The Deputy will be aware that my Department's 2004 capital programme has been published and is available also on my Department's website at www.education.ie. On the basis of the budgetary allocation, it was not possible to include this project in the list of new projects to commence in 2004. The project will be considered again in the context of the 2005 capital programme.

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

Noel Dempsey: Proposals for the delivery of approximately 370 sq.m of modular accommodation in the current year were recently issued to the school's management authority and have been accepted. Officials from my Department will liaise with the school about the design and delivery of this accommodation.

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

Noel Dempsey: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that provision was made for additional permanent accommodation to be provided at Naas CBS as part of my recent announcement of an additional €30 million investment in school buildings. Officials from my Department are currently liaising with the school and its design team about the design and delivery of this accommodation.

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

Noel Dempsey: For some time, County Kildare VEC has been exploring the possibility of relocating St. Patrick's post-primary school from its existing town centre location. However, I understand that no final decisions have as yet been taken in this matter.

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

Noel Dempsey: My Department's school building unit is currently examining all applications for additional funding in respect of the equipment requirements to facilitate the junior science syllabus and it is proposed that the necessary funding will be made available by mid April 2004 at the latest.

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: My Department is committed to providing a full educational psychological service to all schools. The National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, has been expanding gradually on a national basis in recent 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 — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, has delegated authority to develop and provide an educational psychological service to all students in primary and post-primary schools and in certain other centres supported by the Department. Provision of educational psychological assessments is part of the work of the educational psychologists in NEPS. Primary schools may also have...

Written Answers — Education Policy: Education Policy (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I do not accept that there is ongoing confrontation with the teacher unions. Both my officials and I will continue to engage with the teacher unions in a meaningful way on all matters relating to the education system. Consultation with all the education partners is crucial to the ongoing development of our education system. In that regard I launched "Your Education System" a process of...

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

Noel Dempsey: Individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care. In accordance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989, it is the responsibility of school management authorities to have a safety statement in place in their schools. Schools are obliged to identify possible hazards, assess the risks to...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (30 Mar 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 (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 to 324, inclusive, together. All children with special needs within the primary sector have an entitlement to special education support. The precise nature and level of support provided is based on the professionally assessed needs of the individual child. The allocation of resource teaching support and special needs assistant support is based on the...

Written Answers — Standardised School Year: Standardised School Year (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: My Department has received 734 completed declarations from post-primary schools in relation to the operation of the agreed arrangements for standardisation of the school year, parent teacher meetings and staff meetings. A further four declarations were returned to my Department which are unidentifiable as the school name and roll number was omitted. Nine post-primary schools have not yet...

Written Answers — Standardised School Year: Standardised School Year (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The information sought by the Deputy will be compiled by my Department and forwarded directly to her.

Written Answers — Standardised School Year: Standardised School Year (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: Agreement was reached at the Teachers Conciliation Council recently about the standardisation of the breaks at Christmas, Easter and mid-term in the first and second terms for the next four school years. In the context of that agreement and having regard to the difficulties encountered in relation to the arrangements for the 2003-04 school year, the parties acknowledged that the new agreement...

Written Answers — Parent Teacher Meetings: Parent Teacher Meetings (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The agreement reached under Sustaining Progress in relation to parent teacher meetings for the 2003-04 school year provided that in respect of one student review meeting per term post-primary schools will make provision to allocate from normal school time a period equivalent to the time given outside school. These arrangements were set out in circular letter M34/03. The arrangements for the...