Results 4,341-4,360 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 361 and 362 together. I confirm that my Department has received a submission from the school in question regarding the retention of existing special needs teaching posts. I also confirm that there has been no reduction in the current level of teaching supports at this school. The submission will be considered as quickly as possible and my officials will be in...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (9 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I understand that the person referred to by the Deputy is due to commence a postgraduate course of study in the United Kingdom in January 2006. The third level student support schemes, administered by the local authorities and vocational education committees, on behalf of my Department do not extend to postgraduate study outside the island of Ireland. Any extension of the current arrangements...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (9 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I am conscious of the pressures being placed on education providers in areas of major population growth. In this context, my Department is prioritising the provision of new and enhanced educational facilities in these areas. The prioritisation criteria, recently revised in consultation with the education partners, allocates a top priority, band-one, rating to school building projects in such...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (9 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: A report furnished to the Department earlier this year by Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport services on behalf of my Department, has indicated that the children referred to in the details supplied by the Deputy are not attending their nearest national school. A previous report from Bus Éireann stated that the school currently being attended was their nearest. The family was...

Written Answers — Public Service Contracts: Public Service Contracts (9 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: All contracts awarded by my Department are in compliance with existing guidelines on public procurement under EU and national rules. I am not aware of any contracts that over-ran financially due to their having been incorrectly specified.

Written Answers — Multi-Denominational Schools: Multi-Denominational Schools (10 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The level of funding that the Department of Education and Science provides to Educate Together as a school management body is on a par with that provided to Foras Patrúnachta na Scoileanna Lánghaeilge, the Church of Ireland Board of Education, the Islamic Board of Education and the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education. However, following discussions with Educate...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (10 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Incorporated Orthopaedic Hospital of Ireland, Clontarf, Dublin 3, was not placed on the Schedule of the Residential Institutions Redress Act as it does not come within the scope of the scheme. The Department of Health and Children has advised that it did not locate records that indicated that the facility was inspected or regulated at the relevant time by that Department or one of its...

Written Answers — Tuition Fees: Tuition Fees (10 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The person in question completed a vocational training opportunities scheme, VTOS, course in computer studies over the two year period from 2001 to 2003 in Coláiste Íde, Finglas. Tuition on that course was provided free of charge, as were books and materials. He subsequently undertook a course involving the European computer driving licence, for which there were no course or examination...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (10 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The ten new projects sanctioned in 2005 under the special projects for youth scheme are as follows: 1. Cobh Youth Services, Cork; 2. Daybreak Programme, Donegal; 3. The Blue Box Creative Learning Centre, Limerick; 4. County Longford Youth Services, Longford; 5. Kildare Youth Project, Kildare; 6. Sliabh Luachra Project, Kerry; 7. Shannon Youth Project, County Clare; 8. Graiguecullen Youth...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (10 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I have already accepted proposals put to me by the national youth work advisory committee for the development of a four-year training programme for the sector based on the code of good practice, Child Protection for the Youth Work Sector. I arranged for the National Youth Council of Ireland to appoint a national co-ordinator for child protection to manage and oversee the implementation of...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (10 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: A key action of the National Youth Work Development Plan 2003-2007 provides, in principle, that single worker projects should be upgraded to two worker projects with immediate priority to be given to those funded under the special projects for youth scheme. My Department outlined how funding for youth work would be allocated between various priorities, projects and organisations in July 2005,...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (10 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Social personal and health education, SPHE, incorporating relationships and sexuality education has been developed at junior cycle level, and this has been made mandatory for all schools with effect from September 2003. In addition, all schools are required to have an agreed school policy and a suitable relationships and sexuality education programme in place for senior cycle pupils....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy has made an application under the summer works scheme 2006 for funding towards the provision of a new entrance at the school. All applications under this scheme are currently being examined in the school planning section of my Department. The list of successful applicants will be published when the assessment process is completed.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (10 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department funds three means-tested maintenance grant schemes for third level education students in respect of attendance on approved courses in approved third level institutions and one maintenance grant scheme in respect of students attending approved post leaving certificate courses in approved PLC centres, namely, the higher education grants scheme, the vocational education committees'...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (10 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream teacher allocation of all primary schools, including one-teacher schools, is determined by reference to the school's enrolment on 30 September of the previous school year. The staffing schedule is outlined in a circular which is issued to all primary schools each year. One-teacher primary schools may be eligible for additional teacher or special needs assistant allocations in...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The application from the school referred to by the Deputy 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 in the context of the 2005-09 school building and modernisation programme.

Written Answers — Schools Funding: Schools Funding (10 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There have been significant improvements in the level of funding allocated to second level schools in recent years. Not only have voluntary secondary schools benefitted from the increases in the standard per capita grant, which stands at €286 per pupil since last January, but they have also gained from the introduction of grants under the school services support initiative. The standard...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (10 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Teacher allocations to second level schools are approved each year by the Department of Education and Science in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. Each school management authority is required to organise its timetable and subject options with regard to pupil needs within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. As long as it meets requirements...

Written Answers — Languages Programme: Languages Programme (10 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 and 221 together. Schools catering for non-national pupils who have significant English language deficits are entitled to assistance to enable such pupils to gain full access to the curriculum. Primary schools in which between three and 13 non-English speaking non-national pupils are enrolled receive grant assistance for a period of up to two years....

Seanad: School Opening Hours. (10 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to thank the Senator for raising this matter and I agree that it is a grey area. I will take the opportunity to outline what is stated in the rules and the supervision arrangements, which may be of help to the Senator. In accordance with the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the board of management and principal teacher of individual primary schools have the responsibility for the...