Hanafin, MaryWednesday, 1 November 2006 |
Dáil Eireann Debate
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Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment) Bill 2006: Report Stage (Resumed)
Amendment put.
Voted No 
Question put: “That the words and figures proposed to be deleted stand.”
Voted Yes
Written Answers - Third Level Education.
Was asked: the extent to which the number of students currently studying medicine is expected to be adequate to meet future requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
On the 1 February 2006 the Minister for Health and Children and I published the report of the Fottrell Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training. In addition the Minister for Healt...
Written Answers - Education Services.
Was asked: if she has been consulted by the Reception and Integration Agency or the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform regarding its decision to set up an accommodation centre for asylum seekers on ...
The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform commenced advance consultation with my Department early last month. I understand that the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform was not in ...
Written Answers - Departmental Reports.
Was asked: if a copy of a report (details supplied) which has been completed will be made available to this Deputy; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
I can confirm that I have received a copy of a report from the Single Manager of the school referred to by the Deputy. Pending consideration of the report and any necessary clarification on it, I am ...
Written Answers - School Accommodation.
Was asked: the position regarding the proposed extension of a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; and when her Department officials will revisit the site for further assessment.
The proposed extension project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning and is one of the 124 schools that I announced last year to progress through the ...
Written Answers - Special Educational Needs.
Was asked: if a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be assured that they will continue to receive the help they need in order to make progress and that there will be no cutback in these support servic...
As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the 75 local special educational needs organisers, known as SENOs, is responsible for processing applications from sc...
Written Answers - Departmental Properties.
Was asked: if her Department own and are registered title holders to a school building (details supplied) in County Mayo or if it is vested in the diocese concerned; if her Department have been in contact with ...
The school building referred to by the Deputy is not owned by my Department. An Official of my Department contacted the legal firm referred to by the Deputy and it would appear from them that there i...
Written Answers - Pupil-Teacher Ratio.
Was asked: the number of primary schools in County Kerry with class sizes of less than 20, between 20 and 30, between 30 and 40 and greater than 40; if she will deliver on the Government’s policy commitments on...
The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department. As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at primary level in recent years. There a...
Written Answers - School Transport.
Was asked: if she will initiate a review of catchment boundaries for secondary school bus transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers - Education Welfare Service.
Was asked: if and when a second education welfare officer will be appointed for County Kerry; the number of referrals to the board from County Kerry in the past four years; and if she will make a statement on t...
Written Answers - Schools Building Projects.
Was asked: the position regarding a building project for a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The need for a new school building on a new site for Blennerville National School is acknowledged by my Department. A suitable site has recently been acquired. The building project required to deliver...
Written Answers - School Accommodation.
Was asked: the position regarding a building project for a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The accommodation needs of the school referred to by the Deputy are under consideration by my Department. In order to ensure that the appropriate level of accommodation is provided, officials in the S...
Was asked: the position regarding a building project for a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Following a meeting between Department officials, the school management authority and their Design Team earlier this year, it was agreed that the long term projected enrolment, on which the schools ac...
Written Answers - School Transport.
Was asked: if her attention has been drawn to a situation regarding a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and her views on whether any pupil in such a situation should be given time to obtain a replacemen...
Written Answers - Third Level Fees.
Was asked: if she will examine the rights granted to a person with humanitarian leave to stay here with regard to availing of the free fees scheme in third level universities; and if she will make a statement o...
The main conditions of my Department’s Free Fees Initiative are that students must (a) be first-time undergraduates; (b) hold E.U. nationality or official refugee status; and have been ordinarily resi...
Written Answers - Higher Education Grants.
Was asked: if the benefits of the SSIAs are being taken into account for third level education grants; if so, her views on whether this is fair as they are not being taken into account for non-contributory pens...
I want to assure the Deputy that the Government is determined to ensure that SSIA savers are treated fairly in the calculation of reckonable income under my Department’s maintenance grant schemes. Thi...
Written Answers - School Transport.
Was asked: if additional seating has become available for students who previously availed of concessionary transport on a bus service operating to a primary school (details supplied) in County Limerick.
Written Answers - Higher Education Grants.
Was asked: the income threshold for students to qualify for the top-up higher education grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
To qualify for the top-up grant in the academic year 2006/2007 all candidates must satisfy the following conditions: 1. Qualify for the ordinary maintenance grant in respect of the academic year 2006...
Written Answers - Departmental Expenditure.
Was asked: the amount expended on photographers by her Department for events and publicity leaflet production in her constituency and the constituency of each Minister of State of her Department in the years 20...
No expenditure was incurred by my Department on photographers or leaflet production for the purpose of publicity within my constituency, or the constituencies of the Ministers of State in the years 20...
Written Answers - Schools Refurbishment.
Was asked: the situation regarding a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary that has applied for the devolved grant for small schools scheme 2007; and if the school’s category status under the summer wor...
I can confirm that the Department is in receipt of applications for both the Small Schools Scheme 2007 and the Summer Works Scheme 2007 from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy ...
Written Answers - School Fees.
Was asked: the amount of grant aid paid to each fee paying private school by her Department in each of the past five years.
Fee charging schools, with the exception of the special arrangements that apply in respect of the Protestant and Jewish fee paying schools, do not receive capitation or related supports. The Protestan...
Written Answers - Schools Recognition.
Was asked: if she has received an application seeking approval for a Gaelcoláiste at Arklow, County Wicklow; the stage same is at; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department is in receipt of an application to establish a Gaelcoláiste in Arklow. This application is currently under consideration and a decision will be communi...
Written Answers - School Accommodation.
Was asked: the applications she has for schools, primary and post primary (details supplied), for accommodation and facility improvements; the stage same are at; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The information requested by the Deputy will be compiled by the relevant officials in the Department and forwarded to him directly.
Written Answers - Third Level Grants.
Was asked: the income limit for qualification for a third level grant; the expenses that can be offset against this; her plans to increase this threshold, or to permit additional set-offs; and if she will make ...
The following tables provide details of the current reckonable income limits. In relation to income thresholds prescribed under the student maintenance grant schemes, the practice in recent years has...
Written Answers - School Curriculum.
Was asked: the percentage of post primary schools that offer a transition year; the percentage of post primary students who could avail of the year that do so; the criteria applied in formulating the syllabus; ...
A total of 636 second level schools offered the Transition Year Programme in the 2005/06 school year, which represented almost 87% of all second level schools. My Department publishes data on the numb...
Written Answers - Pupil-Teacher Ratio.
Was asked: the measures she is taking to reduce class sizes; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at primary in recent years. There are now 4000 more primary teachers than there were in 2002. The average class size in our p...
Written Answers - Schools Refurbishment.
Was asked: the measures she is taking to improve school buildings; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
This Government is committed to modernising school buildings throughout the country and is determined to ensure that every child is educated in a suitable and comfortable environment. Under the larges...
Written Answers - Special Educational Needs.
Was asked: the measures she is taking to improve special needs education; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Children who have been assessed as having special educational needs have access to a range of special support services. The services range from special schools dedicated to particular disability group...
Was asked: when she will meet with a group (details supplied) to facilitate the advancement of discussions in relation to the template document developed by them as a response to the education needs of children...
Was asked: if she will meet personally with the Irish Autism Action Group as they have been unsuccessful on several occasions with their request; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 565 and 590 together. The Deputy will be aware of my commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with autism receive an education appropriate to their ne...
Was asked: her views on the son-rise treatment system for autistic children; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Was asked: if all units here are adequately staffed to meet the needs of autistic children with regard to speech therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, music therapy and play therapy; and if she will mak...
I propose to take Questions Nos. 566 and 570 together. My Department supports an eclectic approach to the education of children with autism where a range of teaching methods can be applied specific to...
Was asked: if she will reverse the refusal of home tuition to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The home tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended...
Was asked: when she will approve a special needs assistant for a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary to provide assistance for a student; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications for special ...
Written Answers - Third Level Funding.
Was asked: the capital funding and the revenue funding provided to each of the universities and to each of the institutes of technology in each of the years 2003 to 2005 and to date in 2006; and if she will mak...
Details of capital and recurrent funding for each University and Institute of Technology are provided on the following spreadsheets for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 and, to date, in 2006. Recurrent F...
Written Answers - Special Educational Needs.
Was asked: further to Parliamentary Question No. 226 of 11 October 2006, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the NCSE have twice referred the matter to the local SENCO for answer, who in turn has t...
I am informed that since I replied to the Deputy’s earlier question, an official of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has been in direct contact with him in relation to the specific is...
Written Answers - Health and Safety Regulations.
Was asked: if her attention has been drawn to the research carried out by an organisation (details supplied) linking back pain in children and adults with poorly designed school furniture and with backward slop...
The situation generally is that where the provision of school furniture is being grant-aided by my Department, the specifications are based on Irish, European, International or British Standards, as a...
Written Answers - School Accommodation.
Was asked: if financial assistance will be provided to a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Officials from my Department have been in contact with the school in question regarding this matter. The school’s insurance will deal with a lot of the needs and I am pleased to inform the Deputy tha...
Was asked: the reason she has not nominated a representative to a board (details supplied); if she will send a representative to the board; her proposals for primary and secondary schooling in the area in view ...
The Department has established a number of Regional Offices to provide information and advice on educational issues to groups and individuals at a regional level and to liaise with regionally based de...
Written Answers - School Curriculum.
Was asked: the remedial steps she proposes to take, arising from the position of Irish in the educational system as outlined in the recent Harris Report; when the report will be available in hard copy; and if s...
The Harris Report was published by the Stationery Office in July of this year and a copy is available on my Department’s website at www.education.ie Improving students’ competences in spoken and writt...
Written Answers - Site Acquisitions.
Was asked: the situation regarding the building of a new school (details supplied) in County Cork and specifically the efforts to date to secure a site for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
My Department has made various attempts to secure a site for the school in question. This included a possible site at the Murphy Barracks Complex in Ballincollig and also a site that was identified b...
Written Answers - Higher Education Grants.
Was asked: the assistance available to persons (detail supplied) in County Mayo; if assistance will be given to them; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
A key area covered in the report of the Action Group on Access to Third Level Education — which was asked to advise on the development of a co-ordinated framework to promote access by disadvantaged st...
Written Answers - Special Educational Needs.
Was asked: when school placement will be offered to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
My Department supports an eclectic approach to the education of children with autism where a range of teaching methods can be applied specific to the needs of individual pupils. The Deputy will be fa...
Written Answers - Site Acquisitions.
Was asked: if she will issue a directive to the Office of Public Works to purchase a site for a school (details supplied) in County Galway.
The property Management section of the Office of Public Works (OPW), which acts on behalf of my Department in relation to site acquisitions generally, has been requested to explore the possibility of...
Written Answers - School Accommodation.
Was asked: the future plans her Department has for a primary school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
My Department is in liaison with the school in question regarding the delivery of the project under the terms of the Permanent Accommodation Scheme.
Written Answers - Computerisation Programme.
Was asked: the amount invested by her Department in new school computers in County Kildare in the past five years; the amount invested in the rest of the country; her Department’s plans to invest in new compute...
The ICT in Schools Programme commenced in 1998 following the publication of Schools IT2000. The objective of the Programme is to ensure that all students have the opportunity to achieve computer lite...
Written Answers - Schools Enrolments.
Was asked: the number of pupils in junior infants and in senior infants.
Was asked: the overall number of pupils in primary school.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 582 and 583 together. The latest school year for which data are available is 2005/2006. In that year there were 58,458 pupils in Junior Infants and 59,960 pupils in S...
Written Answers - School Accommodation.
Was asked: when an application for a schedule of accommodation which has been sanctioned by her Department for a school (details supplied) in County Clare will be progressed to the next stage; and if she will m...
An application for capital funding towards the provision of an extension at the school referred to by the Deputy, has been assessed and the long term projected enrolments, on which the school’s accomm...
Was asked: when an application for a schedule of accommodation which has been sanctioned by her Department for a school (details supplied) in County Clare will be progressed to the next stage; and if she will m...
An application for capital funding towards the provision of an extension to provide ancillary accommodation has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. In the light of declining enro...
Written Answers - School Curriculum.
Was asked: if she has met with the Road Safety Authority in relation to developing a specific additional road safety resource suitable for transition year pupils; and if she will make a statement on the matter....
The Road Safety Authority has already commenced work on a number of key areas including the development of a Road Safety programme for use in Transition Year. This work is being undertaken in co-oper...
Written Answers - School Accommodation.
Was asked: if she will confirm receipt of a request for additional temporary classroom accommodation for September 2007 from a school (details supplied) in County Cork; when the school will be approved for same...
The School Planning Section of my Department recently received an application for additional temporary accommodation from the school. The application is being assessed by my officials and a decision ...
Written Answers - Schools Building Projects.
Was asked: the position in relation to having school building projects (details supplied) in County Donegal move to work commencing stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The position in respect of the schools, based on the order of the details provided, is as follows: 1. The process of appointing a design team to initiate architectural planning is under way at this sc...
Written Answers - Higher Education Grants.
Was asked: if a review will be undertaken in the application for educational grant in the name of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
It is understood from Kildare VEC that the candidate referred to by the Deputy was not eligible for the maintenance grant as the reckonable income in this case — i.e. the combined income from the moth...
Written Answers - Capitation Grants.
Was asked: the criteria used for deciding the level of capitation grant in primary and secondary voluntary schools; and the estimate of the percentage of relevant costs covered by this payment.
Capitation grants constitute the main form of government funding towards primary and voluntary secondary school operating costs, which affords schools considerable flexibility in the use of these reso...
Written Answers - Special Educational Needs.
Was asked: if she will make special provisions for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5.
As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the 75 local special educational needs organisers, known as SENOs, is responsible for processing applications from sc...
Written Answers - School Insurance Scheme.
Was asked: her plans to meet the State Claims Board to discuss the possibility of a single national insurance scheme for schools.
My Department provides funding to primary and secondary schools by way of per capita grants, which affords schools considerable flexibility in the use of these resources to cater for the needs of thei...
Written Answers - Capitation Grants.
Was asked: the budget for second level vocational schools and for community and comprehensive colleges; and the amount of this spent on non-teaching running costs of the schools, itemising the key elements in t...
The funding arrangements made by my Department for second level vocational schools and for community and comprehensive schools reflect the different management and ownership arrangements that apply to...
Written Answers - School Enrolments.
Was asked: the numbers of secondary pupils in secondary voluntary, in vocational educational committee and community and comprehensive schools.
My Department publishes data on the number of pupils within each sector in its annual Statistical Report. Although the report for the 2005/06 school year is still in preparation, I can provide the fo...
| Last Updated: 03/11/2010 21:22:55 |
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