Results 2,941-2,960 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The family referred to in the details supplied were paid a grant to the end of May 2005. My Department is currently considering the provision of suitable transport for the child in question.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: An independent appeals board was established to adjudicate on appeals from boards of management on mainstream staffing teacher allocations in primary schools. The appeals board operates independently of the Minister and the Department and its decision is final. A circular outlining these procedures issued to all primary schools. The staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There were no costs incurred by my Department in respect of the two Nice treaty referenda.

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: All EU directives currently in force for which my Department has responsibility have been transposed into Irish law.

Written Answers — Schools Funding: Schools Funding (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As a result of measures intended to streamline the funding allocation process, my Department now provides a budget allocation to the CABAS Kilbarrack pilot project on a school year basis. These arrangements were implemented during the 2003-04 school year. For the 2004-05 school year, CABAS Dublin was allocated a budget of €1,006,321.61 to cater for 24 children. The funding allocation for...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The recent report of the Irish language commissioner highlighted the fact that despite appreciable time devoted to Irish in the school system, many students emerge from primary and post-primary education without achieving a reasonable command of the language. Particular concerns were raised about students' command of the spoken language. The report by An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta...

Written Answers — Schools Funding: Schools Funding (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is currently engaged in discussions with Educate Together in respect of annual funding. The provision of some additional funding in 2005, to meet the immediate issues of concern to Educate Together is under discussion with their longer term needs. The current level of funding my Department provides to Educate Together as a school management body is on a par with that provided to...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There is evidence to confirm that the proportion of students with a disability is growing in third level. The preliminary results of a recent survey of participation in third level conducted by the Association for Higher Education Access and Disability, AHEAD, indicate that participation by students with a disability in third level education has improved over the past five years and in...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: A report on this case has been requested from Bus Éireann. The Deputy will be advised of the position when the report has been received and assessed.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The project at the school to which the Deputy refers has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria. The project will be considered in the context of the School Buildings and Modernisation Programme 2005-2009.

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The important issue for the survivors is, as everybody says, to have an efficient process and to be able to help them, as far as possible, in this way. There is currently no demand from the victim support groups to move from the Department of Education and Science to the Department of the Taoiseach. It is typical of other tribunals that the relevant Department is the sponsoring Department. To...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I can provide the Deputy with a statement of the amount of resources, documentation and so forth the Department has provided. For example, approximately 1,700 responding statements have been made in respect of 1,380 complaints. The Department has complied with earlier discovery directions issued by Ms Justice Laffoy when she was chairperson. It had also complied with a further 23 discovery...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: One of the main aims of the commission is to find out exactly why children were placed in these institutions. Many were put in for very spurious reasons and ended up with criminal records as adults for something they may or may not have done as children. That is why we have included subparagraph (ia) in section 4(1)(a)(i), which states, "to inquire into the manner in which children were...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Section 4(1)(a) allows the commission to inquire into the manner in which children were placed in institutions. The vast majority of children were placed in institutions by the courts. The section allows the commission to inquire into the system — the courts and the Judiciary — but not to look at individual judges. I appreciate fully what the Senators are trying to achieve but we are...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The confidential committee has already heard 1,060 witnesses. It has heard everyone who seeks to give his or her story. Everyone who wishes to go before the investigation committee is interviewed and a decision is then taken as to whether he or she goes to a full hearing. The way in which that decision will be taken will be to ensure the commission can get as full a picture as possible of all...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There may be general circumstances where the commission may decide it does not need to hear further evidence because it already possesses a substantial body of evidence enabling it to produce a report. There may indeed be circumstances where it is felt that putting an individual through an adversarial hearing may be too much for that person, though the commission may not wish to say that to...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: This goes to the core of what the commission is trying to achieve and what it can and cannot do. It has been examined in considerable detail by Mr. Justice Ryan in his review of the commission. He looked at other child abuse inquiries in other countries to see how they had dealt with the issue. His views on the subject, which are reflected in this legislation, have been published. The purpose...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: It might be helpful to outline for Senator Ulick Burke, Mr. Justice Ryan's position in his paper explaining why he does not wish to go down this road. He stated that a policy of identifying individuals may inadvertently have a number of negative implications for victims — which is not what anyone would wish — for several reasons. First, the policy of identifying and apportioning...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As I stated earlier, the Department of Education and Science has provided the commission with all the resources it has sought. A total of €10 million has been given to the commission for administration costs. In the Estimates process, a total of €21 million has been provided for administration to cater for this year and the following two years. The commission has a staff of 53 and any...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The commission and each of its committees have the power to recall further evidence from someone who has already been before them or who has made a submission to the commission. This amendment is unnecessary as they already have that power.