Results 4,401-4,420 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital investment for the provision of suitable accommodation to cater for an autistic unit was recently received from the school to which the Deputy refers. The application is being assessed and officials of my Department will be in contact with the school authority as soon as a decision is made on how best to provide for the required accommodation.

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: It is my Department's policy to support the provision of all-Irish school facilities at primary and post-primary level in all areas where a demand for such provision is clearly demonstrated and no alternative exists within a reasonable distance. An application has been received from County Galway VEC to establish a Gaelcholáiste in the area referred to from September 2006 and this is under...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, which became operational on 1 January 2005, now processes applications for special educational needs, SEN, supports. The council has a local area presence through a network of more than 70 special educational needs organisers, SENOs, who are responsible for co-ordinating and facilitating delivery of educational services to children with...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The millennium partnership fund for disadvantage is one of a number of access measures recommended in the 2001 report of the action group on access to third level education. The objective of the fund is to support students from disadvantaged areas with regard to retention and participation in further and higher education courses. It provides assistance to partnership companies and community...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy has made an application for capital funding towards the provision of additional classroom and ancillary accommodation. The overall accommodation needs of the school are being examined in my Department in order to ensure any capital funding provided is appropriate to meet the school's long-term accommodation needs. The application will be considered in the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department recently issued a comprehensive circular, Sp Ed 02/05, to all primary schools regarding the organisation of teaching resources for pupils who need additional support in mainstream primary schools. The main purpose of this circular is to provide guidance for schools on the deployment and organisation of the teaching resources allocated under the general allocation model....

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The specific information requested in regard to individual education plans for children in Laois and Offaly is not available to my Department. The enactment of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 and the establishment of the National Council for Special Education, which has been operational since 1 January 2005, provides a legislative and structural framework for...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has developed a strategy designed to meet the continuing professional development needs of all school personnel working with children with special educational needs, including those students with autistic spectrum disorders. Specifically, since the strategy was introduced it has produced: a major expansion of the range of postgraduate professional training programmes; the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There are a total of 1,654 teachers in primary and post-primary schools in Laois and Offaly of whom approximately 221 are in special education teaching posts. Information on the number of qualified and unqualified teachers is not available but all special education teachers who have a teaching qualification are regarded as fully qualified to teach in special education posts. There are...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in the format requested. However, should the Deputy require information in regard to a specific school or schools, I will gladly provide same.

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The most recent data available to my Department in respect of average class size in primary schools are for the 2004-05 school year. In that year, the average class size in primary schools in Laois was 23.9 and in Offaly 24.0. Information on class sizes in post-primary schools in Laois and Offaly is not readily available in my Department. The number of children in primary school classes of...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Special educational needs organisers, SENOs, do not carry out individual assessments of children. The assessment of children is normally a matter for the National Educational Psychological Service or the professionals operating as part of a multidisciplinary team in the health sector. In addition, some parents may wish to have recourse to private assessments for their children. SENOs are...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has established two special classes for speech and language in County Offaly and one such class in County Laois. However, the provision of therapy services for people with disabilities, including speech and language therapy and occupational therapy, is a matter for the Health Service Executive, HSE, to which funding is provided for such purposes.

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 594 to 598, inclusive, together. There is ongoing liaison and collaboration at national, regional and area levels between the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, and the Health Service Executive, HSE. Following publication of a NEPS-HSE working group report entitled Achieving Through Partnership in 2002, a joint NEPS-HSE national steering...

Written Answers — PLC Sector: PLC Sector (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: In its pre-budget submission dated 3 November 2005, the TUI recommends that no less than €50 million be provided in 2006 in order to commence the implementation of the recommendations contained in the McIver report on the PLC sector. This report contains 21 over-arching recommendations, incorporating more than 90 sub-recommendations. The principal recommendations are: a reduction in the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school planning section of the Department of Education and Science has received an application for major capital funding from the management authority of the school in question. 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 — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The following is a summary of the Department of Education and Science's prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects, revised last year following consultation with the education partners. Each application received is assessed by officials in the school planning section in accordance with the criteria and is assigned a band 1, 2, 3 or 4 rating. Band 1 projects being the highest...

Written Answers — Education Centre Network: Education Centre Network (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There are 21 full-time and nine part-time education support centres. The Education Act 1998 outlined their role as "providing services for schools, teachers, parents, boards and other relevant persons which support them in carrying out their functions in respect of the provision of education". I have recently received a submission from the part-time education centre in question, requesting...

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Department of Education and Science allocates resources for the education of people with disabilities under a variety of headings. These include teacher and special needs assistant salaries, school transport, grants to schools and VECs, psychological services and the National Council for Special Education. Approximately €570 million was provided for these purposes in the Estimates for...

Written Answers — Research Funding: Research Funding (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Department of Education and Science already has a North-South collaborative research programme in place. There are two strands, with the first covering a range of research topics across the scientific, humanities and economic disciplines. Since its launch in mid 2003, the Department of Education and Science has provided €5.5 million to support 21 projects. A total of 56 persons. 24 from...