Results 8,201-8,220 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Literacy Levels. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Comptroller and Auditor General, in his statement, welcomed DEIS and the fact that it will co-ordinate the resources and services that are available. Although this country has a high standard of literacy, there is no doubt that those at the bottom are not doing well. It is significant that in surveys carried out by the Department on literacy levels in disadvantaged schools the findings...

Literacy Levels. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: We have a team with that specific task. A national literacy tutor has been appointed to ensure that the targets are being met. When we are spending €640 million on disadvantage, we must ensure we are getting the best value for money and that we are targeting those children. The general allocation model was bedded down before DEIS commenced. DEIS is only being implemented this year...

Literacy Levels. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Schools have not lost anything under the general allocation model.

Literacy Levels. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: For the first time every school in the country has an allocation of teachers to deal with children with learning difficulties. DEIS ensures that the schools get even more to add to what they already have.

Literacy Levels. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: With regard to literacy and numeracy, a new advisory service has been established. A deputy national co-ordinator has been appointed as well as five additional cuiditheoirí tutors to deal with literacy and numeracy throughout the country. The schools have already signed up so it is compulsory that they do standardised testing. The results of those tests must be made available.

Higher Education Grants. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Income from SSIAs is being treated exactly the same as income from similar savings and investment products for the purposes of assessing eligibility for a maintenance grant. This has been the case since SSIAs were introduced. The amount of income to be included in SSIAs is the Government grant earned on the savings in the relevant tax year — in the case of savings accounts, the gross...

Higher Education Grants. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The important point is that the limits increased in each year by far more than what any saver would have accrued via his or her SSIA and the interest attaching thereto. Last year, the limit was €33,890 for the 100% maintenance grant. This year, it is €35,485. If one is only receiving €785 plus some interest, the limit increase far outweighs what one would have received from one's...

Higher Education Grants. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: ——and not take into account the money people earned from SSIAs. It is not the money saved that is being taken into account; it is only the grants and interest received. Income limits were increased generously over last year — they have been increased in every year, particularly the first, since the SSIA scheme was put in place — and students should not feel in any way penalised in...

Higher Education Grants. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: There is no difference in the reckonable income this year compared to that which applied last year or the year before.

Higher Education Grants. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The only money that has been taken into account is the interest raised in that previous year.

Higher Education Grants. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: However, it is income and it is there to be taken into account.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 120 together. The parental representations to which Deputy Crowe's question refers were given to me in the form of a petition by the INTO. In response to that petition, I wrote to all schools pointing out the huge progress that has been made in providing extra staff to our primary schools in recent years. As the Deputies will be aware, there are now,...

Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As already stated in respect of a previous question, there is no correlation between small classes and higher standards. Reports indicate that this is the case in respect of literacy and maths. Notwithstanding that and in light of the integration of children with special needs and the greater needs that exist in disadvantaged areas, I recognise the importance of reducing class sizes....

Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The figure of 287 referred to two schools that shared one number, so the real figure is 206. However, there should not be any child in a class of that size. When we checked with those schools, in most cases the school was awaiting accommodation under the building programme. We have made progress on the issue of non-national students, especially in the allocation of extra teachers as well as...

Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The provision of schools in developing areas is a matter of concern for the Department. That is why we have carried out studies on developing areas. Long-term and short-term plans have prioritised schools in developing areas to try to ensure that places are made available. If the Deputies look at the schools that are currently being built in those areas, they will see that families that...

Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: ——with language difficulties, then I am happy to defend the fact that more than 4,000 extra teachers went into our primary schools to deal with those priorities.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Government is about priority and our prioritisation is directed towards those who need it most. Those who needed it most were special needs children, disadvantaged children and children with language difficulties.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the House that funding for second level education has improved significantly since 2003, the financial year indicated in the OECD report referred to by the Deputy. 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...

Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: How dare the Deputy from the Green Party refer to children with special needs as "a hoary old chestnut". How dare the Green Party——

Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: ——refer to investment in those children——