Results 13,061-13,080 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Department acknowledges the need for a solution to the accommodation difficulties at the school to which the Deputy refers and it is committed to working to achieve a satisfactory solution as soon as possible. The task of locating suitable accommodation in an area where a school wants to be permanently located is not always an easy one and cannot be underestimated particularly where an...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I refer to my previous parliamentary response of 26th September 2007 PQ No. 20429/07 refers. I would like to reiterate to the Deputy Clause 7.7 of both the Higher Education Grant Scheme and the Vocational Education Committees' Scholarship Scheme states inter alia the following: -"Grant aid for postgraduate students shall be limited to a maximum of four years."

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government contains a commitment to develop special schools as centres of excellence and outreach facilities and allow for dual enrolment so that children can attend both a special school and a mainstream school as appropriate. The concept of dual enrolment raises a range of practical issues which require careful consideration. These issues...

Written Answers — Standardised Tests: Standardised Tests (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: A circular issued from my Department to all primary schools in December 2006 asking them to implement standardised testing in English reading and Mathematics beginning in the calendar year 2007 for all pupils at the end of first class OR the beginning of second class, AND at the end of fourth class OR the beginning of fifth class. Schools have also been asked to ensure that, with effect from...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I attach a copy of the current special needs assistant's pay scales, for the information of the Deputy. The starting hourly rate of pay for a special needs assistant is €13.91. The current salary scale is applicable from the 1st June 2007 as a result of the implementation of Phase 2 of the "Towards 2016" Social partnership Agreement.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers, for allocating special needs assistants (SNAs) to schools and for reviewing such allocations. I wish to clarify for the Deputy that SNA support is provided to school authorities to assist them to cater for children who have care needs...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department. The appointment of staff to vacant posts in primary and second level schools, including that of Principal is a matter for the relevant school authority at primary and post-primary level subject to agreed procedures.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Progression of all projects to tender and construction are considered in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. As indicated at the post budget education briefing I intend to announce shortly the first tranche of projects that will proceed to construction in 2008.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Student Support Bill is at the final stages of preparation for publication. I hope to be in a position to have the Bill published very shortly.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Precise projection of retirement from the teaching profession in any year is difficult. The vast majority of teachers retire voluntarily, which they may do from age 55 to age 65, providing they have the requisite service. For 2008, our estimates for projected retirements in the calendar year (Primary, Secondary, Community and Comprehensive schools) is 1,245. In the years 2009 and 2010, the...

Written Answers — Water Services: Water Services (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will appreciate that the installation of water meters in schools is a matter for my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in conjunction with individual local authorities.

Written Answers — Water Charges: Water Charges (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will appreciate that the implementation of the Government decision on water charges for schools is a matter for my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in conjunction with individual local authorities.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Stage 3 documentation for the project referred to by the Deputy is currently being examined by my Department's Technical Staff. Progression of all projects to tender and construction are considered in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. As indicated at the post budget education briefing I intend to announce the first tranche of...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is set out as follows: 2002-2004 no items were reported lost stolen or missing. 2005 2 USB memory cards were reported stolen. Both cards are still missing. 2006 2 USB memory cards were reported lost and 1 memory card was reported stolen. The stolen memory card was recovered and 1 of the lost memory cards was subsequently found later that year. The other...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding towards the provision of a new school building has been received from the school authority referred to by the Deputy. An assessment of the projected enrolment trends, demographic trends and the housing developments in the area will be required to determine the long term projected staffing figure on which the school's accommodation needs will be based. The...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: My Department funds three maintenance grant schemes for third level students which are administered by the Local Authorities and the Vocational Education Committees. These are the Higher Education Grants Scheme, the Vocational Education Committees' Scholarship Scheme, the Third Level Maintenance Grants Scheme for Trainees and the Maintenance Grants Scheme for Students attending Post Leaving...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the maintenance grants schemes grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to age, residence, means, nationality and previous academic attainment. 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...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The revised Stage 3 documentation for the project referred to by the Deputy is currently being examined by my Department's Technical Staff. Progression of all projects to tender and construction are considered in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. As indicated at the post budget education briefing I intend to announce the first tranche...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 985, 994 and 1080 together. The school authority in question has submitted an application to my Department for a new school. Applications for large scale capital funding are assessed and banded in accordance with published prioritisation criteria. These criteria were agreed following consultation with the Education Partners and the progression of individual...

Written Answers — School Supervision and Substitution Scheme: School Supervision and Substitution Scheme (30 Jan 2008)

Mary Hanafin: An agreement was reached between the managerial authorities of second level schools, my Department and the Teachers' Unions for the provision of funding for supervision and substitution duties in Post Primary schools in 2002, and has been in operation since then. Under the agreed scheme, schools are given an allocation of hours for substitution and supervision each year, based on the number...