Results 3,281-3,300 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The decision on eligibility for third level grants is a matter for the relevant local authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is desired. It appears that no such advice or instruction has, to date, been sought in the case of...

Written Answers — Third Level Completion Rates: Third Level Completion Rates (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The statistical information requested by the Deputy in respect of individual third level institutions is not available in my Department. The most recent figures on general attrition rates for third level education are the result of research carried out, at the request of my Department, by the educational research centre at St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin which published surveys of...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1115 and 1116 together. As the Deputy is aware, a new general allocation system has been introduced under which schools are being provided with resource teaching hours, based on their enrolment figures, to cater for children with high incidence special needs such as dyslexia and those with learning support needs. My Department has issued a comprehensive...

Written Answers — Vocational Education: Vocational Education (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Vocational preparation and training programmes, VPT, must be full-time and of one or two years duration only. Courses must conform with the format set out for VPT programmes as follows: Area of study and hours as a percentage of time; vocational studies, 400-480 hours, 50-60%, 5-6; general studies, 160-240 hours, 20-30%, 2-3; preparation for work-work experience, 160-240 hours, 20-30%, 2-3;...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is responsible for the regulation of the professions of primary school teacher, community and comprehensive school teacher, vocational school teacher and teacher or lecturer in the institutes of technology. These are regulated professions under the EU directive on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, and the requirements for recognition of qualifications in...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Responsibility for the award of pensions and retirement gratuities to former staff of institutes of technology, IOTs, and vocational education committees, VECs, is a matter for either the VEC or IOT, which decides the level of gratuity and rate of pension payable to each individual, and by the associated local authority, county council or borough authority, which makes the actual payments. As...

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1121to 1123, inclusive, and 1125 together. Third level education in the south-east region is provided by the institutes of technology at Waterford and Carlow. In 2004, an expert group from the OECD carried out a major review of our higher education system. In the course of its review, the expert group visited Ireland and consulted extensively with all the...

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1124 and 1126 together. The most recent evidence available on participation in higher education by county background comes from the HEA review of participation in higher education in 2003. This report shows very encouraging levels of participation in the south eastern region. 2003 1998 Tipperary .61 .49 Waterford .58 .41 Wexford .57 .44 ...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. My Department's officials recently wrote to the school requesting a condition report on the existing mechanical and electrical services as a matter of urgency together with a revised stage 1-2 submission, outline sketch scheme, and a response is awaited before further progression of...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the post-primary school transport scheme, a pupil is eligible for transport if he or she resides 4.8 km or more from her or his local post-primary education centre, that is, the centre serving the catchment area in which he or she lives. In addition, an eligible pupil may be allowed the concession of transport, known as catchment boundary transport, to a centre other than...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The total amount paid by my Department to Bus Éireann in 2004 in respect of the school transport scheme was € 94.6 million. The company is paid on the basis of monthly accounts submitted to my Department. Additional funding is being provided to increase capacity on school transport services in order to provide one-for-one seating and seat belt equipped buses. The additional costs are as...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of my Department's 2005 third level student maintenance grant schemes the position is that, generally speaking, students who are entering approved courses for the first time are eligible for grants where they satisfy the prescribed conditions with regard to age, residence, means, nationality and previous academic attainment. The condition relating to residency requires, in the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, a new general allocation scheme has been introduced under which schools have been provided with resource teaching hours, based on their enrolment figures, to cater for children with high incidence special needs such as dyslexia and those with learning support needs. My officials have been in contact with the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, which has...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school in question progressed a capital project without the approval or agreement of my Department. Retrospective funding was subsequently sought. Since the introduction of the school building programme, it is not possible to consider applications for retrospective funding. Accordingly, the grant sought in this case was not approved.

Written Answers — Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The issue raised by the Deputy will be considered by my Department in the context of existing and future programmes to tackle educational disadvantage. It is not possible at this stage to say if or when funding may become available for the project in question. Officials of my Department have been involved at various stages in the development of the initiative and these contacts will continue.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is currently funding 11 autism specific facilities, including CABAS Drogheda and Stepping Stones at Kilcloon. Some of these facilities provide an applied behavioural analysis model of response which involves the provision of tuition on a one-to-one basis for children on the autistic spectrum. In addition to the autism specific facilities outlined above, the Department also...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school planning section of my Department is in receipt of an application for major capital funding from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. The application is being examined in the school planning section of my Department in the context of an overall review of primary and post-primary educational provision in the Waterford city area. I expect this review to...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has taken a decision that the costs involved in refurbishing the properties originally occupied by the school in question are excessive and, accordingly, it is not intended to pursue this option as a long-term accommodation solution for the school. This has been communicated to the trustees. In the circumstances, my Department is pursuing alternative accommodation solutions. A...

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I will be bringing proposals to Government in the near future in conjunction with my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, on a wide range of issues associated with the delivery of medical education in Ireland. The development of a graduate entry stream to medical education is also being considered in this context. The University of Limerick's proposal is but one of a number of...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has requested further information on the cases referred to by the Deputy from the transport liaison officer for County Clare. A decision in the case will be conveyed to the transport liaison officer as soon as all the relevant information has been received and assessed.