Results 3,821-3,840 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. This is in accordance with guidelines agreed between my Department and the education partners. The staffing schedule is outlined in a circular which is issued annually to all primary schools. Within the terms of the current staffing arrangements...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy may be aware, 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 to their attendance at school. In this context, my Department provides home tuition grants in respect of pupils who cannot attend school at all, or who are absent for a significant proportion of the school...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As part of the expansion of the devolved scheme for primary school building works, a grant of €350,000 was sanctioned to enable the management authorities of the school in question to provide additional accommodation. The initiative allows boards of management to address their accommodation and building priorities with a guaranteed amount of funding and gives them control of building...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, which was established recently, and which has been operational since 1 January 2005, is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs, SEN, supports. More than 70 special educational needs organisers, SENOs, have been recruited and are a focal point of contact for schools and parents. My...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has had some informal discussions with the school to which the Deputy refers. However, the school authority has yet to make a formal application for recognition to the new schools advisory committee. The closing date for a notice of intention to apply for the recognition of a new school to commence operation for the 2006-07 school year was 20 September 2005. The criteria for the...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under my Department's free fees initiative, tuition fees are not paid in respect of students doing repeat years or repeating a year level having changed, but not completed, their undergraduate courses. This condition may be waived in exceptional circumstances, such as in cases of certified serious illness. As regards this particular case, I understand that the college has advised the student...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Last year a new planning model was introduced for educational infrastructure to ensure that, in future, school provision is decided after a transparent consultation process. In this regard, trustees, parents, sponsors of prospective schools and all interested parties from a locality have the opportunity to have their voices heard in the process. A draft development plan for Newport and...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 731 to 733, inclusive, together. Section 27 of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 provides that all reasonable legal costs and other costs associated with the preparation and presentation of an application to the redress board will be met by the board. In the event that agreement cannot be reached between the board and the applicant's legal...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school planning section of my Department is assessing the post rationalisation accommodation needs of the schools to which the Deputy refers. In this regard, the local inspector has been requested to provide long-term projections for both schools to establish the extent of accommodation needed to facilitate the amalgamation. In addition, a technical inspection has been carried out on the...

Written Answers — Academic Qualifications: Academic Qualifications (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 735 and 736 together. The question of assessing the relevance and status of qualifications for any post is a matter for the employer in each case, irrespective of whether it is in the public or private sector. However, I am aware that a number of companies registered in Ireland are using the title "university" in contravention of section 52 of the Universities...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The accident referred to by the Deputy was the subject of separate investigations by the Garda and Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport schemes on behalf of my Department. Active consideration is being given by my Department to the measures that may be required to enhance the safety of school transport operations. The circumstances of the accident referred to by the Deputy are...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has reached agreement in principle with Fingal County Council and the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers, that the hall being provided will serve the needs of the local community along with those of the school. The details of how this arrangement will work have yet to be finalised at local level. I understand an initial meeting of a committee formed to...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The application from the school referred to by the Deputy has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria which was revised last year following consultation with the education partners. The project is being considered for progression in the context of the school building and modernisation programme 2005-09.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I confirm that an application for individual resource teaching hours was made to the relevant special educational needs organiser, SENO, of the National Council for Special Education, NCSE. The application in question did not meet the criteria for resource teaching hours and this decision was conveyed to the pupil's parents by the SENO. The NCSE will, however, undertake to review a decision...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The new eight-classroom building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. My Department's officials are in the process of examining a recently received stage 2 submission — developed sketch scheme — and when this examination is completed will be in contact with the school authorities with regard to the next steps involved in...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, became operational on 1 January 2005 and is based at Mill Street, Trim, County Meath, Telephone: 046 9486400. The chief executive officer is Mr. Pat Curtin. The NCSE website address is www.ncse.ie.

Written Answers — Adult Literacy: Adult Literacy (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department funds the provision of adult literacy, which is delivered by the vocational education committees, from the adult literacy and community education — ALCES — budget. The national development plan committed €93.5 million to the service in the period 2000-06, with a target of reaching 113,000 clients over that period. This target will be met. The Department's budget for adult...

Written Answers — School Services Staff: School Services Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department provides funding towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services in primary schools under two separate schemes. One scheme is the 1978-79 scheme for the employment of full-time secretaries and caretakers in primary schools, under which my Department meets the full cost of salary. This scheme is being phased out as posts become vacant and no new posts are being created....

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The closing date for receipt of applications under the 2006 summer works scheme, SWS, was 14 October last. The school planning section of my Department has, therefore, just commenced the logging of applications received. The number of applications will not be known until this procedure has been completed. Under the assessment process, projects will be categorised and prioritised as follows:...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school planning section of my Department is aware of the need to provide a long-term accommodation solution to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. It is understood that the children attending the school come from a wide catchment area. With this in mind, the appropriate location for the school is under consideration in my Department. When this has been determined,...