Results 201-220 of 623 for speaker:Síle de Valera

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (28 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: Youthreach provides two years integrated education, training and work experience to young people aged 15-20 years who are at least six months in the labour market and who have left school early without any qualifications or vocational training. The programme provides a strong emphasis on personal development, on the core skills of literacy/numeracy, communications and IT. The information on...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs. (28 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to clarify the position of the Department of Education and Science on home tuition for the children as referred to by the Senator. The Department of Education and Science considers that school-based education provision is the most appropriate intervention for all children, including those with special...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs. (28 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: I will convey the Senator's concerns to the Minister.

Seanad: Prison Building Programme. (28 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: I am deputising in this debate this evening for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell. I thank the Senator for giving the Minister this opportunity to clarify the intentions of the Irish Prison Service on the proposed prison development on Spike Island. The need for a new prison to alleviate the current overcrowding at Cork Prison has been well documented. More...

Seanad: Private Bus Licences. (28 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: The overall policy framework for the future of public bus transport operations was set out in the programme for Government and included the following specific commitments: the replacement of the Road Transport Act 1932 with modernised legislation to allow, inter alia, for new services in the bus market; further progress will be made on upgrading the bus fleet, providing bus priorities both in...

Written Answers — Anti-Social Behaviour: Anti-Social Behaviour (27 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: The Youth Affairs Section of the Department of Education & Science is responsible for the provision of a policy framework and financial support for the development of youth work programmes and services. These non-formal education programmes and services are concerned with the personal and social development of young people outside of, but complementary to, formal education, and prioritise the...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (27 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: The National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) was established in 1980. It is a voluntary organisation, concerned with national co-ordination, training and policy development work in the area of literacy. NALA receives most of its income from my Department. It was first grant-aided in 1984 and has received funding annually since. In 2006, the Department has approved funding of €1,765,000 in...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (27 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: AONTAS is a voluntary national adult education body established in 1969. It represents the interests of individuals, and voluntary and statutory bodies, involved in promoting and developing adult education in Ireland. AONTAS receives most of its funding from my Department. It was first grant-aided in 1976 and has received funding annually since. In 2006, the Department has provided funding of...

Hospital Services. (27 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children. She has asked me to assure the House that the Government is committed to making the full range of cancer services, including radiation oncology services, available and accessible to cancer patients throughout Ireland in accordance with best international practice. As the Tánaiste advised the Deputy in...

Inland Waterways. (27 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: I have listened attentively to the Deputy. I am delighted he has raised this issue because in so doing he has given me an opportunity to reacquaint myself with an area for which I had responsibility in a previous life. I am standing in for the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, who must attend to other responsibilities. Waterways Ireland employs dedicated operational staff who are responsible for the...

School Staffing. (27 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: The Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, is unable to attend this debate and has asked me to respond to the Deputy on her behalf. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline the position of the Department of Education and Science on staffing at St. Joseph's national school, Killenummery, Dromahair, County Leitrim. The mainstream...

School Staffing. (27 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: I thank the Deputy for that information. The information I was given as late as this afternoon was that the enrolment on 30 September 2005 was 45 pupils, which warrants a staffing for the 2006-07 school year of a principal and one mainstream teacher. The school is also the base school for the services of a learning support-resource teacher shared with one other school. To ensure openness in...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (22 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: My Department has requested Bus Éireann to establish if there are sufficient numbers of pupils eligible for school transport in the area to warrant the establishment of a dedicated school transport service to the school in question. My Department will advise the families concerned on the outcome of this investigation.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (22 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: My Department has requested Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport services on behalf of my Department, to furnish a report on the background to the case referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied.

Seanad: Adult and Further Education: Statements. (21 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: I thank Senators who contributed to this debate. I am appreciative of the kind remarks made by those on both sides of the House. I will do my best to address the general issues raised by Senators. Senator Ulick Burke mentioned that I made many references to literacy in my initial contribution. The reason is that the Government has prioritised the area of literacy. If we do not have literacy,...

Seanad: Adult and Further Education: Statements. (21 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: I am glad to have the opportunity to present this overview of recent developments in adult and further education in Ireland. In the knowledge society, a well-developed education and training system and a workforce that is adaptable and willing to learn new skills are necessities. Research throughout the world has demonstrated the central influence of education on life chances and there has...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (20 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: The pupils from the Latton area may apply for catchment boundary transport to the college referred to in the details supplied by the Deputy subject to the terms of the Post-Primary School Transport Scheme. My Department has requested Bus Éireann to comment on the safety issues raised by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (20 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: The Youth Work Act, 2001, provides a legal framework for the provision of youth work programmes and services to be organised by the Minister for Education and Science, the Vocational Education Committees and national and regional youth work organisations. Section 1 of the Act provides for sections to be commenced at different stages. As I advised the Deputy previously, a sub-committee of the...

Site Acquisitions. (14 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: I thank the Deputies for affording me the opportunity to outline the proposals of the Department of Education and Science in respect of the provision of a new facility for Gaelscoil Chluain Meala in Clonmel, County Tipperary. As the Deputies have said, the school opened in 1994 with provisional recognition and was granted permanent recognition in November 1995. Enrolments for the school year...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (14 Jun 2006)

Síle de Valera: The pupils in question were availing of transport on a concessionary fare-paying basis under a three for two seating arrangement. However, under Regulations recently made by the Minister for Transport, seat belts must be used in buses, where fitted, which means that the three for two seating arrangement no longer applies on school buses fitted with seat belts. Bus Éireann has put...