Results 7,061-7,080 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Home Tuition Grants: Home Tuition Grants (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the pupil in question is enrolled in a mainstream primary school with appropriate supports. My Department considers that school-based education provision is the most appropriate intervention for all children and has discontinued the practice whereby children who are in full-time education provision would also be able to avail of home tuition grants. My Department...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The 2005 estimates provision for capitation grants at primary level was €66.338 million in 2005. The provision for 2006 is €73.5 million. The capitation grant at primary level has been increased substantially in recent years. Since 1997 the standard rate of capitation grant has been increased from €57.14 per pupil to €133.58 with effect from 1 January, 2005 and has been further...

Written Answers — Second Level Funding: Second Level Funding (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The up to date figures are not readily available in the Department. As soon as the details become available I will arrange to have them forwarded to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the student support grant schemes assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, means and previous academic attainment. The process of assessing eligibility for third level or further education grants is a matter for the relevant Local Authority or VEC. Officials of my Department...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The process of reviewing the thresholds for eligibility and the grant levels for the 2006/07 academic year is currently on-going. Decisions on the 2006 schemes will be announced as soon as this process is completed. The application forms and notes for the 2006/07 academic year have issued electronically to the awarding bodies and the forms and notes are also available on the Department's...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An application for an extension has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria and is being considered for progression in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme 2006-2010.

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I asked my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) to look into this case. I understand from the enquiries made by NEPS that the first name of the child in question is Mícheál. A NEPS psychologist has discussed with the school their areas of concern and outlined some strategies for the school and parents to implement over the coming three months in order to address...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (1 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The staffing of a primary school for a particular school year is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on the 30th September of the previous school year and by reference to a staffing schedule. This staffing schedule for the 2006/07 school year is outlined in Primary Circular 0023/2006 which was issued to all primary schools. To ensure openness and transparency in the system...

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: There is no more heinous crime than that of the sex abuser. There is no greater crime than that of the person who takes away the innocence of childhood. Society abhors the child abuser. It is the duty of the Legislature to be tough on those very abusers. There is no excuse or defence for it. For 70 years there was, rightly, no legal defence for it. The result of the Supreme Court decision is...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Teacher allocations to second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. Each school management authority is required to organise its time-table and subject options having regard to pupils needs within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. The rules for allocating teaching resources provide that where...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (7 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Primary schools' running costs are met by my Department's scheme of capitation grants. These grants are intended to contribute towards the general operating costs of schools which would include heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, painting, teaching aids and other miscellaneous charges. Since 1997 the standard rate of capitation grant has been increased from €57.14 per pupil to €133.58...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (7 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on the 30th September of the previous school year and by reference to a staffing schedule. The staffing schedule for the 2006/07 school year is outlined in Primary Circular 23/06 which issued to all primary schools recently. In the current school year the staffing of the school referred to by...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An application for an extension has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria and is being considered for progression in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme 2006 — 2010. The sale of the west campus by the school authority is understood by my Department to be...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 353, 369 and 370 together. Officials in the School Planning Section of my Department have not been made aware of any shortage of places in post-primary provision in Swords. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking second level places. This may result in pupils not obtaining a place...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am aware that there is extensive housing development and population increase in the Skerries, Balbriggan and Lusk areas of Fingal County and that this has led to increased demand for school places. Officials in the School Planning Section of my Department have already approved the provision of additional classroom accommodation for primary schools in Balbriggan, Skerries and Lusk to cater...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (7 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The appointment of permanent teachers in a Vocational Education Committee is a matter for the relevant VEC subject to agreed procedures. The queries to which the Deputy refers are currently under consideration and my Department will contact the individual concerned directly.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Data is not currently being collected on participation by students with an intellectual disability on courses in third level institutions. I have been advised by the National Access Office of the HEA, on the basis of advice from AHEAD (the Association for Higher Education Access and Disability) and third level disability personnel, that the numbers of students from this group are very small....

Written Answers — Student Support Schemes: Student Support Schemes (7 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Part-time courses are not approved courses under the terms of the Maintenance Grant Schemes. Any extension of the student support schemes to part-time studies would have significant cost implications. I have no plans at present to extend the grant schemes to include part-time students. I wish to advise the Deputy of the provisions under Section 473A, Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997. This...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department's planning guidelines for new post-primary school buildings allows for the provision of an 80m2 music/drama room for schools that offer music as a subject on the school curriculum. The guidelines also allow for the provision of fixed and loose furniture and demountable staging. In addition my Department provides grant aid for the purchase of music instruments and equipment....

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (7 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department does not collect data on the insurance costs in schools as it is a matter for the managerial authorities of the individual schools to arrange insurance cover on school property and against public liability. My Department does however provide funding to primary and secondary schools by way of per capita grants, which affords schools considerable flexibility in the use of these...