Results 9,541-9,560 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 556 and 557 together. My Department has contacted County Meath VEC, the awarding body responsible for assessing the grant applications for the students referred to by the Deputy. Meath VEC has confirmed that the candidates were awarded the Non-Adjacent rate of the Maintenance grant plus the student services charge.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Department has an application from the school referred to by the Deputy for a new school building. Officials in School Planning Section are considering a number of options for the long term solution to the school's accommodation difficulties. Among the options being considered is the possibility of securing a Greenfield site in the area and our agents in this regard — the Office of...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (6 Feb 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 — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special needs supports, including special needs assistant support. The SENOs also convey decisions on the applications directly to schools. My officials have been advised by the NCSE that the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: An application for an extension has been received from the school to which the Deputy refers. An assessment of the long term projected staffing, on which the schools accommodation needs are based is currently underway in the Department. This assessment will take into account factors such as current and projected enrolment, demographic trends and housing developments. Once this assessment is...

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department funds a number of initiatives under various programmes and schemes, on a pilot basis and otherwise, that may be confined to particular geographical locations. If the Deputy has specific initiatives in mind I will endeavour to provide more detailed information.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department is in receipt of an application for major capital funding from the management authority of the school to which he refers. This application is currently being assessed and contact will be made directly with the school authority when this assessment has been completed. Progress on the proposed works will be considered in the context of the School...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Department of Education and Science has provided funding in excess of €34m for the construction of nine dual use halls with enhanced facilities attached to post-primary schools. Eight of these halls are in Dublin and one is in Cork. An allocation of funding amounting to €2.5 million was approved by the Government under the Educational Disadvantage strand of the Dormant Accounts Fund...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The building project referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. The school was listed in my announcement of 30 January 2007 as a project to progress to tender and construction. A meeting has been arranged for 27 February 2007 with the School and the Design Team in order to evaluate the Stage 3 submission (developed sketch scheme). In this regard, the Board of...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The matter referred to by the Deputy is being investigated. I will arrange for a full reply to be forwarded to him as soon as possible.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: An application for an extension has been received from the school to which the Deputy refers. An assessment of projected enrolments, demographic trends and housing developments in the area, is currently underway in the Department and this will assist in determining the long term projected enrolment for the school on which the school's long term accommodation needs will be based. When the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: An upward trend in enrolment in recent years at the school referred to by the Deputy has necessitated a review by the 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 re-assessment a decision will be...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Changes in the enrolment trends in recent years at the school referred to by the Deputy has necessitated a review by the 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 re-assessment a decision will...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is one of 23 new post-primary schools being built under the Department's Public Private Partnership Programme. The site for the project is being acquired by the Department under the terms of the Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002. In this regard, the Department has accepted, in principle, a site in Kells which was...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The National Development Plan 2000-2006 identified the need for major investment in educational infrastructure in new and refurbished buildings, new equipment and information technology to make education more relevant to the needs of a modern economy. The plan did not identify individual building projects to be addressed either on a local or county basis. It was a matter for my Department to...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the action plan for educational inclusion, which was launched on 30th May 2005, will be implemented on a phased basis over 5 years — starting during the school year 2005/2006. It aims to ensure that the educational needs of children and young people from pre-school to completion of upper second-level education (3 to 18 years) from...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 330, 332 and 333 together. DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the action plan for educational inclusion, provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated School Support Programme (SSP). DEIS brings together and builds upon the following pre-existing interventions in schools with a concentrated...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced in 1984. The scheme is being integrated into the new action plan for educational inclusion, DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) which I launched last year. DEIS provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated School Support Programme and will bring together, and build upon, a number of...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The process of identifying schools for participation in DEIS was managed by the Educational Research Centre (ERC) on behalf of my Department and supported by quality assurance work co-ordinated through the Department's regional offices and the Inspectorate. In the primary sector, the identification process was based on a survey carried out by the ERC in May 2005, from which a response rate of...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 335, to 337, inclusive, together. The Department has acknowledged the need to relocate the existing primary school referred to by the Deputy to a greenfield site. The acquisition of a site for this development is being actively pursued with South Dublin County Council and the relevant landowners. When this matter has been finalised, progress on the proposed...