Results 8,161-8,180 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations, including making arrangements for the marking of work presented for examinations and issuing the results of examinations. Arrangements for the assessment of candidates with special needs in the certificate examinations were the subject of lengthy consultation and...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy has not provided any details I cannot comment on the specific case to which he refers. However, I am aware that some second-level schools do not appear to be doing as much as they could to ensure that students with special needs are as welcome in those schools as students without special needs. I expressed my belief in this regard at the Annual Conference of the National...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An upward trend in enrolment in recent years has necessitated a review by my Department of demographic trends, housing developments and enrolment trends in the area in order to ensure that any capital funding provided will deliver accommodation appropriate to the school's need into the future. Upon completion of this assessment a decision will be conveyed to the school on how best to provide...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The location of the two centres in question are Carlow and Waterford. I can confirm that my Department has requested the names and psychological assessments of the children being proposed for an ABA unit in Clare. A meeting between my officials and representatives from Clare Autism Action is scheduled for next week.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The staffing in the school referred to by the Deputy for the 2006/2007 school year is as follows: 1 Principal Post 2 Mainstream Class Teacher Posts 6 Permanent Developing School Posts 1 Permanent Learning Support/Resource Post 1 Permanent Special Class Post 3 Temporary Language Support Posts. My Department recently received the September Salary Return form from the Board of Management of the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware the new school to which he refers opened in September 2005. The school was given approval to enrol two Junior Infant Classes per year and, when fully occupied, will operate as a two-stream 16-classroom school. This incremental development is common to all newly established schools to ensure that a shortage of accommodation at the school is avoided by an over-enrolment...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy can be assured that my Department fully recognises the key role of physical exercise within the school environment and continues to respond to the need to improve PE facilities for all pupils attending primary schools. The provision of such facilities is an integral part of the design process for new school buildings or where an existing school building is undergoing major...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: It is the policy of my Department to provide all new schools with access facilities and special toilets to cater for disabled students and teachers. In the architectural design of emergency evacuation routes, account is also taken of the requirements of students and teachers with disabilities. New schools with two storeys or more are provided with lifts. The school authorities are advised of...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Two Montessori qualifications are currently recognised for the purpose of appointment to the following posts in primary schools: resource teaching posts, special classes and special schools. The two recognised qualifications are (i) the three-year full-time course in the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) College, Mount St. Mary's, Milltown, Dublin 14 and (ii) the HETAC accredited...

Written Answers — Third Level Courses: Third Level Courses (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I understand that there are already degree courses in early childhood studies available in a number of universities and institutes of technology, including University College Cork and the Dublin Institute of Technology. The provision of such courses is in the first instance a matter for the institutions themselves — universities are autonomous under statute and my Department has no...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 314, 317, 322 and 325 to 327, inclusive, together. At the outset I want to acknowledge the impact this important decision has on the local community in the area in question. However, I must point out that as the school in question is a voluntary secondary school the decision to withdraw as providers of Education is within the remit of the Patron body, that is...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: There has been substantial progress made in the funding of our schools since 2003. Spending by my Department on second level education increased by 17% between 2003 and 2005. In 2005 €2.7 billion was spent on second-level education, up from €2.3 billion in 2003 and €1.25 billion in 1997. These increases have allowed for major progress to be made both in the staffing and in the...

Written Answers — School Places: School Places (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Projected enrolment arising from recent and planned population growth indicate the need to provide for additional school places in some areas and to meet that anticipated demand, last year I announced the provision of a new 650 pupil post-primary school at Doughiska/Ardaun on the eastern side of the city and also the provision of a new 550 place school to replace the existing Coláiste na...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 318 and 319 together. The home tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide education at home for children who, for a variety of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for pupils awaiting a suitable educational placement. I wish to advise the Deputy that the scheme...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The long-term accommodation needs of the school referred to by the Deputy have been determined and notified to the school authority. In order to determine how best to provide for the school's accommodation needs into the future, it is necessary to have a technical assessment of the existing buildings carried out by my Department. Officials from School Planing Section will be in contact with...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding towards the provision of an extension at the school referred to by the Deputy, has been assessed and the long term projected enrolments, on which the school's accommodation needs will be based has been determined. In order to determine how best to provide for the school's accommodation needs into the future, it will be necessary to have a technical...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: County Limerick VEC made application to my Department for funding towards the provision of a new school building for Coláiste Chiarán. Given the restricted nature of the existing site, my Department gave approval to County Limerick VEC to purchase a site to facilitate the development of a new, replacement school. I understand that the VEC are actively engaged in identifying a suitable site...

Written Answers — Home Tuition: Home Tuition (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that there has been no change to the procedures for processing home tuition claims. The home tuition claim in respect of the child in question has been processed and a payment will issue shortly.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department funds four maintenance grant schemes for third level and further education students which are administered by the Local Authorities and the Vocational Education Committees. Under the Free Fees Initiative, my Department meets the tuition fees of eligible students attending full-time undergraduate courses, which must generally be of at least two years duration. Generally speaking,...

Written Answers — School Places: School Places (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: To meet increased demand for primary school places in the area referred to by the Deputy, a Notice of Intention to apply for the recognition of a new primary school to commence operation next September has been submitted to the New Schools Advisory Committee (NSAC). As with all such applications, a full application must be submitted to the NSAC no later than 31st of January 2007 and,...