Results 4,661-4,680 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school planning section of the Department of Education and Science recently received an application for major capital funding from 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 modernisation programme...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 219 together. The National Council for Special Education, established recently and operational since 1 January 2005, is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs supports. Over 70 special educational needs organisers have been recruited and are a focal point of contact for schools and parents. My officials have been advised...

Written Answers — Education Funding: Education Funding (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Enormous progress has been made in the funding of second level schools since 2002, the financial year indicated in the OECD report in question. The OECD report examined changes in expenditure since the mid-1990s. It shows that public expenditure on education in Ireland has increased substantially between 1995 and 2002 at all levels, even when allowing for inflation. According to data provided...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The availability of laboratory technicians has not been a universal feature of support for science teaching in second level schools and in some countries that provide this type of resource it is confined to certain types of school. I am aware that the provision of technical assistants was one of some 39 recommendations in the report of the task force on the physical sciences. The task force...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Schools caretakers are employed directly by school management authorities or vocational education committees. Caretakers in vocational schools are employed and paid by the appropriate VEC. Those employed on a wholetime basis have been pensionable for many years. Those employed on a part-time basis for 18 hours per week or more have the option of joining the pension scheme, under transitional...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Arising from the provisions of the Pensions (Amendment) Act 2002, employers are obliged to facilitate access to personal retirement savings accounts, PRSAs, for some categories of employees in certain circumstances. The obligation arises where the employer does not operate a pension scheme, limits eligibility for membership of a scheme or imposes a waiting period for membership greater than...

Written Answers — School Discipline: School Discipline (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The statistical information requested by the Deputy is contained in the attached document. Year Withdrawn Upheld at Hearing Not Upheld at Hearing Local Resolution Facilitator Resolution Total 2005 33 55 82 50 29 249 2004 45 85 71 14 48 263 Distribution of Appeals under section 29 in 2004 and to date (30th November) 2005. 2004 2005 Cavan 6 3 Carlow 0 1 ...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The file on the person named by the Deputy is in my Department's off-site archives. On its retrieval the Department of Education and Science will write directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Officials in the school planning section of the Department of Education and Science will supply the Deputy with the catchment area map as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The accessibility to all of the three European education programmes, Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and Youth, is a goal which I strongly support. Targeting disadvantaged, including disabled, groups is one of the long-standing priorities of the current EU programmes. People with special needs will continue to be targeted under the new EU lifelong learning programme. One of the objectives of the...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 408 and 418 together. My Department funds the provision of adult literacy and community education, through its annual adult literacy and community education, ALCES, grant to the vocational education committees, VECs. These programmes are delivered locally by the VECs. The national development plan committed €93.5 million to the service in the period 2000-06....

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school to which the Deputy refers was awarded designated disadvantaged status under the disadvantaged areas scheme in 1994. Under this scheme the school benefits from the services of a home-school-community liaison teacher post and each year is in receipt of additional supplementary capitation at the rate of €38.09 per pupil and a refund of the television licence fee. Schools included...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the primary school transport scheme, a pupil is eligible for transport if he or she resides at least 3.2 km or two miles from the nearest primary school. Pupils residing less than 3.2 km from their nearest school may be offered transport on a concessionary fare-paying basis subject to spare seats being available and provided that no additional cost is involved. Catchment...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that my Department has received the application referred to by the Deputy. My Department is considering the application with a view to requesting the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, to examine the matter further. The Deputy will be aware that the NCSE, which was established recently and which has been operational since 1 January 2005, is responsible for processing...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule, which is issued annually to all primary schools. Based on the current staffing schedule, the school would be entitled to appoint a 13th mainstream class teacher on 1 September 2006 based on the enrolment figure in the school on...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: In June 2005 my Department approved the provision of a full transport service for the pupil referred to in the details supplied from the foster mother's home to the school in question. My Department was subsequently advised that the pupil would require transport in the afternoons only. In October 2005 the foster mother wrote to my Department requesting the provision of a transport service for...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department's third level student maintenance grant schemes were extended to provide maintenance grants for eligible students pursuing approved full-time undergraduate courses of at least two years duration, pursued in a university or a third level institution which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds in other EU member states with effect from the 1996-97...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department provides a range of supports for second level school management to enable schools to cater for pupils with special educational needs. The supports in question include remedial and resource teaching support, special needs assistant support and funding for the purchase of specialised equipment. With effect from 1 January 2005, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule, which is issued annually to all primary schools. To ensure openness and transparency in the system, a school which wishes to appeal its mainstream teaching allocation must do so by applying to the appeals board for mainstream...

Written Answers — Traveller Community: Traveller Community (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: It is important from the outset to emphasise that the Traveller community is entitled to the same education provision as all others. In addition, to assist members of the Traveller community to successfully access educational services there are a number of special provisions. At departmental level, a high level official co-ordinates provision of education for Travellers. An advisory committee...