Results 12,521-12,540 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (28 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: While the number of schools allocated to NEPS psychologists varies according to school size, special needs pupil incidence, disadvantaged status and geographical spread the average number assigned per whole-time post is 21. It should be noted that half the primary schools in the country are quite small, with four teachers or less.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: All applications for large scale capital funding are assessed against published prioritisation criteria. Progress on the individual project concerned will be considered in the context of the multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department funds four maintenance grant schemes, three at third level, the Higher Education Grants (HEG) Scheme, the Vocational Education Committees' (VEC) Scholarships Scheme, the Third Level Maintenance Grants Scheme for Trainees and one for students attending Post Leaving Certificate Courses. Students who are entering approved courses for the first time are eligible for grants where...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: All applications for large scale capital funding are assessed against published prioritisation criteria. Progress on the individual project concerned will be considered in the context of the multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I have made inquiries with officials in my Department and I wish to advise that an appeal has been received from the candidate referred to by the Deputy which is under review and a reply will shortly issue directly to the applicant.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (29 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy had applied for funding for the complete replacement of the heating system under the Summer Works Scheme 2008. Decisions on the scheme will be made later in the year. In the meantime the school authorities recently advised the Building Unit of my Department that the heating system has broken down and requested funding for emergency repair works to be...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (29 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Department provides grant aid to school authorities towards the cost of rented temporary school accommodation. In general, the Board of Management of a school is responsible for acquiring temporary accommodation, including procurement of prefabricated buildings. Accordingly the contract is between a school's Board of Management and a supplying contractor...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations and determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations. I can inform the Deputy that the Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an early stage of architectural planning. A Stage 3 submission (Developed sketch scheme) is currently being examined by officials from my Department. The school's board of management will be kept informed of developments once this examination is complete. The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: All applications for large scale capital funding are assessed against published prioritisation criteria. Progress on the individual project in question is being considered in the context of the multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme and will have regard to the submission recently received from the school authorities concerned.

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (29 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am aware that many areas located within close proximity to Dublin, similar to those referred to by the Deputy, continue to experience population growth, a position that almost inevitably places some strain on existing educational provision. In order to proactively plan for such areas of increased growth my Department is included among the prescribed authorities to whom local authorities are...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 and 138 together. It has been my Department's approach in recent years, to increase the value of the grant under the student maintenance grant schemes annually at least in line with inflation. Similarly in relation to the reckonable income limits under the maintenance grant schemes, the practice in recent years has been to increase the limits at least in...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (29 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The revised primary curriculum was launched in 1999 after extensive consultation with the partners in education. Page 27 in the Introduction to the Curriculum states "It is a particular feature of Irish primary education that children, from the beginning of schooling, have experience of language learning in two languages." It also sets out a suggested minimum weekly time framework for...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: This project which has been approved to start architectural planning is being considered in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (29 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Social Environmental and Scientific Education in primary schools is an area of learning which encompasses Science, History and Geography, and which applies to all students from junior infants to sixth class. The revised primary curriculum was launched in 1999 and has been implemented on a phased basis over the period to 2007. There is a published curriculum and teacher guidelines for science...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The process of appointing a design team to the school building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage. Tender submissions are currently being assessed by Technical Staff in my Department. Subsequent to the tender submissions being assessed a number of documents will be requested from the preferred consultants namely, Tax Clearance Certificate, evidence of Certified Turnover...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (29 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: A suitable site has been identified for this school. The site comprises of three plots of land with three separate vendors. Agreement on price and general terms (subject to contract) has been reached in respect of each of the plots and draft Contracts are with the Chief State Solicitors Office for completion of the conveyancing process. All three plots are essential in order to make a viable...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (29 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Refugees are entitled to the same access to education and training as Irish nationals. Asylum seekers with the right to work have access under the same conditions as Irish nationals to active labour market programmes, such as VTOS, Youthreach and to PLC courses. Non-EU nationals are not eligible for maintenance grants. Asylum seekers without an entitlement to work are entitled to free access...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (4 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The correspondence referred to by the Deputy relates to Circular 0044/2007 on Language and Literacy in the infant classes in Irish medium schools. It requires such schools to implement arrangements under which minimum timeframes set out in the curriculum are provided for, and the introduction of English as a second language is not delayed beyond the start of the second term in junior infant...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (4 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The person referred to by the Deputy has been requested to submit her qualifications and transcripts of her qualification results. On receipt of these papers a decision will be made regarding her qualifications for the position advertised. If her qualifications are in order, arrears of both basic salary and qualification allowances will be backdated to her date of appointment together with...