Results 701-720 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (2 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, a new school planning model involving published area development plans is being piloted in five areas over the current school year. Donabate is included in the pilot scheme as part of an overall plan for the north Dublin, east Meath and south Louth area. The need for a new post-primary school in that area will be considered in this context. The purpose of this new...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (2 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Records on the teachers' payroll databases held in my Department confirm that the person (details supplied) worked as a substitute primary teacher for five days. Arrears due to the person under the Part-time Workers Act for this employment will be paid in March. There is no record of any other payment made through the teachers' payrolls to this teacher. VECs and boards of management of...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The issue raised by the Deputy is a matter for my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney.

Written Answers — Summer Works Scheme: Summer Works Scheme (2 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school to which the Deputy refers has submitted an application for grant aid under the summer works scheme 2005, SWS, for replacement windows. All SWS applications are currently being assessed in the school planning section of my Department. I intend to publish the list of successful applicants shortly.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (2 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The decision on eligibility for third level grants is a matter for the relevant local authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is desired. It appears that no such advice or instruction has, to date, been sought in the case of...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (2 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The payment of teachers employed by VECs is a matter for the relevant body subject to agreed procedures. As my Department has no role in the payment of individual teachers in the VEC, it would not be appropriate for me to intervene in this matter.

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (2 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Adult Literacy is one element of my Department's overall provision in the area of further and adult education. The current adult literacy strategy is contained in the White Paper on Adult Education, Learning for Life, and is underpinned by provisions in the National Development Plan 2000-2006. The strategy has been successful in attracting adults to return to learning. As the existing...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that a major landmark in the development of autism specific services was the joint launch last September by my predecessor and the Minister with responsibility for Education in Northern Ireland of the Middletown Centre for Autism. This marked the successful completion of the purchase of the former St. Joseph's adolescent centre, Middletown, County Armagh on behalf of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The extension project at the school to which the Deputy refers has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria, which were revised following consultation with the education partners. Progress on the project is being considered under the school building programme. I recently announced the first phase of the 2005 school building programme which provided details of 122...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. I recently announced details of 122 major school building projects that will progress to tender and construction phase over the next 12-15 months under the €3.4 billion multi-annual funding secured for the years 2005 to 2009. I am anxious to ensure that a consistent flow of projects...

Special Educational Needs. (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The National Council for Special Education was established in December 2003 as an independent statutory body with responsibilities as set out in the National Council for Special Education (Establishment) Order 2003. The council has 12 members, all with a special interest in or knowledge of the area of education of children with disabilities. There have been 71 special educational needs...

Special Educational Needs. (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The circular was issued last summer and will come into effect in September 2005. It was never the intention that the weighted system per se would be implemented prior to that date. In the interim, any applications received have been decided on the basis of needs. The idea behind the weighted system is that the staff member will be already assigned to a school or schools to pick up these needs...

Special Educational Needs. (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Services are provided on the basis of the psychological report and the identified needs of the child. If it has been identified that the child does not need the service then he or she will not receive it. The main idea is to have someone in place for all students with high incidence of special educational needs, approximately 10% of the school population. Having heard the views of the council...

Special Educational Needs. (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The proposal involves a general allocation to all primary schools to cater for pupils with higher-incidence special educational needs, that is, pupils with borderline mild and mild general learning disability and specific learning disability. The allocation is also intended to support those with learning support needs, that is, those functioning at or below the tenth percentile on a...

Special Educational Needs. (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I ordered the review because I was conscious that many schools would lose out, particularly disadvantaged, small and rural schools, which I would not like to see happen. The basic principle is that it is a good idea to have the teaching staff in place in the school rather than children having to wait to have their psychological assessment review carried out or to have an application responded...

Special Educational Needs. (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I do not accept this is the case. It targets the 10% of children who are expected to have learning difficulties in the field of literacy and numeracy. We will continue to make special provision for children with extra special needs and those with more severe difficulties who fall into the 3% category. Their needs will continue to be met. However, the idea is that support will be in place for...

Site Acquisitions. (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy opened in September 1996 with provisional recognition and was granted permanent recognition in 2000. My Department provides grant aid towards the rental of temporary accommodation for the school at a rate of 95% of the rental costs. The property management section of the Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of my Department in regard to site...

Site Acquisitions. (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Tá Gaelscoil na Cruaiche tar éis fás from 30 pupils initially to 183 as and from September 2004. Gan aon amhras, in áit mar sin, nuair a bhíonn gá le foirgneamh, tógaimid é. However, we cannot erect the building until the site is available. The Department is actively pursuing a site to ensure the needs of the school are met. I announced in a recent building programme 122 different...

Site Acquisitions. (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I am conscious of the fact that the lease is due to expire on 30 May 2006. As a result, we are anxious to ensure that the site difficulties can be addressed.

School Curriculum. (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There were 39 recommendations in the report of the task force on the physical sciences, four of which do not apply to the education sector. Their costed proposals total €244 million, of which €66.3 million would be a recurring annual cost. Progress has been made on 25 of the recommendations. In particular, important progress is being made in regard to curricular reform and in-service...