Results 161-180 of 623 for speaker:Síle de Valera

Written Answers — Youthreach Programme: Youthreach Programme (6 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: At present, my Department has approved 109 training places in Co. Offaly. These places are distributed by Co. Offaly Vocational Educational Committee as follows: Youthreach Clara — 25 places Edenderry — 25 places Senior Traveller Training Centres Tullamore — 35 places Birr — 24 places. In addition, there are 60 Youthreach training places approved in Roscrea which is situated 19.6...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: My Department has requested Bus Éireann to submit a report on the situation as outlined by the Deputy in the details provided. When this report is received and reviewed all interested parties will be advised.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: The circumstances of the case raised by the Deputy, in the details provided, are being reviewed at present by my Department. Arrangements will be made to notify all relevant parties as soon as a decision has been made.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: The following is a breakdown of my Department's expenditure on transport services for the years shown: 1997 — €49.5m 1998 — €51.2m 1999 — €58.0m 2000 — €65.1m 2001 — €77.1m 2002 — €96.0m 2003 — €101.7m 2004 — €109.8m 2005 — €122.2m.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: The number of pupils availing of school transport services in a school year varies from time to time. Accordingly, the figures which I am now providing are averages of pupils availing of the service within the years mentioned. 1997 — 160,000 1998 — 154,000 1999 — 145,000 2000 — 139,000 2001 — 140,000 2002 — 136,000 2003 — 138,000 2004 — 136,000 2005 — 135,500. In...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: The annual average numbers of pupils carried on Primary and Post Primary school transport services from 2003 is 136,500 of which over 6,300 are currently carried on a concessionary basis. The breakdown of these figures on a county-by-county basis is not available.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: Between eight and nine thousand children with special educational needs are availing of school transport. A breakdown of this figure on a county-by-county basis is not available.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: The number of vehicles operating under the school transport scheme is over 3,300. This figure includes about 2,700 vehicles (including standby vehicles) owned by private contractors. The average age of the Bus Éireann school bus fleet is 15.1 years. The average age of the entire school bus fleet, including contractors vehicles, is 11 years.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: Bus Éireann have informed my Department that all of the post-primary school transport services are now on a one for one seating basis. Plans are well advanced to provide children travelling on school buses to primary schools with single seats by the end of December 2006.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: Bus Éireann has informed my Department that 375 of its fleet of about 650 school buses have already been retrofitted with seat belts and they have indicated that they remain on target to have the work completed by the end of August 2006. Bus Éireann also informed my Department that there are about 2,700 private contractors' vehicles, including taxis and larger vehicles on standby, in the...

Seanad: Institutes of Technology Bill 2006: Second Stage. (5 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: I am pleased to bring the Institutes of Technology Bill 2006 before the House. I am also pleased to say that during its passage through the other House, there was widespread acknowledgment of the success of our institutes of technology, as well as cross-party support for this legislation. The Bill is being considered at a period of profound change and importance for higher education. A...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (4 Jul 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. Sections 2-7, 17, 18 and 24 have been commenced to date. A...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45, 89 and 105 together. The National Adult Learning Council was formed in March 2002 on an ad hoc basis with the intention that it would be established as a statutory body under Section 54 of the Education Act 1998. Following the formation of the ad-hoc Council, concerns emerged that the functions envisaged for the Council were too wide-ranging and were not...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: Last July, Minister Hanafin and myself announced a package of measures to include the phasing out of the "3 for 2" seating arrangement on school buses. The first phase commenced in September, 2005 on post-primary school transport services with the aim of providing each child with a seat by the end of December, 2005. This phase of the programme has now successfully concluded and plans are well...

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: I propose to take Questions Nos. 59, 73, 79 and 93 together. Government commitment to the PLC sector, by reference to the resources applied in teachers' pay, non-pay running costs, student support and certification costs, is very significant. We have increased the number of PLC places by 60% since 1996/97. Indeed, the number of PLC places approved for 2005/2006 is up by more than 1,600 on the...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (4 Jul 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. Sections 2-7, 17, 18 and 24 have been commenced to date. A...

Written Answers — Youthreach Programme: Youthreach Programme (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: The Youthreach Programme is an Inter-Departmental initiative which 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 funded by my Department is delivered in out of school centres and is managed by...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: Catchment boundaries have their origins in the establishment of free post-primary education in the late 1960's. For planning purposes, the country was divided into geographic districts, each with several primary schools feeding into a post-primary centre with one or more post-primary schools. The intention was that these defined districts would facilitate the orderly planning of school...

Written Answers — Literacy Levels: Literacy Levels (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: Adult Literacy is, and will remain, my top priority in adult education. Since 1997, funding from my Department for adult literacy has increased incrementally from €1 million to almost €23 million in 2006. As a consequence, the number of clients catered for annually has increased from 5,000 in 1997 to over 35,000 in 2005. This represents a significant achievement by any standards, and I...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (4 Jul 2006)

Síle de Valera: My Department has requested Bus Éireann to furnish a report on the number and nature of accidents that have occurred on school buses since January 2006. It would assist if the Deputy could be more specific regarding the type of incident that he has in mind.