Results 4,741-4,760 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Summer Works Scheme: Summer Works Scheme (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department's records on summer works scheme projects are not kept in the format requested by the Deputy. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that since the scheme was introduced in 2004, in excess of €10.8 million was allocated to schools in Dublin in 2004 and €27.4 million in 2005. Details of the Dublin schools that were allocated funding under the summer works scheme in both years are...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of my Department's post-primary school transport scheme, a pupil is eligible for transport if he or she resides 4.8 km or more from her or his local post primary education centre, that is, the centre serving the catchment area in which he or she lives. The scheme is not designed to facilitate parents who choose to send their children to a post-primary centre outside of the...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the third level student support schemes, administered by the local authorities and vocational education committees under the aegis of my Department, a student is not eligible for grant assistance in respect of a second period of study at the same level, irrespective of whether a grant was paid previously. The schemes also provide that grants may not be paid to candidates...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy has made an application for capital funding towards an extension. The application 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 in the context of the school building and modernisation programme 2005-2009.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There are currently nine staff working in my private office and five working in my constituency office, as follows: private office — one principal officer, one private secretary at higher executive officer level, two executive officers, four clerical officers and one special adviser at principal officer level; and constituency office — one higher executive officer, one staff officer...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The primary school curriculum 1999, which was developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is integrated, child-centred and aims to meet the needs of all children in all schools. The curricula for Gaeilge and English were developed with the assistance of committees whose members represented a wide range of expertise, thus ensuring that the work was informed by prevailing...

Written Answers — Capital Expenditure: Capital Expenditure (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Total expenditure on third level education for the period 1996-2004 is contained in the following table. Year Current Capital Total â'¬m â'¬m â'¬m 1996 632 59.7 691.7 1997 784.6 68.3 852.9 1998 754.2 198.0 952.2 1999 855.2 154.3 1,009.5 2000 948.1 188.0 1,136.1 2001 1,093.6 173.6 1,267.2 2002 1,228.8 184.2 1,413 2003 1,323.9 64.4...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The provision of therapies for children with autistic spectrum disorders, ASD, is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive, HSE. Section 7 of the Education Act 1998 confers a function on the Minister for Education and Science to ensure that appropriate education and support services, including psychological services, are provided to children, including children with special...

Written Answers — Child Abuse: Child Abuse (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: 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 need for schools to have in place clear procedures which teachers and other school staff should follow where they suspect, or are alerted to, possible child abuse....

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: 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 addition, all schools are required to have an agreed school...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I confirm to the Deputy that I have given approval for the commencement of a new primary school in Newbridge, County Kildare. Where, as in this case, provisional recognition is given to a new school, the onus is on the patron body to provide interim accommodation. This accommodation must be capable of fully meeting the needs of the developing school until permanent recognition has been...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I confirm to the Deputy that the school to which he refers originally applied to my Department for large-scale capital funding for an extension and refurbishment project. It has recently indicated that its board of management may wish to consider an integration project with a mainstream school. This matter will be considered by my Department in consultation with both of the schools involved.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Dec 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. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Department's officials wrote to the school authorities on 28 October 2005 giving approval to proceed to stage three — detailed plans-costs — of architectural planning.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The devolved schools building programme allows boards of management to address their accommodation and building priorities with a guaranteed amount of funding and gives them control of the building project. As part of the expansion of the devolved scheme for primary school building works, ten schools in County Kildare were offered funding under this scheme in 2005. Nine of these schools...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 227 and 228 together. The Department received a response from the school in question on 1 November 2005 to its proposals for resourcing the proposed autism unit at the school. This response is now being considered within the Department. The local special educational needs organiser, SENO, is continuing to liaise with the school authorities regarding the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school planning section of the Department recently received the inspector's report for the school to which the Deputy refers. On foot of this report and other relevant information, the school's application for capital funding has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large-scale building projects. Progress on the proposed works will be considered in...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The area development plan, which is being undertaken by the Commission on School Accommodation for the area in County Mayo in which the school to which the Deputy refers is located will be published shortly. The plan will be presented to me, placed on my Department's website and will be freely available to all interested parties. I will arrange for a copy to be provided to the Deputy. The...

Written Answers — Standardised Testing: Standardised Testing (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Standardised testing on a systematic basis has great potential to enhance the quality of teaching and learning for our students at classroom level and to provide valuable information for parents about their children's learning. It is also clear that test results, provided on a sampling basis, can also guide policies aimed at improving performance and combating educational disadvantage. I...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Advice from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment on proposals to reform of senior cycle education was sent to me earlier this year. The NCCA's advice is accessible on its website, www.ncca.ie. We are all concerned that our education system should be positioned so that it continues to maintain excellence, relevance, quality and inclusiveness in the changing climate which lies...

Written Answers — Home-School Liaison Scheme: Home-School Liaison Scheme (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: A total of 371 home-school community liaison co-ordinators are assigned to 310 primary and 201 post-primary schools in disadvantaged areas to work with school staff, parents and relevant community agencies in advancing the educational interests of children. The home-school community liaison scheme is concerned with maximising active involvement of children in the learning process, in...