Results 3,321-3,340 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Board: Residential Institutions Redress Board (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Residential Institutions Redress Board is independent in the performance of its functions in accordance with the terms of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 and my Department is not a party to the consideration of applications for financial redress. The Act provides a mechanism for an applicant to apply for a settlement rather than to proceed to a full hearing. Settlements...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The purpose of the remote area boarding grants scheme is to give pupils who are educationally disadvantaged because of their remoteness from schools an opportunity to attend school on the same basis as other pupils not so disadvantaged. The grant is paid in respect of pupils who are outside the range of school transport services from the nearest school providing suitable free second level...

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

Mary Hanafin: International education is one of the fastest growing business sectors as students increasingly pursue studies overseas. Throughout the world there is an accelerating demand for English language courses, and it is estimated that by 2020 some 6 million students will be seeking to obtain an international education experience mainly in an English speaking environment. The English language sector...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The scope of works described by the Deputy would be appropriate for consideration under the summer works scheme. It is open to a school management authority to apply for funding towards any necessary small-scale works required at a school under this scheme. The summer works scheme for 2006 was recently advertised. The closing date for the receipt of applications is the 14 October 2005.

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

Mary Hanafin: Teacher allocations to second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. Each school management authority is required to organise its teaching timetable and subject options having regard to pupils needs within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. The rules for allocating teaching resources provide...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The funding arrangements made by my Department for second level schools reflect the sectoral division of our second level system. At the core of all arrangements is a reliance upon capitation as the principal determinant of funding. There are, however, significant differences in the approaches to the funding of backup services such as for secretarial and caretaking services. This Government...

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

Mary Hanafin: The staffing of this school for the 2005-06 school year was considered by the appeals board on 21 July 2005. The board, having considered the appeal with regard to the criteria outlined in Department circular 19/02, was satisfied that a departure from the staffing schedule is not warranted in this case. The board of management of the school was notified in writing of the decision of the...

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

Mary Hanafin: An application for additional accommodation has been received from the management authority of the school referred to by the Deputy. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria which were revised last year following consultation with the education partners. The project is being considered for progression in the context of the schools building and...

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

Mary Hanafin: At present there are two vacancies for deaf teachers within the regional service, both of which are in the Dublin area. The two positions became vacant on 31 August 2005 due to retirements. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that interviews are due to be held on 28 September 2005 to select suitable candidates to fill the vacancies. My Department intends to fill the vacancies as quickly as...

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

Mary Hanafin: The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria which was revised last year following consultation with the education partners. The proposed project, including the acquisition of a site, is being considered for progression in the context of the school building and modernisation programme 2005-09.

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

Mary Hanafin: Under the rules and programme for secondary schools, second level schools should offer a physical education programme based on an approved syllabus with teaching hours registered on the school timetable. The phasing in of a revised syllabus at junior cycle level for physical education (non-examination) commenced in September 2003. The syllabuses in physical education have been developed on...

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

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, the local special educational needs organiser, SENO, has sanctioned 3.5 individual resource teaching hours for the pupil in question and the school authorities were notified accordingly on 22 June 2005. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, will undertake to review the relevant decision on resource teaching supports on foot of a request from the school or...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Significant improvements have been made in the pupil-teacher ratio and in average class size in recent years. The average class size at primary level for the 2004-05 school year was 23.9, down from 26.6 in 1996-97. The pupil-teacher ratio, which includes all the teachers, including resource teachers, has fallen from 22.2:1 in the 1996-97 school year to 17.1:1 — projected — in 2004-05....

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The planned decentralisation of part of my Department to Athlone will be undertaken by extending the existing building at Cornamaddy, Athlone to accommodate in excess of 100 additional staff. At this early stage, it is not possible to give an exact timetable because there are issues yet to be dealt with, such as planning permission, which are outside the control of my Department. However,...

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

Mary Hanafin: The matter that the Deputy refers to concerns the report on the internationalisation of Irish education services which was published in November 2004. My Department is continuing a consultation process with the main stakeholders in the sector with a view to informing the implementation process and the preparation of the necessary legislation to establish the new body, Education Ireland, which...

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

Mary Hanafin: The new school building referred to by the Deputy was listed to proceed to tender and construction as part of the 2004 school building programme. The design work on the project has been completed, however, progress on the next stages, tendering-construction work, must await resolution of legal issues regarding the site. The site for the school is being acquired by my Department under the...

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

Mary Hanafin: Bus Éireann has confirmed to my Department that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is fully eligible for school transport and that a ticket has recently been issued to her on this basis.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (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 has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects. Progress on the proposed works is being considered in the context of the school building and...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (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 has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large-scale projects. Progress on the proposed works is being considered in the context of the school building and...

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

Mary Hanafin: The organisation of classes within a school is a matter for the school authorities, which may choose to amalgamate pupils from different standards where it is deemed appropriate. Multi-standard class-groupings are unavoidable in a school of less than eight mainstream class teachers, such as the school to which the Deputy refers. The Deputy should note that, even in a class where the pupils...