Results 13,281-13,300 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (6 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Grangegorman Development Agency has been informed by my Department that a site for a sixteen classroom school is required for the school in question and that provision should be made for this in the overall strategic plan for the development of the Grangegorman site. The proposed phasing for the delivery of the various aspects of the development will be identified by the Grangegorman...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (6 Feb 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 Department has not been notified by the school authorities of a pending eviction from their site and the school authorities should liaise with Department officials regarding...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: As previously advised to the Deputy, is not the policy of my Department generally to sanction retrospective funding for projects which were progressed without prior approval. In limited and very exceptional cases, it has been necessary to provide retrospective funding for certain projects. My Department does not keep an inventory of projects where retrospective funding may have been...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (6 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: My Department contributes fully to the overall aim of the Government's policy in relation to drugs, which is to provide an effective, integrated response to the problems posed by drug misuse. As part of this process, my Department is represented at senior level on the National Drugs Strategy Team and on the Interdepartmental Group which in turn reports to the Cabinet Committee on Social...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (6 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. However the Deputy can be assured that every effort is made by my Department to keep expenditure on prefabricated accommodation as low as possible. Where accommodation is needed at very short notice, however, a temporary solution can be the only option. Such accommodation may also be used where the need is short-term, such as when...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the school in question has been included in my recent announcement of school projects that are progressing to construction. My Department will be in contact with the school authorities over the next number of days to advise on the most appropriate preparation schedule applicable to this project.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: A schedule of overall accommodation for a projected long-term enrolment of 800 has been drawn up and agreed with the School Authorities for the school to which the Deputy refers. A green field site for the new proposed school has been identified by Limerick VEC and is at acquisition stage. Once the site issues are finalised, the project will be progressed in the context of the School...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I announced on 1 February the first tranche of projects to proceed to construction in 2008. My announcement included details of the 18 large scale building projects approved for construction and a further 30 new primary schools in rapidly developing areas, being planned to be in place by next September. My Department will be in contact with the school...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Feb 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 — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware of the significantly increased activity in the area of provision of additional school accommodation as a result of the recent demographic changes. In this context, the Department's technical unit have carried out a large number of technical inspections in order to progress new school building/extension projects to Design Team Appointment stage. A technical...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (6 Feb 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. Grant aid shall not be...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (6 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 283 and 284 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the information requested is not readily available. However, if the Deputy has a query to a specific school officials from the Department's Planning and Building Unit will be in a position to advise.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: My Department does not fund or organise speech therapy for children with disabilities within the school system. As the Deputy will be aware, the provision of therapy services, including speech therapy for people with disabilities, is a matter for the Health Services Executive (HSE) and funding is provided to the HSE for such purposes.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The New School Advisory Committee (NSAC) has received an application for the recognition of a new primary school in September, 2008 in the location referred to by the Deputy. The NSAC is an independent advisory group established to process applications for the recognition of new primary schools and to make recommendations to the Minister for Education and Science. It is expected that the NSAC...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The New School Advisory Committee (NSAC) has received an application for the recognition of a new primary school in September, 2008 in the location referred to by the Deputy. The NSAC is an independent advisory group established to process applications for the recognition of new primary schools and to make recommendations to the Minister for Education and Science. It is expected that the NSAC...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy made an application for capital funding towards the provision of additional accommodation. An assessment of projected enrolment trends, demographic trends and housing developments in the area was carried out in order to determine the long term accommodation needs of the school. This has been finalised and notified to the school. The proposed building...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Home tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting a suitable educational placement. Home tuition funding cannot be provided indefinitely in respect of children who have school...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department officials have met with the IAA on several occasions to progress the current Programme for Government commitment to long-term funding for the centres that are currently in the ABA pilot scheme subject to agreement with my Department on standards that will enable them to be supported as primary schools for children with autism. My Department...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (7 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that the matter of the enrolment of a pupil in a school including a special class is a matter for the Board of Management of the school and my Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment by schools. As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers, for the establishment of special classes for autism and for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE will continue to establish additional autism classes where the...