Results 8,701-8,720 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has been operational since 1st January 2005, and is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs supports through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs). My officials have been in contact with the NCSE regarding the special needs assistance (SNA) support for the pupil...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I understand the student referred to by the Deputy has been approved for a maintenance grant under the Third Level Maintenance Grants Scheme for Trainees. Under this scheme the grant shall be paid by the Institute in monthly instalments in arrears. The student will have received a letter from the assessing authority confirming grant eligibility which needs to be submitted to the Institute...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that the Department is in receipt of an application for major capital funding from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and has been assigned a Band 2 rating. The long term projected staffing for the school is currently being...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: On 12 October, 2006, the Trustees of this school announced that they would be phasing the closure of this school from September 2007. The school in question is a voluntary secondary school and the decision to withdraw as providers of Education is within the remit of the Patron body, that is the Sisters of Mercy. My Department is examining the implications of the phased closure with a view...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The accommodation needs of the school referred to by the Deputy are under consideration by my Department. A technical assessment of the existing accommodation is now being carried out by my officials with a view to finalising the schedules of accommodation that needs to be provided to meet the school's long term needs. Data in relation to capital expenditure on North Kerry as sought by the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The need for a new school building on a new site for Blennerville National School is acknowledged by my Department. A suitable site has recently been acquired. The building project required to deliver the new school will be progressed in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme 2006-2010.

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Earlier this year, the Government arranged a number of events to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the 1916 Rising. On the education side, one of the initiatives included a special supplement for schools in The Irish Times, including a map of the 1916 locations around Dublin sponsored by my Department. My Department also operates an annual Easter Week 1916 commemoration scholarship...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department provides a range of supports to second level schools to enable them to cater for students 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 years in...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The major focus for my Department under the ICT in Schools programme has been the roll-out of broadband connectivity to all recognised schools. This project is being undertaken in partnership with industry, in the context of the joint Government/IBEC — TIF (Telecommunications and Internet Federation) Agreement, to provide local connectivity to schools. The broadband connectivity is being...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, one of the elements to my Department's DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) plan for education inclusion provides an opportunity for schools participating in the School Support Programme (SSP) to avail of a sabbatical scheme open to both primary and post-primary levels. This sabbatical scheme is being introduced to create opportunities for school...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I recognise the unique contribution of special schools and special classes to the education of children with special educational needs and am committed to further developing this area. This is why I have asked my officials to undertake a review of the role of the special school and special class. With inclusion of pupils with special needs becoming a reality for many mainstream schools, it is...

Written Answers — Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Early Years Education in Ireland covers the period from birth to six years. My Department is committed to the development of quality early learning opportunities for children. Following on from the publication of the White Paper on Early Childhood Education "Ready to Learn", the Centre for Early Childhood Development was established and this year published a comprehensive draft quality...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A new on-line claims web based system (OLCS) which enables Secondary and Community/Comprehensive schools to input claims for the payment of casual and non casual teachers and special need assistants and record teacher absences on line from the school was introduced on the 6th November, 2006. It is proposed to extend the on-line claims system to enable primary schools to submit claims for the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (22 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the staffing schedule for primary schools is structured to ensure that all primary schools will operate to an average mainstream class size of 28 pupils. Posts allocated on the basis of this schedule are specifically for mainstream classes and should be deployed accordingly. School authorities are requested to ensure that the number of pupils in any class is kept...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: At the core of the recommendations of the Task Force on Student Behaviour was the establishment of a Behaviour Support Team. The purpose of this Team was envisaged as helping identify problems of student behaviour in second-level schools, leading to the development of strategies to resolve these problems and to facilitate the implementation of these strategies in practice. When launching the...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (22 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: It is a fundamental principle of the Free Second Level Education Scheme that no charge be made in respect of: (a) instruction in any subject of my Department's Programme for Secondary Schools; (b) recreation or study facilities of which all pupils are expected to avail as part of the school programme; (c) any other activity in which all pupils are required to take part. Accordingly, it would...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (22 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department. However, I can assure the Deputy that the Government has made a record investment of over €2 billion in the period from 2000 to 2005 in upgrading existing school infrastructure and providing new school accommodation at both first and second-level. Over 6,500 projects were delivered in this period, including 76...

Written Answers — Medical Education: Medical Education (22 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 390 and 391 together. On the 1 February 2006 the Minister for Health and Children and I published the report of the Fottrell Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training. As part of these reforms I am increasing the annual number of undergraduate places for Irish and EU students from 305 to 485. I am also introducing a separate graduate entry...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (22 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is of the view that children with autism, in common with all children should have access to appropriate provision delivered by suitably qualified teachers within the school system where children can mix with their wider peer group and have maximum opportunities for integration. The preferred approach to the provision of appropriate education for children with autism, is through...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (22 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The decision on eligibility for third level or further education 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...