Results 12,041-12,060 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

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

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department is in receipt of an application to establish an additional Gaelcholáiste in the South County Dublin area. This application is being assessed and the proposers will be informed of the outcome as soon as possible.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (6 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30th September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued annually to all primary schools. According to data submitted to the Department by the Board of Management of the school referred to...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (6 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 established the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) as the single national body with responsibility for school attendance. The Act provides a comprehensive framework promoting regular school attendance and tackling the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. The general functions of the Board are to ensure that each child attends a recognised...

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

Mary Hanafin: My Department's Student Maintenance Grants Schemes take account of the incomes and losses of the relevant tax year. The schemes provide that the grant awarding agency may allow losses of the relevant year to be offset against other incomes of the same year, but they do not allow losses of any prior year to be offset in the relevant year.

Written Answers — Drug Prevention Education: Drug Prevention Education (6 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Drug prevention education is implemented as part of the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curricula in ALL primary and post-primary schools. The SPHE curriculum is mandatory in all primary schools and post-primary schools up to Junior Certificate Level in which substance use is one of 10 modules taught. At primary level, the Substance Misuse Prevention Programme (SMPP or 'The Walk...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (6 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Department is in receipt of an application for major capital funding for general classroom accommodation and a PE hall, from the school referred to by the Deputy. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and has been assigned a band 2 rating. Progress on the project will be considered in the context of the...

Written Answers — Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (7 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 211, 217, 220 and 223 together. The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) is a second chance education initiative for unemployed persons, who are at least 21 years of age and in receipt of certain social welfare payments for at least six months, which is funded by my Department. It is operated through the Vocational Education Committees. The aims of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The following table contains a breakdown of the Home Travel and Foreign Travel for the Department of Education and Science for the first nine months of 2006 and 2007. Home Travel: This unit provides refund of Travel and Subsistence expenses for work related travel within Ireland for Departmental personnel. Total spent in Home Travel for first nine months of 2006 — €1,736,181.88 Total...

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

Mary Hanafin: The tender report for the school referred to by the Deputy is under examination in my Department at present. The school's Board of Management will be kept advised of developments when the examination is complete.

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (7 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The school to which the Deputy refers commenced operation in September 2002 with provisional recognition from the Department on the basis that it would be providing multi-denominational education in the Clontarf/Marino/Fairview area of Dublin. The location in Glasnevin, which is already served by two multi-denominational schools, was intended to be a purely temporary measure.The Department...

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 216 together. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a preferred site option has been identified for the new post primary school for Gorey. Acquisition details are being finalised in the Department subject to contract and available funding. The site in question will also be used to make primary school provision with the immediate focus being on...

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

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the School referred to by the Deputy is at early stage of architectural planning. This project was put on hold pending a review of the long-term projected enrolments by my Department's Planning Section. The position was subsequently clarified and information was sought and received recently on the Design Team's stage 1, 2 submission (Site analysis/suitability and...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Social Personal and Health Education support service through my Department has twice advertised for the position of Regional Development Officer with responsibility for collaboration with the Local Drugs Task Forces, as outlined by the Deputy. Unfortunately on both occasions a suitable candidate was not forthcoming for a variety of reasons. The SPHE has recently created a panel for the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that plans are well advanced for the development of part of the school building to which the Deputy refers to establish educational provision for autistic children. The works required to enable this provision are being co-ordinated by the City of Dublin VEC in collaboration with the special school. All of the necessary approvals have been given by the Department to allow the...

Written Answers — Colleges Building Projects: Colleges Building Projects (7 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The application in question is currently being considered by the Department.

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (7 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The decision on eligibility for third level grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority — i.e. the 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 required. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has...

Written Answers — Student Support Services: Student Support Services (7 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The guidelines in relation to the repeat of a year at Post-Primary level are outlined in circular M2/95. In certain instances, delegated authority within defined limits has been given to schools to permit students to repeat a year. Prolonged absence from school due to serious illness is one of the criteria under the terms of the circular. A written application should be submitted to the...

Written Answers — Pharmacy Graduates: Pharmacy Graduates (8 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: In November 1999, the HEA published a study on the demand and need for graduates in Pharmacy. The study was undertaken on behalf of the HEA by Peter Bacon and Associates, Economic Consultants. At that time, the only course was in Trinity College Dublin and provided 70 graduates per annum. The Bacon report recommended that at least 50 extra graduates per annum would be required to fill the...

Written Answers — Immigrant Support Services: Immigrant Support Services (8 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 152 together. In May 2007, my Department issued a circular to the managerial authorities of all schools to assist them in providing an inclusive school environment to meet the needs of pupils for whom English is a second language. The circular (53/2007) outlines the resources that are available to assist schools in this task. I am satisfied that the...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (8 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Towards 2016 agreement contains a commitment to put in place a targeted scheme to alleviate the fees in public institutions for part-time courses at third level for those at work who have not previously pursued a third level qualification. The Higher Education Authority, in consultation with my Department, is currently developing a scheme in response to this commitment. As part of this...