Results 341-360 of 11,242 for speaker:Noel Dempsey

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The person to whom the Deputy refers applied to County Wexford Vocational Education Committee for grant assistance under the maintenance grants scheme for students attending post leaving certificate courses, 2003. To qualify for grant assistance under this scheme, a candidate must satisfy the relevant conditions pertaining to age, residence, means and nationality. My officials have made...

Written Answers — Teacher Induction Project: Teacher Induction Project (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The teacher induction pilot project was developed by my Department in conjunction with the Standing Committee of Teacher Unions and University Education Departments and was introduced in September 2002. The central thrust of the teacher induction pilot project is on supporting the professional development of newly qualified teachers by way of appropriate systematic support in the probationary...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The school management authority of Gael Scoil, Carrigaline, County Cork has submitted an application for temporary accommodation for a mainstream classroom. All applications for temporary accommodation are currently being examined by officials in school planning section of my Department who will be in contact with the school authority shortly.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: My Department has agreed to the amalgamation of the three post-primary schools in Kildare town and to the purchase of a site to facilitate this development. The timing of when individual projects can progress depend on the budgetary allocations, the rate of progress of existing projects in architectural planning and the priority afforded to a project by reference to the published criteria for...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I have no plans at present to extend disadvantaged status to additional schools, including the school to which the Deputy refers. Currently, there are more than 200 second level schools which have been designated disadvantaged under an initiative adopted in the mid-1990s. These schools, which were selected by reference to a range of socio-economic criteria, are in receipt of additional...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: An application for grant aid for additional accommodation has been received from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. The application is currently being assessed in the school planning section of my Department. As soon as the assessment is complete, contact will be made directly with the management authority of the school in the matter.

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I have now appointed all 13 members of the National Council for Special Education.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: My Department provides grant-aid to boards of management of participating schools to employ escorts. At present, there are morethan 600 escorts employed on special needs services.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: My Department does not have special grants available for schools seeking to add eco-friendly features such as solar panels or under floor heating to new buildings. Tenders have recently been invited for the new gaelscoil in Ballinasloe. The heating system will be in accordance with my Department's existing guidelines for mechanical and electrical installations.

Written Answers — Early School Leavers: Early School Leavers (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: In 2002, my Department introduced the school completion programme, SCP, which is a new and significantly expanded programme to deal with early school leaving incorporating the learning, experience and best practice derived from previous early school leaving initiatives, namely, the eight to 15 early school leaver initiative, ESLI, and stay in school retention initiative at second level, SSRI....

Written Answers — Summer Works Scheme: Summer Works Scheme (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: An application under the summer works scheme was received from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. All applications received under this scheme were assessed and categorised by reference to the criteria detailed in appendix B of the circular letter governing the scheme — Prim 34/03. In the context of available funding and the number of applications for that...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: A report has been received from Bus Éireann regarding transport to the school in question. My Department has sought further clarification on the matter and a decision will be taken as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: There are approximately 1,200 teachers currently holding provisional recognition. However, it should be borne in mind that as these teachers are granted restricted recognition in conjunction with provisional recognition, many of them may hold posts in special schools or classes using their restricted recognition and may therefore not be interested in obtaining a pass in the SCG as this is not...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The final public meeting in the first phase of the YES process will take place tonight. It will not be possible to give the costings for this phase of the process until all of these meetings have been finalised. The figures will be compiled over the next few days and will be forwarded to the Deputy shortly.

Written Answers — Literacy Levels: Literacy Levels (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I remain fully committed to achieving the headline NAPS target relating to literacy at school level, namely, halving the proportion of pupils with serious literacy difficulties by 2006. My concern to improve literacy levels is reflected in commitments given under the National Action Plan Against Poverty and Social Exclusion, 2003-2005, and under the latest social partnership agreement,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: I will arrange for a list of these projects to be forwarded to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: Since 1995, the student support schemes provide that candidates must hold EU nationality, have official refugee status or have been granted humanitarian leave to remain in the State. The Equal Status Act 2000 provides at section 7(3)(d)(i) and (ii) that the charging of differentiated fees to EU and non-EU nationals by the institutions of further and higher education, as well as the offering...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: The details requested by the Deputy are as follows. The number of learning support teachers in the primary school system stands at 1,531 at present. The annual salary cost of these teachers is approximately €54 million. The number of resource teachers in primary schools is more than 2,600 currently. The annual salary cost of these teachers is estimated at more than €75 million. The number...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: When publishing the 2004 school building programme, I outlined that my strategy will be grounded in capital investment based on multi-annual allocations. My officials are reviewing all projects which were not authorised to proceed to construction as part of the 2004 school building programme with a view to including them as part of a multi-annual school building programme from 2005. I expect...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Mar 2004)

Noel Dempsey: An application has been received from the school management authority for a new school. The proposed project has not yet commenced architectural planning. When publishing the 2004 school building programme, I outlined that my strategy will be grounded in capital investment based on multi-annual allocations. My officials are reviewing all projects which were not authorised to proceed to...