Results 2,701-2,720 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department offers grant assistance under four student maintenance grant schemes. Three schemes are in respect of third level students and one scheme relates to post-leaving certificate students. Statistical data in respect of the number of grant-holders under the student maintenance grant schemes is compiled on the basis of academic years. With regard to expenditure, allocations are made...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is in a position to sanction school transport for the eligible pupils from the Barracore and Doninga areas subject to the usual conditions of the school transport scheme. Bus Éireann has been advised of my Department's decision and the necessary arrangements will be made by its local office prior to the commencement of the 2005-06 school year.

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The physics and chemistry support service was established in 1999 as part of the physical sciences initiative. Limerick education centre supported the administration of this programme until the intensive phase of in-service was completed in August 2003. The operational cost of this programme from 1999 to 2003 was €2,257,572, which was allocated by my Department through the Limerick...

Written Answers — In-service Training: In-service Training (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The national biology support service was established in January 2001. The operational cost of the programme from January 2001 to August 2004 was €1,645,611, which was allocated by my Department through the Tralee Education Centre. In addition, secondment and substitution costs associated with the programme, which were met centrally, are estimated to be in the region of €1,500,000....

Written Answers — In-service Training: In-service Training (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I assume the Deputy is referring to the junior certificate science support service which is based in Sligo education centre. The operational cost to date of this programme of in-service is €775,000 which was allocated by my Department through the Sligo education centre. In addition, secondment and substitution costs associated with the junior certificate science support service, which are...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Following 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. Within the limitations of our examination system, every possible effort is made by the commission to accommodate candidates who...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 761, 769 and 775 together. The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. However, due to a significant and unexpected decline in enrolments since the building project was first planned and the level of investment which would be required to facilitate a relatively small number of pupils, it was...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The project at the school to which the Deputy refers has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria which was revised following consultation with the education partners. The project will be considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme 2005-09.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy opened in September 1996 with provisional recognition. Having met the criteria for recognition and proven its viability, the school was granted permanent recognition in 2000. Standard practice is that the school authorities are responsible for the securing of interim accommodation which is grant-aided by the Department, pending the securing of permanent...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The number of second level teachers appointed to permanent whole time positions in secondary and community or comprehensive schools during 2004 was 573.

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Teacher representatives and all other members of the Teaching Council do not receive any payment for their membership. However, in accordance with the Teaching Council Act 2001, travel and subsistence allowances are payable to all members for expenses incurred for their attendance at meetings of the council and the various committees of the council which have been established in line with the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There are 121.23 wholetime equivalent staff currently assigned to the planning and building unit of my Department. Of these, 80 are in administrative grades on work directly related to the public capital programme for first and second level schools and 31.23 are in professional and technical grades, handing capital projects at all levels. Apart from filling an existing vacancy for a quantity...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school planning section of my Department has no record of the correspondence referred to by the Deputy. However, contact will be made directly with the person concerned to ascertain the content and to respond to the issues raised.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 772, 773, 781 and 782 together. Special needs assistants, or SNAs, are assigned to schools to meet the care needs of individual children who have been assessed by a psychologist as needing this type of support. It has always been the case that where the care needs of a child no longer justify SNA support, that support should no longer have been available to...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Special needs assistants, or SNAs, are assigned to schools to meet the care needs of individual children who have been assessed by a psychologist as needing this type of support. There has been no change to the criteria or guidelines for allocating SNA support to schools and I can further confirm that there are no plans to review the criteria or guidelines under which SNA support is...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Based on the pupil enrolments on the 30 September, 2004, the pupil teacher ratios for the current school year in the schools referred to by the Deputy are 14.2:1, 20.25:1, 21.5:1 and 13.5: 1 respectively. The first school referred to by the Deputy has a disadvantaged concessionary post.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The No. 1 primary school in Blessington is listed among the 122 large-scale projects on the current school building programme announced in January for moving to tender and construction over a 12 to 15 month period. The project is for the provision of a new eight classroom school on a greenfield site. The school authorities will be kept advised of developments.

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Discussions on the amalgamation of the schools referred to by the Deputy are ongoing. My Department is in ongoing contact with the boards of management involved. The Deputy will appreciate that an amalgamation is a sensitive issue for those concerned and it would not, therefore, be helpful to plan for the re-location of the school to which the Deputy refers until the outcome of amalgamation...

Written Answers — School Status: School Status (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is in receipt of a proposal from the board of management of Our Lady Queen of Peace national school for a change of status from a girls' school with facilities for the teaching of infant boys to a fully vertical co-educational provider of primary education. In the first instance, any such proposal must have the approval of the patron and clarification in this regard has already...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (14 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department was notified in June 2003 of the trustees' decision to close the school referred to by the Deputy. My Department has a leasehold interest in the property which will require to be discharged prior to the disposal of the property.