Results 81-100 of 623 for speaker:Síle de Valera

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (24 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: The annual average number of pupils carried on primary and post primary school transport services since 2003 is 136,500, including about 8,000 children with special educational needs. In July, 2005, Minister Hanafin and myself announced a package of measures to enhance the safety of school transport operations. The measures included: the phasing out of "3 for 2" seating on post-primary...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (24 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: My Department has requested the Transport Liaison Officer (TLO) for County Mayo to submit a report on the service referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied. My Department will liaise with the TLO regarding the issues referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Traveller Education: Traveller Education (24 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: The Inspectorate of my Department conducted an evaluation of 23 Traveller pre-schools in 2000/2001. This evaluation focused on management and ownership, finances, curricular practices, training of teachers and links between schools and parents. A report of the evaluation was published in April, 2003. In 2004, the Evaluation Support and Research Unit of the Inspectorate co-ordinated an...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (24 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: A request for funding under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme on behalf of the project referred to by the Deputy has been received in my Department. Due to the high level of existing commitments in the Youth Sector and to the large number of applications received it has not been possible to accede to this request this year. I understand that application forms for the 2007 round of grants...

Literacy Levels. (24 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: An information and tuition programme on adult literacy called "Read Write Now" was televised by RTE 1 in five series over the period 2000-05. In 2006, the National Adult Literacy Agency devised a new two-year multimedia literacy project, entitled "The Really Useful Guide to Words and Numbers". An element of this project is a TV series of that name, which is currently being shown once a week...

Literacy Levels. (24 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: I agree we must get the message across about these programmes to those who wish to improve their literacy and numeracy skills. Through research, we found the most effective way has been through the use of television. The "Read Write Now" series was a tremendous success considering the number of people who tuned in to watch it. With help from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland and...

Literacy Levels. (24 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: I certainly recognise the differentiation between those two groups. It is a question of language acquisition as opposed to literacy as we mean it. A number of schemes are in place to help those coming to our shores who might not have English as a mother tongue. I refer to the point made by Deputy O'Sullivan. The national development plan committed €93.5 million to the service in the...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (18 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: My Department has requested the Transport Liaison Officer for County Westmeath to submit a report on the proposals referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (18 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: Under the terms of the Primary School Transport Scheme, only eligible children qualify for free transport. In order to be eligible, children must live 3.2 kilometres or more from, and be attending, their nearest national school. Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport Service on behalf of my Department, has advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (18 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: Under my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme a pupil is eligible for school transport if he or she resides 3.2 kilometres or more, and is attending, his or her nearest suitable national school as determined by my Department. However, a pupil residing in a closed school area, such as the pupil in question, may be deemed eligible for transport to the school of amalgamation only.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (18 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: My Department is examining a recent report received from the Transport Liaison Officer for Cork City regarding the case referred to by the Deputy. My Department will communicate with the Transport Liaison Officer as soon as the case has been re-assessed.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (18 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: In general, larger buses tend to be older than minibuses, and the rate of grant payable is intended to encourage the owners of such older vehicles to acquire more modern replacements. The replacement vehicles must be equipped with manufacturer-fitted seat belts, or with safety belt anchorage points by the vehicle manufacturer to which type-approved belts have subsequently been installed....

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (18 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: My Department has requested Bus Éireann to provide the relevant details and will write to the Deputy as soon as the information is received.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (18 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: Under the terms of the Primary School Transport Scheme, only eligible children qualify for free transport. In order to be eligible, children must live 3.2 kilometres or more from, and be attending, their nearest national school. Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport Service on behalf of my Department, has advised that the pupils referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (18 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: Under the terms of the Primary School Transport Scheme, only eligible children qualify for free transport. In order to be eligible, children must live 3.2 kilometres or more from, and be attending, their nearest national school. Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport Service on behalf of my Department, has advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied is...

School Closures. (17 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: The Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, cannot be present to reply to this matter and she asked me to reply to this matter on her behalf. I wish the three Deputies well and thank them for raising this matter. I fully appreciate the impact and importance this decision has on the local community. I take this opportunity to emphasise to the House that Seamount College is a...

Education Centre Network. (17 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Outdoor education centres, such as the centre in Tanagh, County Monaghan, have been developed by vocational education committees in the interests of providing outdoor education programmes to enhance the quality of the educational experience for young people....

School Transport. (17 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to clarify the general position regarding school transport for children residing in the Galway city, Oranmore and Claregalway areas. Under the terms of my Department's post-primary school transport scheme, a pupil is eligible for transport if he or she resides 4.8 km or more from his or her local post-primary...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (17 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: The family of the pupil referred to in the details supplied submitted documentation to my Department in the belief that they were entitled to a grant. A claim for a grant is generally not considered by my Department until an assessment has been made of the pupil's eligibility for school transport. This assessment can only be made on receipt of the relevant background information from Bus...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (17 Oct 2006)

Síle de Valera: Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport service on behalf of my Department, has been asked to provide a report on the case referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied. When the report is received and considered, my Department will advise the families of the position.