Results 1,181-1,200 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Third Level Institutions: Third Level Institutions (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The college referred to by the Deputy is a statutory body established under the Dublin Institute of Technology Act, 1992. Under that Act, the governance and day-to-day activities of the institute are matters for which the governing body and the management staff of the institute are responsible. All college faculties retain and make available examination results to all registered students....

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Youth work training providers in the Republic of Ireland have, up to now, sought professional endorsement from education and training standards committees, ETS, in England and Wales. The National Youth Work Development Plan 2003-2007 proposes as a priority action that a youth work validation body, now termed endorsement panel, should be established with the purpose of developing a...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Legislation regarding the fitting and wearing of seat belts in public vehicles is the responsibility of the Minister for Transport. Under existing regulations seatbelts are not compulsory on buses used for school transport. In operating the school transport scheme, Bus Éireann is fully compliant with all relevant regulations as laid down by the Department of Transport. Irrespective of the...

Written Answers — School Amalgamations: School Amalgamations (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Given the dramatic drop in enrolments at Ringsend Technical Institute, from 501 students in 1995-6 to 166 in 2004-5, and its proximity to the school referred to by the Deputy, my Department is of the view that the amalgamation of the two schools into a single school development would best serve the needs of both school communities into the future. An amalgamated school would also be well...

Written Answers — Youthreach Programme: Youthreach Programme (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Youthreach programme is designed for young persons aged between 15 and 20 years who have left school early with minimal or no qualifications. Youthreach is delivered in out-of-school settings, often in rented premises. Pay and non-pay grants, including rent supplements where necessary, are provided by my Department to VECs to meet the running costs of the programme. On 18 January 2005,...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My officials have conveyed verbal approval to the school in question for additional special needs assistant support for the pupil concerned. Written confirmation will issue to the school shortly.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on the 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule, agreed between my Department and the education partners. For the current school year an enrolment of 82 pupils is required for the appointment and retention of a third mainstream class teacher in ordinary primary schools. My...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: All students who applied for a place under the Limerick city area post-primary schools common application form have been offered places in a school of their preference on the basis of their original application. Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 provides parents with an appeal process to the Secretary General of my Department, where a board of management of a school or a person acting on...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The accommodation requirements of the Limerick Education Centre are under consideration in my Department. A number of options for the provision of appropriate accommodation in a suitable location are being explored. When a decision has been made on how best to provide for the needs of the centre, the project will be progressed in the context of the school buildings and modernisation...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is moving towards a model of devolving the responsibility of building projects to school management authorities where appropriate. The devolving of funding to local level will accommodate school authorities to have responsibility and ownership of their building projects and assist in moving projects in a specific timeframe through the design process, to tender action and...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The project to which the Deputy refers was included in the recently published list of capital projects that have been authorised to commence architectural planning with immediate effect.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The decision on eligibility for third level 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 sought in the case of the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: It was planned that the building project for the school referred to by the Deputy would be authorised to proceed to construction during 2003 subject mainly to significant cost savings. The lowest tenderer was approached but was unable to stand over his original tender and increased his price. Accordingly, no cost savings would be achieved. My Department's school building unit operates a...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under my Department's higher education grant schemes, maintenance grants are available to eligible students pursuing approved undergraduate courses in other EU member states, including the UK. In general, approved courses are those pursued in a third level institution which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds. Students attending approved courses in other EU member...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: An application for funding in relation to a temporary structure provided by Stepping Stones Meath ABA School Limited is the subject of an appeal in my Department. When the appeals process is finalised, an official of my Department's school building section will be in direct contact with the authority. An application for funding in regard to a temporary structure provided by Stepping Stones...

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department provides grants to vocational education committees on an annual basis to support the provision of education in community settings. The VECs do this by way of direct grants to such groups or by the provision of an outreach service to meet locally identified needs. The distribution of community education grants within its area is determined by the VEC, subject to the overall...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There are ten staff employed in my private office, one working half-time. The total annual salary paid in respect of these staff at current rates is €386,416. The total travel and subsistence payments in respect of these staff from the date of my appointment to date is €14,804.51. There are four staff employed in the constituency office of my Department. The total annual salary paid in...

Written Answers — School Fees: School Fees (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Fee-paying schools are a traditional feature of the post-primary educational system, particularly in Dublin. Fee-charging schools, with the exception of the special arrangements apply in respect of the Protestant and Jewish fee-paying schools, do not receive capitation or related supports. The Protestant and Jewish schools receive funding by way of a block grant, which has its origins in the...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department routinely reviews the gender balance of State boards under the auspices of my Department. Quarterly returns are made to the equality section of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform which has a co-ordinating role. Since September 2003, the number of female members of State boards under the auspices of the Department of Education and Science has increased from 370 to...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 419 and 420 together. My Department provided more than €540 million in 2004 for measures specifically designed to address educational disadvantage by targeting resources at pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. My Department's approach to tackling educational disadvantage is based on a continuum of provision, from early childhood through adulthood, with the...