Results 101-120 of 623 for speaker:Síle de Valera

Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Referral to Select Committee. (28 Apr 2005)

Síle de Valera: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Education and Science, in accordance with Standing Order 120(1) and paragraph 1(a)(i) of the Orders of Reference of that committee.

School Transport. (24 May 2005)

Síle de Valera: I offer my sincere sympathy to the parents, families and friends of those who were killed in the appalling and tragic road accident at Cannistown yesterday. I also sympathise with those who are injured and their families. The country has been shocked by this event which has cut short the lives of five girls who had everything to live for and who were journeying from their close-knit school...

School Transport. (24 May 2005)

Síle de Valera: The Deputy has raised a number of very salient points. Before I address those I wish to update the House on events in Navan. I went to Navan hospital today at 9.30 a.m. to attend a meeting with the principals of the four schools, their career guidance counsellors, hospital staff, the health professionals from the region, representatives of the vocational education committee, Bus Éireann and...

School Transport. (24 May 2005)

Síle de Valera: As the Deputy will appreciate this case is under review and the Health and Safety Authority will complete one of three investigations to take place. The Deputy can be assured that safety is a priority within the Department of Education and Science, as it must be. In any general overview we will reconsider the procedures regarding testing. The survey by Bus Éireann of the seating capacity on...

School Transport. (24 May 2005)

Síle de Valera: Regarding the testing of vehicles, they must obviously be roadworthy. The Deputy referred to the retro-fitting of seat belts, and it is very important to make the point once again that I have been told that it is not a solution, in the sense that it is much safer to have buses with seat belts installed as part of their manufacture. I certainly take on board what the Deputy said regarding...

School Transport. (24 May 2005)

Síle de Valera: There will be further discussions between my Department and the Department of Transport in respect of the directive. The position relating to regulations depends on that Department but I am aware of the feeling of the House on the issue, particularly in the aftermath of yesterday's events. The Deputy pointed out that there were many recommendations in the report published in 1999. One of...

School Transport. (24 May 2005)

Síle de Valera: Any psychological help needed will be forthcoming in the short and long term. As the Deputy pointed out, areas further afield have also been affected. Where pupils, teachers and members of the community need counselling, it will be provided. We are not yet sure if the road works in the area had any part to play in the accident but that will be part of the investigation. I understand why the...

School Transport. (24 May 2005)

Síle de Valera: The relevant investigations are under way but I am unable to say when the three reports to which the Deputy refers will be available.

School Transport. (24 May 2005)

Síle de Valera: I share Deputy Enright's concern in regard to her final point and it is the reason I have put so much emphasis on the need for counselling. All Members agree such counselling will be vital in the coming months and beyond for many of the pupils affected. The period before the State examinations is particularly difficult for students in normal circumstances. My Department is engaged in ongoing...

School Transport. (24 May 2005)

Síle de Valera: To alleviate the fears of Deputies with regard to maintenance, the structure of buses is tested as part of the process of determining roadworthiness. My information is that the fleet no longer includes Singapore buses. Bus speeds are controlled in that they cannot go faster than a certain limit determined by the proper procedures for driving a school bus.

Education Schemes. (31 May 2005)

Síle de Valera: I propose to answer the question in respect of the role of the Department of Education and Science in this matter. In the further education sector, persons in the following categories may participate on courses offered by vocational educational committees, namely, EU nationals, persons who have refugee status in Ireland, persons in the State as the spouse of an EU national where the EU...

School Transport. (14 Jun 2005)

Síle de Valera: I propose to take questions Question Nos. 49 and 50 together. The safety of the school transport service is constantly under review in my Department. In January 2005, I initiated a warning flashing light pilot scheme on school buses. These lights reduce the risk of accidents in the vicinity of the school bus as pupils descend where safety research has shown the majority of accidents occur. It...

School Transport. (14 Jun 2005)

Síle de Valera: The Deputy is perfectly right that the directive will not come into force under the position I outlined in my initial answer. I wish to proceed ahead of transposition of the directive because our interest is to ensure every possible safety mechanism exists within the school transport system. The process has been ongoing which is why we have actively considered the phasing out of three for two...

School Transport. (14 Jun 2005)

Síle de Valera: We acknowledge up front that the introduction of seat belts will be phased due to difficulties of which we have been made aware through the research the Department has gathered over some time on the abolition of three for two seating arrangements and the provision of new equipment. The Deputy referred in her question to the flashing light pilot scheme. The scheme was initiated on a pilot...

School Transport. (14 Jun 2005)

Síle de Valera: I assure the Deputy that there is a sense of urgency which does not relate simply to the very sad deaths of five students in Meath. The circumstances of the crash were very difficult for everybody, but the general safety of buses is and must be the subject of ongoing review in the Department. Deputy O'Sullivan admits rightly that three for two seating arrangements have been considered in the...

School Transport. (14 Jun 2005)

Síle de Valera: All vehicles operating under the school transport scheme are required to meet the statutory regulations as laid down by the Department of Transport. Where vehicles have more than eight adult seats and are more than one year old, they are required to pass the Department of Transport's annual roadworthiness test. In addition, Bus Éireann vehicles are subject to a programme of scheduled...

School Transport. (14 Jun 2005)

Síle de Valera: With regard to the review to which the Deputy referred, we look forward to receiving the results of the three specific investigations taking place. No doubt any recommendations which may be made in the reports or anything we can learn from the reports will be part of the review. The review was only examining the three for two rule pertaining to seating arrangements with regard to costings...

School Transport. (14 Jun 2005)

Síle de Valera: Unfortunately, the Deputy was not present when I answered the first and second priority questions.

School Transport. (14 Jun 2005)

Síle de Valera: I did, I mentioned that we are looking at three different types of buses, as I will say a second time in my reply. The Deputy referred to reviews. The references to different reviews and reports on the issue are erroneous. The only reference I am aware of to the three for two seating policy and to seat belts was in the report of the Oireachtas committee and we are going further than the...

School Transport. (14 Jun 2005)

Síle de Valera: We want to ensure seat belts are provided for all the school bus fleet in the long term. We are considering retrofitting where applicable and acquiring replacement buses with seat belts and new buses to complement the specific school bus fleet.