Results 61-80 of 623 for speaker:Síle de Valera

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: The consent of the Minister for Finance to public expenditure is a key feature in government accounting and accountability. It is not possible to exclude the Minister from issues relating to public spending. The Minister for Finance sets overall spending limits within which each Minister must operate. This applies to all aspects of government funding and education and health are no exception....

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: We need to recognise that no one can bypass the Minister for Finance. Having served at the Cabinet table for five years, I am aware that when one is fighting for allocations, one has one's priorities and it is up to each Minister to get the allocation he or she regards as necessary to meet their departmental priorities. That is the way of Government. Under the Constitution the Minister for...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: One must recognise the constitutional realities that pertain and the manner in which Government business is conducted irrespective of which party is in power. The Minister for Finance cannot be required through legislation to provide funding in the manner envisaged in these amendments. Resources are allocated at the discretion of the Minister for Finance following consultation with the...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: Senator Ulick Burke raised this matter on Committee Stage. At that time the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, explained that the new national council for special education will be, in effect, the central body that will ensure the co-ordination of educational services. The Senator was of the view that the body would be distant because it was a national rather than a local body. That was...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: Senator Ulick Burke has raised a genuine point. He mentioned earlier that the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, referred to joined-up Government. We are all in favour of that because it means a better delivery of whatever services are needed to individuals in communities. We spoke about the co-ordination of policies and the operation of the council and the health boards and it will be...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: The clear intention of the Bill is to confer on each child with a special educational need arising from a disability a right to receive an assessment, an educational plan and the support services necessary to meet that need. The Bill recognises that solutions for children with special needs do not lie in a one-size-fits-all approach. Obviously they must be specific to the particular children...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: In layman's language, those two words are interchangeable. We are proposing to provide an educational plan specific or individual to a particular child with special educational needs. I use the word "specific" because the essence of this legislation is that it provides for the specific needs of specific children. The question of individual plans features in the legislation and therefore the...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: We had a good discussion on this matter yesterday. As Senator Ryan said, the Constitution confers on the Lower House the supreme role in the matter of public finances. The Government must obtain its approval to spend public money and the Minister for Finance is accountable to that House for expenditure. Senator O'Toole felt that the wording of section 13 suggested that, having received his...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: We must recognise how Government works. It is up to the Minister for Education and Science of the day to fight his or her case with the Minister for Finance to get his or her annual allocation for the Department. That is how Government works for all Departments. This issue is strengthened by the fact that there is a legal imperative on the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Education...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: This is another issue that was given a good airing on Committee Stage. It comes down to the kernel of what the Bill will do for children. The education plans will be drawn up for each child and each child will have different needs. Children will have rights whether their first language is English or Irish. Although the amendment refers specifically to Gaelscoileanna, Senator Ryan's point...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: This amendment is not necessary, in my view. By virtue of section 11 of the Equal Status Act, a person who is responsible for the operation of a school, must not allow another person who has a right to be present in that place, such as a student, to suffer harassment at that place. Harassment occurs where a person subjects another to any unwelcome act, request or conduct, including spoken...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: I understand the concerns raised by Senators Ulick Burke and Cox in this highly sensitive area. The Bill gives parents a central role in the education of their children. One of the reasons it has gained support across the board is that it allows parents to request that an assessment be carried out, be involved in and form part of the educational plan team, seek the advice and guidance of the...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: While I have no responsibility regarding the provisions of legislation produced by other Ministers, I will pass on the concerns raised by Senators on this specific issue.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: I agree that we are lucky to have a tremendous teaching profession. I am fortunate that my job allows me to witness the idealism of which Senator Ryan spoke on almost a daily basis. This morning I spent some time in Kilbarrack at a summer camp for seven to 11 year olds and the enthusiasm and interest of the teachers in each child was evident. Teachers want to give the best possible service to...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: The Senator wants to ensure the highest quality teacher training is provided but that is not the business of the council. That will be an issue for the teaching council when it is established and that is why I cannot accept the amendment.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: This issue was discussed at length during the Bill's progress through the other House and it is difficult to see how the implementation period of no more than five years can be reduced. It has been broadly supported by interest groups as a realistic timescale. A great deal of consultation took place in drafting the legislation and taking amendments in the Dáil. The council can implement all...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: I assure the Senator that this is not a matter of stalling the issue. We all want to see these matters progress as quickly as possible. It is not correct for Senator Ryan to say in a pejorative way that this is a reasonable time according to the Government. What is being proposed is a very realistic timetable which is based on a great deal of consultation. Obviously the interest groups were...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: This amendment is unnecessary. The right to litigate and to have access to the courts is a personal right guaranteed by the Constitution and recognised by the courts for some time now. I agree with Senators Ryan and Burke when they say the right to go to court is an absolute right of any citizen but there is nothing in the Bill which suggests otherwise. I will not accept the amendment.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: I thank Senators for their constructive, sincere and heartfelt contributions to this debate. I enjoyed being here through Second and Committee Stages recently and today on Report and Final Stages. The generosity of spirit displayed by Senators on all sides raised the level of debate above the usual party political one, which was very important given the essence of the discussion. I assure...

Seanad: Child Care Services. (30 Sep 2004)

Síle de Valera: I thank Senator Bannon for raising this matter on the Adjournment. As the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform cannot attend the House, he has asked me to take this matter. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is aware that there are capital grant applications for funding under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme, 2000-2006, with his Department for each of these...