Results 9,221-9,240 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As part of the expansion of the devolved scheme for primary school building works, a grant of €820,000 was sanctioned in March 2006 under the Small Schools Scheme to enable the management authority of the school in question to provide a new three classroom school. The Devolved Initiative allows Boards of Management to address their accommodation and building priorities with a guaranteed...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (14 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Higher Education Grants Scheme operates under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. An approved institution is defined to mean a university, college or other institution of higher education in so far as it provides a course, or courses, of not less than two years duration at Undergraduate level and not less than one years duration at Postgraduate level, being...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Permanent accommodation for the 100 posts to decentralise to Athlone will be provided on my Department's existing campus in Athlone. Construction of this accommodation will begin shortly and the Office of Public Works has indicated that the accommodation should be ready for occupation sometime in 2008. There are no plans to move an advance party into temporary accommodation in Athlone. Six...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Permanent accommodation for the 100 posts to decentralise to Athlone will be provided on my Department's existing campus in Athlone. Construction of this accommodation will begin shortly and the Office of Public Works has indicated that the accommodation should be ready for occupation sometime in 2008. There are no plans to move an advance party into temporary accommodation in Athlone. Six...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (31 Jan 2007)

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. In this regard my Department has established: 180 special classes for children with autism, attached to special and mainstream schools, 12 of which are located in the Kilkenny...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The position regarding the alleviation of entry fees for the State examinations is that students who are covered by the means-tested general medical services card scheme, either directly or as the dependants of medical card holders, are not liable to pay fees. Mock examinations are not part of the State examinations system, and therefore my Department has no function in respect of the fees...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1414 and 1415 together. My Department is accordingly reviewing the statistics relating to transfer from Primary and Post Primary and a further reply will be forwarded to the Deputy in due course.

Written Answers — Home Tuition: Home Tuition (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The home tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting a suitable educational placement. I wish to advise the Deputy that there are currently in the region of 270 children of school going...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The family referred to in the details supplied by the Deputy are eligible for transport to the school referred to in the details supplied by the Deputy. A school bus service may be established where there are a sufficient number of eligible pupils offering for transport from a distinct area and subject to the terms of the scheme. The family in question have been offered a Remote Area Grant...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the Primary School Transport Scheme, only eligible children qualify for free transport. In order to be eligible, children must live at least 3.2 kilometres from, and be attending, their nearest national school. Bus Eireann have advised that the service currently in operation is catering for all eligible pupils that have applied for transport. However, children who do not...

Written Answers — National Minimum Wage: National Minimum Wage (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled in my Department and will be sent to him as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The pupil referred to by the Deputy is currently enrolled in a special class with a pupil teacher ratio of 6:1. I understand that the pupil also has the support of an individual special needs assistant (SNA) and there is another SNA and a careworker based in the class. The pupil is availing of the maximum support possible and I understand that the school is satisfied that the pupil has been...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1421 and 1435 together. 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...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: In order to qualify for the special rate of maintenance (sometimes known as the 'top-up' grant) a candidate must meet a number of conditions, including the following: 1. An applicant must qualify for the ordinary maintenance grant. 2. Total reckonable income in the relevant tax year must not exceed the lower income limits as set out in the relevant Maintenance Grant Schemes and, where...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school to which he refers is included among over 970 schools approved for funding under the Summer Works Scheme for 2007. The school has been approved for roof works. All successful applicants will be contacted shortly by the Building Unit of the Department with details of the grant aid being provided and instructions on how to proceed.

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department provided an amount of €73,813 funding aid for the programme in question in 2006 via the City of Dublin Youth Service Board (CDYSB). An application for additional funding in 2007 for the programme has been received from the CDYSB on behalf of the programme organisers. Funding allocations for 2007 are currently being examined and consideration will be given to this request in...

Written Answers — Higher Education Facilities: Higher Education Facilities (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: In the State as a whole, there are over twenty publicly-funded higher education institutions — seven of which are universitiesand fourteen institutes of technology. In its review of Irish Higher Education published in 2004, the OECD observed that Irish Third Level Institutions were relatively small by international standards and that this posed particular challenges in terms of achieving...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1426, 1427, 1472 to 1477, inclusive, and 1534 to 1536, inclusive, together. As the Deputies will be aware the recent Census preliminary figures confirm the Fingal area of Dublin as the fastest growing area in the country. The Department is of the view that between primary and post primary level, some 20 new schools will be required there over the coming...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, this Government has shown an unrivalled commitment to ensuring that children and young people with special needs get the extra support they need in order to reach their full potential at school. We have dramatically expanded investment in special education in recent years and we have improved access to the state examinations for young people with special needs....

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Following a detailed examination of the case by my Department a comprehensive written reply to the enquiries was sent to the person concerned on 15 December 2006.