Results 2,281-2,300 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy has indicated that the pupil in question has a specific learning disability. This disability falls into the high incidence disability category. With regard to teaching supports for pupils within the high incidence category, my Department has now completed its review of the general allocation system of resource teaching support. The new model replaces that which was notified to...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 338 and 339 together. The home tuition scheme is primarily intended to provide compensatory instruction for pupils who have a medical ailment that is likely to cause major disruption of their attendance at school. In this context, my Department provides home tuition grants to pupils who cannot attend school at all, or are absent for a significant proportion of...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The main conditions of my Department's free fees initiative are that students must be first-time undergraduates, hold EU nationality or official refugee status and have been ordinarily resident in an EU member state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course. A student meeting these requirements is eligible to be considered under the free fees...

Written Answers — School Planning: School Planning (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The draft plan for north Dublin, east Meath and south Louth area is nearing completion in the school planning section of my Department and I hope to be in a position to publish it shortly.

Written Answers — Education Welfare Service: Education Welfare Service (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Since its formal launch in December 2003, the aim of the National Educational Welfare Board has been to provide a service to the most disadvantaged areas and the most at-risk groups. Five regional teams have been established with bases in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford, and staff have been deployed in areas of greatest disadvantage and in areas designated under the Government's...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 343 and 345 together. The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department for the school year 2004-05. However, if the Deputy has a query about a particular school for 2003-04, I would be happy to answer it.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to inform the Deputy that the new general allocation scheme recently announced caters for pupil with high-incidence disabilities, namely, mild general learning disabilities, borderline mild general learning disabilities and dyslexia. It also caters for pupils who require learning support. The pupil in question is in the low-incidence disability category, and five hours of resource...

Written Answers — School Discipline: School Discipline (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department supports several initiatives in place in second level schools which aim to assist students with behavioural difficulties in dealing with and overcoming such problems. It would be entirely wrong to label such initiatives as "sin bins". My Department subscribes to the principle that the needs of students with behavioural difficulties should be addressed in the most inclusive...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that an application for resource teaching support for the pupil in question was considered by my Department. Resource teaching support was not granted, as it was considered that the assessed intellectual ability was not in the required range that would allow the pupil to qualify for such support. Correspondence regarding this matter has been received in my Department. My...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy has indicated that the pupil in question has a specific learning disability. That disability falls into the high-incidence disability category. With regard to teaching supports for pupils in the high-incidence category, my Department has now completed its review of the general allocation system of resource teaching support. The new model replaces that which was notified to schools...

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is in consultation with the authorities of the school referred to by the Deputy regarding the approved staffing of the school for the 2005-06 school year. It is expected that a decision on this matter will be taken and notified to the school authorities this week.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. However, owing to a decline in enrolment trends and the level of investment which would be required to facilitate a relatively small number of pupils, it was decided not to allow the proposed building project to progress through architectural planning until a complete review of the...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: On foot of a Government decision, the then Minister for Education and Science formally established the State Examinations Commission on 6 March 2003. The commission now has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. That includes the issue raised by the Deputy. I have forwarded your question to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year and by reference to a staffing schedule. That staffing schedule is outlined in primary circular 15/05, which was recently issued to all primary schools. That is in line with guidelines agreed between my Department and the education partners. In the current...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that my Department has now completed its review of the general allocation system of resource teaching support. The new model replaces that which was notified to schools in June 2004, which has been reviewed to take account of difficulties that it may have caused for smaller schools. The introduction of this new system will involve the provision of an estimated...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The introduction of the new general allocation system of resource teaching support involves the provision of an estimated additional 340 permanent posts in primary schools from September next. A further 320 posts are being provided on a temporary basis to facilitate the transition to the new system. My Department has now issued a letter to all primary schools notifying them of their general...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The issue of a redeployment scheme for post-primary teachers is under consideration through the Teachers' Conciliation Council, which is comprised of representatives of the teachers' unions, school management, the Department of Finance and the Department of Education and Science. Further discussions under the auspices of the Teachers' Conciliation Council are due to take place shortly.

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Agreement has been reached with all the interested parties on the revised composition of the boards of management of comprehensive schools. The revised composition is different in each of the sectors — Catholic, Protestant and Jesuit — but common to each sector is the inclusion of two parent representatives. The work on the revision of the legal instruments in the case of the Jesuit...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: During 2003 there was some preliminary correspondence between my Department and Ballymun Regeneration Limited regarding a proposal to provide a sports facility for the schools in question. The funding for that facility was to be provided by Ballymun Regeneration Limited and the Community Parks Foundation Incorporated. I understand that some initial works were done, which involved the...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (24 May 2005)

Mary Hanafin: A report on this case has been requested from the transport liaison officer, County Sligo VEC. The Deputy will be advised of the position when the report has been received and assessed.