Results 7,701-7,720 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has not formally requested support therapies for the person in question under Section 40 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004. As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is now operational. A specific function of the NCSE, through its network of local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is to identify...

Written Answers — Speech Therapy Services: Speech Therapy Services (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: In 2004 there were 21 Speech and Language Therapy graduates and 32 graduates from Occupational Therapy. The figures for the 2005 graduates are not yet fully available. As the Deputy may be aware, in May 2002 my Department approved the provision of 175 additional therapy training places to tackle shortages of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists as...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on the 30th September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued annually to all primary schools. The relevant circular (0023/2006) issued to all schools in March 2006. The enrolment in the school...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Officials in the School Planning and Building Unit of my Department have no record of a request for a meeting from the school to which the Deputy refers. The school authority should contact that section directly if it has concerns which it wishes to discuss.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware of my commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with autism receive an education appropriate to their needs, preferably through the primary and post primary school network. My Department supports an eclectic approach to the education of children with autism where a range of teaching methods can be applied specific to the needs of individual pupils....

Written Answers — Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Early Years Education in Ireland covers the period from birth to six years. Almost all five year olds and half of four year olds attend junior infant and senior infant classes in primary schools. Provision for children below the age of four is targeted at specific groups. Outside of junior classes in primary schools, my Department's main role in the area of early childhood education...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: One of the principles underpinning the Primary School Curriculum is that the child's higher order thinking and problem solving skills are developed. Through the curriculum the child is encouraged to observe, to ask relevant questions, to recognise the essence of a problem, to suggest solutions and to make informed judgements. These skills are fundamental to engendering enterprise in our young...

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: On the 1 February 2006 the Tánaiste and I published the report of the Fottrell Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training. In addition the Tánaiste published the report of the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Group. These reports represent the most significant review of medical education and training ever undertaken in Ireland and are aimed at responding to the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (6 Jul 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. As you know all primary schools are staffed on a...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Caretaking staff in schools are employed by the individual school authorities. My Department provides funding under two separate schemes towards the cost of employing these staff. One scheme is the 1979 scheme for the employment of full-time caretaking staff in primary schools. Under this scheme my Department meets the full cost of pay. The person in question is employed as a caretaker under...

Written Answers — School Catchment Areas: School Catchment Areas (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As has previously been advised to the Deputy catchment boundaries have their origins in the establishment of free post-primary education in the late 1960's and were determined following consultation with local educational interests. In particular in cases such as Schull where a new postprimary school is established in an area where previously there was none, it has been the practice as part...

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Information on participation in full-time third-level education is not available in the exact format requested by the Deputy. However, the following tabular statements contain extensive and very relevant information on the subject of access to higher education by individual county and by postal districts within Dublin for 1998 and 2004. These data are derived from a recently published HEA...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to refer the Deputy to the 2006 Revised Estimates for Public Services and in particular to Vote 26: Education and Science which contains the 2006 budgetary allocations for the various bodies and agencies under the aegis of my Department. However, I would be glad to provide information on any specific bodies or agencies in which the Deputy has a particular interest.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: There are no positions in State bodies under the aegis of my Department affected by the increase in non-executive chairpersons' fees of State bodies recently announced by the Government.

Written Answers — Departmental Task Forces: Departmental Task Forces (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested is not readily available in my Department. However, I will arrange for the information to be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 699 and 700 together. The information is not readily available in the format requested by the Deputy. If the Deputy has a query on a particular school, my Department will be happy to provide the details.

Written Answers — Third Level Grants: Third Level Grants (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The statistical information requested by the Deputy is not immediately available in my Department. The information requested is being compiled, in so far as it is available, and will be issued directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The specific information requested by the Deputy relating to the level of special needs teachers at primary level in the City and County of Waterford is not readily available in my Department. I can confirm however that there are currently 189.89 whole-time equivalent special needs assistants (SNAs) employed in schools in Waterford and a total of 7,241.02 whole-time equivalent SNAs employed...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is examining the practicalities of providing such information in relation to individual classes in specified numbers of schools. A reply will be forwarded to the Deputy on completion of that examination. As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in primary school staffing in recent years. Next September there will no less than 4000 extra teachers in our...

Written Answers — Speech Therapy Services: Speech Therapy Services (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department provides a range of supports to second level school management to enable schools to cater for pupils with special educational needs. The supports in question include remedial and additional teaching support, special needs assistant support and funding for the purchase of specialised equipment. As the Deputy is aware, there has been enormous progress made over the past number of...