Results 11,021-11,040 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

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

Noel Dempsey: My Department's examination of the question of introducing a pension scheme for school caretakers will have regard to the provisions of the Protection of Employees (Part-time Work) Act 2001 and the Protection of Employees (Fixed-term Work) Act 2003. Discussions with the education partners, and the Department of Finance, are ongoing regarding the implementation of these complex Acts. My...

Written Answers — EU Presidency: EU Presidency (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 293 to 295, inclusive, together. The Education Council meetings scheduled for 26 February — education — and 27-28 May 2004 — education, youth and culture — will be held in the headquarters of the European Council, the Justus Lipsius Building in Brussels. Discussions on agenda items for both meetings are on-going. At the February Council the main item...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 296 to 298, inclusive, together. The adult literacy services are delivered locally by vocational education committees with funding from my Department. The 2004 allocation for adult literacy will be determined when the revised Estimates for the Public Service are published at the end of February.

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

Noel Dempsey: My Department has no record of having received an application for home tuition for the person referred to by the Deputy. I wish to advise the Deputy that the primary responsibility for service provision for pre-school age children rests with the appropriate health authority. However, my Department has established eight pre-school classes for children with autism, four in Dublin and four in...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: Bus Éireann has been asked to investigate the possibility of re-routing an existing service for the pupil referred to in the details supplied. As soon as a report has been received and considered my Department will contact the family. In the meantime, my Department has offered a medical grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements from the pupil's home to the school.

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The youth affairs section of my Department funds the YMCA through its youth service grant scheme. The scheme provides support on an annual basis to national and major regional voluntary youth work organisations. Funding amounting to €119,672 was allocated to the YMCA in 2003. Six staff positions are supported by 80% of this aid, including a part-time national STEP co-ordinator. The STEP,...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I am availing myself of the Irish EU Presidency to further develop youth policy at home and to influence youth policy in Europe. Progressing the European Commission's White Paper, A New Impetus for European Youth, is a priority for the youth agenda during the Irish Presidency. I plan to hold a youth conference at ministerial level in County Clare from 4 to 6 March next and, while its overall...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: Section 16 of the Youth Work Act 2001 provides for the appointment of an assessor of youth work and this has been identified as a priority action by my Department. A sub-committee of the national youth work advisory committee, which was appointed under sections 17 and 18 of the Act to advise on youth work and youth work policy, has drawn up a job description for the assessor of youth work...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The proposed 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 proposed project is at stage 3, detailed plans-costs, of architectural planning. It has been assigned a band 2 rating by my Department in accordance with the published criteria...

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

Noel Dempsey: As part of its evaluative role, my Department's inspectorate conducted a sample survey in late 2002 of 25 primary schools that had been allocated resource teacher and special needs assistant support. The objective of the review was to provide a detailed account of the additional allocation of resources for pupils with special educational needs with particular reference to the terms of the...

Written Answers — Inservice Training: Inservice Training (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: In addition to funding a number of national support services, for example, in the areas of curricular reform and special needs, my Department supports a wide range of continuing professional development programmes provided by a network of education centres at local level for personnel working in primary and post-primary schools. In this regard, the in-career development unit of my Department...

Written Answers — Inservice Training: Inservice Training (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: In addition to funding a number of national support services, for example in the areas of curricular reform and special needs, my Department supports a wide range of continuing professional development programmes provided by a network of education centres at local level for personnel working in primary and post-primary schools. In this regard the in-career development unit of my Department...

Written Answers — Education Welfare Service: Education Welfare Service (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The Education (Welfare) Act was fully commenced on 5 July 2002. Under the Act, the National Educational Welfare Board was established to ensure every child attends school regularly or otherwise receives an education. The board is developing a nationwide service to provide welfare-focused services to children, families and schools to discharge its responsibilities. It has appointed a chief...

Written Answers — Inquiry into Child Abuse: Inquiry into Child Abuse (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I am not aware if the institution referred to by the Deputy has been investigated for the abuse of children. The Oireachtas, through the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000, established a statutory body with the powers of the High Court to undertake such investigations. The Act specifically provides that the commission shall inquire into abuse allegations and shall determine the...

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

Noel Dempsey: The appropriate grant in respect of supervision for the 2002-03 school year issued to the board of management of the school concerned in December 2003. It is suggested that the teacher referred to by the Deputy should take the matter up directly with the schoolauthorities.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The school building programme for 2004 as published is focused towards the construction of large-scale new building projects which were in the advanced stages of architectural planning. The proposed extension project at Meánscoil Iognáid Rís is in the early stages of architectural planning and, consequently, did not feature in the 2004 programme. However, given the difficulties being...

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

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 312 and 318 to 320, inclusive, together. There are 4,319 full-time and 1,353 part-time special needs assistants at primary level being paid salary on my Department's payroll. To date, my Department has allocated a total of 461.39 whole-time equivalent special needs assistants at post-primary level. The budget for the provision of special needs assistants is...

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

Noel Dempsey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 313 to 317, inclusive, together. Special needs assistants may be approved to assist a pupil who has a significant medical need for such assistance, a significant impairment of physical or sensory function or where their behaviour is such that they are a danger to themselves or other pupils. The criteria used for the assessment of the need for special needs...

Written Answers — School Textbooks: School Textbooks (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: Apart from a small number of prescribed texts at second level, mainly in the case of language subjects, school textbooks are not approved or prescribed by my Department at first or second level. Decisions on which books to use are taken at school level. The publication and sale of school books are in the hands of independent commercial enterprises and it is not open to me to compel publishing...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Feb 2004)

Noel Dempsey: An application for additional accommodation for Coláiste Mhuire, Johnstown, County Kilkenny, has been received in my Department and it is being examined in school planning section to determine the long-term accommodation needs of the school. Following completion of this assessment contact will be made directly with the school authorities. With regard to the school completion programme, the...