Results 11,861-11,880 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Written Answers — School Management: School Management (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: My Department administers a scheme which provides funding to Boards of Management for their training needs. It enables Management Bodies to apply for direct support in addition to the existing support provided by the Education Centre Network. The scheme is centrally managed by a representative Steering Committee. The committee is comprised of representatives of Teacher Education Section,...
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of temporary classrooms is not readily available. The amount spent on temporary accommodation, including prefabricated accommodation in the last 5 years is as follows: 2006: â¬24.5M 2005: â¬15.7M 2004: â¬11.3M 2003: â¬9.4M 2002: â¬8.4M The provision of rented accommodation provides an immediate solution to a deficit of...
- Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 was enacted following the Government's consideration of the Final Report of the Commission on Public Service Pensions. That report included a recommendation that the age of retirement for new entrants to the public service be changed from an age range of 60 to 65 years to a single retirement age of 65. There were some...
- Written Answers — School Management: School Management (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: In February 2007 I announced my intention to introduce a new model of primary school patronage and that my Department would engage in a consultation process with the relevant stakeholders in relation to the implementation measures required. Pending the completion of the consultation process and the evaluation of the pilot community primary school project, I decided as a matter of policy that...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Special Education Appeals Board (SEAB) was established under section 36 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 to hear and determine appeals pursuant to a number of sections of the Act. Members of the inaugural appeals board have been appointed and are currently working on the development of processes and procedures which need to be in place before the...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The information requested is not readily available in the format required by the Deputy. However, as the Deputy is aware, there has been enormous progress made over the past number of years in relation to increasing the number of teachers in our second level schools who are specifically dedicated to providing education for children with special educational needs. My Department provides a...
- Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The issue of road safety measures outside the vested site areas of primary schools should be raised in the first instance with the relevant Local Authority. Local Authorities have the power to decide on road safety measures outside schools and should have in place appropriate measures to ensure the safety of school attending pupils. It is open to the Boards of Management of schools to make an...
- Written Answers — School Inspectors: School Inspectors (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The number of primary district and divisional inspectors employed within the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Science on the 30 September for each of the past five years is as follows: 2003 â 72 primary inspectors 2004 â 77 primary inspectors 2005 â 71 primary inspectors 2006 â 74 primary inspectors 2007 â 82 primary inspectors It should be noted that the number of...
- Written Answers — Learning Support: Learning Support (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, a new general allocation system was introduced in May 2005, under which schools have been provided with resource teaching hours, based on their enrolment figures, to cater for children with high incidence special needs such as dyslexia and those with learning support needs. This system was intended to be introduced for the 2004/2005 school year. Schools were notified...
- Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: My Department is currently considering the correspondence referred to by the Deputy, and will respond on the matter as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will probably be aware, all primary schools receive an annual Minor Works Grant in the sum of â¬5,500 plus â¬18.50 per pupil. This is intended to be used by schools to address most of the type of works to which the Deputy refers. The Summer Works Scheme (SWS), in place since 2004, also funds necessary small-scale works that, ideally, can be planned and delivered during the...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I wish to clarify that my Department provides funding for the education of children with autism through the primary and post-primary school system, rather than any specific support services being provided for parents. Parents may contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) directly to discuss their child's special educational needs using the contact details available on...
- Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Deputy may be aware that, with effect from 28th March, 2006, the Teaching Council is the designated authority for recognition of qualifications for the regulated profession of primary and secondary teachers. Persons wishing to be registered as a teacher in this country must apply to the Teaching Council for recognition of their qualifications. If their qualifications are recognised by the...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (23 Oct 2007)
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. The Higher Education Grant Scheme operates under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. Generally speaking, students who are entering approved courses for the first time are...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: Under my Department's Free Fees Initiative the Exchequer meets the tuition fees of eligible students who are attending approved undergraduate third-level courses in the State. There are no plans to extend this initiative to cover third level institutions in Northern Ireland. Under my Department's Higher Education Grant Schemes, maintenance grants are available to eligible students pursuing...
- Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Department is in receipt of an application from the school to which the Deputy refers for the refurbishment/redevelopment of its sports complex, including the swimming pool. The project has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and has been assigned a band 4 rating. Progress on the project will be considered in the context...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Report of the Action Group on Access to Third Level Education made detailed recommendations concerning the introduction of special rates of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students. The target group of "those most in need" was defined in terms of the dependants of people receiving long-term welfare payments, where the necessary conditions are fulfilled. The special rates of grant are...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that there are three teaching vacancies out of a total teaching complement of four teaching posts. Due to this exceptional number of vacancies, the school was unable to re-open in September 2007. I am informed that the Board of Management is actively engaged in a recruitment process to fill these vacancies and that every effort is being made to expedite the process...
- Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: Schools' running costs are met by my Department's scheme of capitation grants which affords schools considerable flexibility in the use of these resources to cater for the needs of their pupils. This is in my view a preferable approach to putting in place grants for specific cost items such as interpreters. These grants are intended to contribute towards the general operating costs of schools...
- Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (23 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 502 and 504 together. Earlier this year the person referred to by the Deputy was asked to provide preliminary advice on the merits of the submission by WIT, having regard to; (i)the national strategy for the development of Irish higher education, (ii)implications for regional development in the South-East in the context of the National Spatial Strategy and...