Results 5,361-5,380 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department does not hold records of the numbers of pupils availing of learning support teaching in schools. These records are retained by the individual schools. All primary schools, including gaelscoileanna, have a general allocation of learning support and resource teachers, based on the number of pupils enrolled on a certain date, to enable them to cater for pupils with learning support...

Written Answers — All-Irish Schools: All-Irish Schools (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: There are currently 124 principal teachers, 903 teachers, 30 resource teachers, including resource teachers for Travellers, and 161 learning support and resource teachers based in gaelscoileanna. In addition, gaelscoileanna have the service of two home school community liaison teachers and one support teacher. Posts allocated to gaelscoileanna due to disadvantaged status or under the Giving...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The number of whole-time equivalent special needs assistants being paid on my Department's payroll and employed in gaelscoileanna is 130.00 at primary level and 11.78 at secondary level.

Written Answers — Irish Language Exemption: Irish Language Exemption (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As part of the primary school curriculum Irish is a compulsory subject. Exemption from the study of Irish may, however, be granted to primary pupils under certain circumstances outlined in Department circular 12/96. Under the terms of the circular delegated authority to grant exemptions from Irish, within the conditions laid down, has been vested in the individual school authority. There is...

Written Answers — Irish Language Exemption: Irish Language Exemption (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department. If the Deputy has a particular case in mind, my Department will be glad to look into the matter on receipt of the relevant details.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of circular Sp Ed 02/05, only fully recognised and probated primary teachers should be employed for any vacancies arising for learning support and resource teaching, LS and RT, posts. The employment of a teacher is a matter for the board of management of a particular school. Where a teacher is employed to deliver a particular service, it is a function of the board to ensure...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The property management section of the Office of Public Works which acts on behalf of my Department on site acquisitions generally was requested to acquire a site on behalf of my Department. A site has been identified for the provision of a new school referred to by the Deputy. Contract details are being finalised by OPW and it is at late conveyancing. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As part of the expansion of the devolved scheme for primary school building works, a grant of €300,000 was sanctioned to enable the management authorities of the school in question to provide additional accommodation. The initiative allows boards of management to address their accommodation and building priorities with a guaranteed amount of funding and gives boards of management control of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As part of the expansion of the devolved scheme for primary school building works, a grant was sanctioned to enable the management authorities of the school in question to extend and refurbish the school. The initiative allows boards of management to address their accommodation and building priorities with a guaranteed amount of funding and gives boards of management control of the building...

Written Answers — Third Level Funding: Third Level Funding (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I recently announced the provision of a €900 million multi-annual capital programme for the period 2006 to 2010 for the third level sector. Funding for the institution referred to by the Deputy is included in this announcement. Officials from my Department will be meeting with the institution concerned shortly to explore the options available to progress this project.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Included in this year's summer works scheme projects is the provision or refurbishment of science labs in 24 post primary schools at an estimated total cost of €5.7 million. The refurbishment projects applied for under the summer works scheme by the school in question were not deemed suitable under this scheme owing to the extent of works required. The school planning section of my...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am aware that Naas, like many areas located within close proximity to Dublin, continues to experience population growth, a position that almost inevitably places some strain on existing educational provision. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a range of significant measures has been undertaken by my Department to address the current and future need for pupil places in the area. In the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I visited the school on Friday last and had a brief discussion regarding the building project with the school. My Department's officials are currently reviewing the stage three documentation, detailed plans-costs. This will be completed shortly and my officials will then be in further contact with the school authorities with regard to the next steps involved in progressing this project....

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school to which he refers was included in my recent announcement of 62 large scale building projects countrywide which have been approved to progress under the school building and modernisation programme. These will be progressed by way of the appointment of a design team under my Department's capital programme for 2006. The building section of my...

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The actual admission of students to higher education institutions is a matter for the individual institutions and the Central Applications Office. Under the terms of my Department's free fees initiative students must be first-time undergraduates and hold EU nationality or official refugee status and have been ordinarily resident in an EU member state for at least three of the five years...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to confirm that I have approved funding of €44,500 for Feis Maitiú in 2006.

Written Answers — Civil Service Travel Scheme: Civil Service Travel Scheme (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Closing dates are operated by my Department in respect of the Civil Service travel pass scheme. The dates in question are 30 November for travel passes commencing on the following 1 January, and in respect of passes to commence on the first of any month other than January, the 18th of the month immediately prior to the intended commencement date. The scheme operates on the basis of an annual...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The provision of appropriate special educational services for children with special educational needs is the responsibility of the National Council for Special Education, NCSE. Under section 41 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004, the NCSE is obliged to keep and maintain records for the purpose of identifying persons to whom special educational and support...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (14 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The question of introducing a road safety and driver education syllabus into schools has been examined by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, on foot of a report from a task group set up in 2000 and which included representatives of the Department of Education and Science, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the National Safety Council, the...

Written Answers — Irish Summer Colleges: Irish Summer Colleges (14 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Irish summer colleges provide courses in the Irish language for children during the summer months. These colleges are privately run institutions. My Department, however, does provide grant aid on a capitation basis to these colleges to help reduce tuition costs. My Department has in place a set of rules for the payment of grants to Irish summer colleges. The rules state that the steering...