Results 4,421-4,440 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

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

Mary Hanafin: An initial application for additional accommodation, to include a number of specialist rooms, an administration area, a general purpose-dining area and servery, storage areas and a PE hall, was received from the management authority of the school in question. Subsequently the school submitted an application for funding towards the provision of six small rooms in temporary accommodation for...

Written Answers — Student Representation: Student Representation (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Universities Act 1997 provides, among other things, for representation of students on the governing bodies of certain third level institutions. However, the institution in question is not covered by the Act and its relevant provisions covering the membership of governing bodies, including the question of student representation. I am not, therefore, in a position to ensure student...

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

Mary Hanafin: The Department of Education and Science is included among the prescribed authorities to which local authorities are statutorily obliged to send draft development plans or proposed variations to development plans for comment. As a matter of course, meetings are arranged with local authorities to establish the location, scale and pace of any major proposed developments and sites are reserved,...

Written Answers — Student Support Schemes: Student Support Schemes (15 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The candidate in question was awarded the full non-adjacent rate of grant by Cork VEC. However she was refused the special rate of maintenance grant for the academic year 2005-06 as the reckonable income exceeded the €15,626 income threshold. I am sorry the news is not better but the Deputy will appreciate that the terms of the schemes are of general application and it is not possible to...

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

Mary Hanafin: The Department of Education and Science has received correspondence from the Incorporated Law Society seeking approval for the 2005 winter professional practice course under the higher education grant scheme for 2005-06. The Department of Education and Science has been in correspondence with the society seeking more information and further clarification on several matters in order to fully...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school planning section of my Department is in receipt of an application for major capital funding for a sports hall 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...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (16 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 378, 383 and 390 together. All recognised primary and second level schools are required to offer relationships and sexuality education, RSE. It is an integral part of the social, personal and health education, SPHE, curriculum at primary level and at junior cycle second level where it has been made mandatory for all schools with effect from September 2003. In...

Written Answers — Domestic Violence: Domestic Violence (16 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 379 and 391 together. Child protection guidelines for primary and post-primary schools, which were distributed to primary and post-primary schools in 2001 and 2004 respectively, were produced in consultation with the partners in education to meet the needs for schools to have in place clear procedures which teachers and other school staff should follow where...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied for a new school building. My Department acknowledges that there is no scope for the development of the existing site. Therefore, among the options being considered is the possibility of securing a greenfield site in the area where the school is located to provide a new building. The property management section of the Office of Public Works,...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (16 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Officials in the school planning section of my Department have been informed by the school to which the Deputy refers that it must vacate its existing accommodation by the end of June 2006. My Department is aware that the sourcing of alternative accommodation in this location will be problematical and it is actively seeking suitable alternative accommodation for the school.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (16 Nov 2005)

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

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (16 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There have been significant improvements in the level of funding for second level schools in recent years. In addition to the increases in the standard per capita grant that now stands at €286 per pupil from January last, voluntary secondary schools have benefitted additionally by the introduction of grants under the school services support initiative. The standard support services grant...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (16 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: A key focus of the Government's education policy is to prioritise investment in favour of those most at risk and to optimise access, participation and outcomes at every level of the system for disadvantaged groups. The wide variety of measures in place for tackling educational disadvantage and social exclusion reflect these concerns. These measures range from pre-school interventions,...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (16 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, the general allocation of learning support/resource teachers, LS/RTs, is intended to cater for children with learning support and high incidence special educational needs. The system was constructed so that LS/RT allocations would be based on pupil numbers, taking into account the differing needs of the most disadvantaged schools and the evidence that boys have...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (16 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 388 together. Teacher allocations for second level schools are approved by my Department on an annual basis in accordance with generally applied rules relating to recognised pupil enrolment. In general a ratio of 18:1 is applied in respect of recognised pupils on established junior certificate, leaving certificate, repeat leaving certificate and...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (16 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school to which the Deputy refers is heavily oversubscribed as a result of a significant number of pupils enrolling from outside its catchment area. The development of this type of situation can impact negatively on pupils from within the catchment area and who are entitled, as of right, to a place in a particular school. It also invariably impacts negatively on the school or schools to...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (16 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The additional allocation made available for youth work purposes in 2005 is catering for a number of developments under the Youth Work Act 2001 and the national youth work development plan and for enhancements to existing youth work programmes and services, and will be fully expended by year end. Under the national youth work development plan, to date in 2005 additional funding has been...

Written Answers — Modern Language Teaching: Modern Language Teaching (16 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has not received an application for funding towards the construction of a memorial centre as referred to by the Deputy. My Department would not have any funding available for such a project. According to the Advisory Council for English Language Schools, the number of students from South America, including Argentina, coming to Ireland to study English has been on the increase in...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (16 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware of the new model recently introduced by my Department for the general allocation to primary schools of resources for children with special educational needs. This ensures that children within the high incidence categories of special needs will have their automatic entitlements to additional teaching resources dealt with in an efficient and effective manner, without...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (16 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Section 4 of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 provides that the Minister for Education and Science may, by order, provide for the insertion in the Schedule of additional institutions in which children were placed and resident and in respect of which a public body had a regulatory or inspection function. Since the enactment of the legislation, my Department has been contacted by...