Results 13,521-13,540 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (19 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 576, 587 and 595 together. The Memorandum and Articles of Association of Gaisce provide for the Minister for Education and Science to appoint the members of the Gaisce Council. The Memorandum and Articles of Association provide for a Council of 15 members. All appointments to the Board of Léargas — the Exchange Bureau are made by the Minister for Education...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (19 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Commission on School Accommodation was set up in 1996 with the objective of informing national policy decisions on school provision at primary and post primary levels. It consists of a Secretariat, a Technical Group supporting the work of the Secretariat and a Steering Group representative of the partners in education.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (19 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The management committee of the International Education Board of Ireland (IEBI) has a membership of 20, including representation from my Department, the Higher Education Authority, other relevant education sector interests, and other relevant Government departments and agencies including Enterprise Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. I appoint one official from my Department to sit on this...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (19 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The National Council for Special Education is appointed in accordance with Section 21 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 which requires that the chairperson and 12 ordinary members of the Council are appointed by the Minister from among persons who have a special interest in, or knowledge relating to, the education of children with special educational needs....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: In my most recent announcement on the 2008 large-scale building programme, I approved 48 projects to commence construction including 30 new primary schools in rapidly developing areas that are planned to be in place by next September under an accelerated building programme. My Department also has other projects coming on stream to the tendering and construction stages and I will be making...

Written Answers — School Absenteeism: School Absenteeism (19 Feb 2008)

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...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (19 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Department of Education and Science is committed to funding the provision of PE, general purpose and outdoor play areas in schools as part of the schools capital investment programme. Applications for the provision of PE or sports facilities in existing schools are considered in the context of all other applications on hand for capital investment e.g. applications for new schools;...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (19 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy may be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. My officials have been in contact with the NCSE regarding an application for special needs assistant support for...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (19 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to inform the Deputy that primary schools received €2,000 each in PE equipment grants in 2006, at a total cost of €6.5 million. A similar grant of €4,000 per pupil, at an overall cost of around €3 million, issued to post-primary schools in 2007. These grants issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. In addition, since 2000 my Department has provided in excess...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (19 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Under the Lisbon Convention and the EU Directive on Mutual Recognition of professional qualifications, Ireland is committed to giving appropriate recognition to qualifications from other countries. In Ireland, the teaching profession is regulated for the purposes of employment as a teacher. EU Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications came into force on 20th...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (19 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: With the launch of DEIS (the Action Plan for Educational Inclusion) in 2005, my Department has redoubled its efforts in addressing the challenging issues of social exclusion and educational disadvantage. The social partnership agreement Towards 2016, the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-16 and the social inclusion chapter of the National Development Plan provide an integrated...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase is considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme in which the main focus is to deliver school places within rapidly developing areas. The progression of all school building projects will be considered in this...

Written Answers — Regulatory Authorities: Regulatory Authorities (19 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the Department of Education and Science and agencies operating under its aegis is contained on the following spreadsheet. Agency 2006 2007 Provisional Outturn € million D/Education & Science — Administration costs 74.52 81.15 FETAC: Further Education & Training Awards Council 6.53 6.49 HEA: Higher Education Authority 5.73 5.94...

Departmental Expenditure. (20 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Overall, education expenditure will rise by 8%, or €690 million, to €9.3 billion in 2008. This will enable us to consolidate the major service improvements that have been put in place in recent years and make further progress in a wide range of areas. On the 2008 budget, the Deputy will be aware of the importance the Government placed on carefully managing the public finances in the...

Departmental Expenditure. (20 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The third commitment to which the Deputy refers is due to be delivered upon over the lifetime of the Government and it will be met during that period. On the first two commitments, no one in the House anticipated the slowdown that occurred in the economy. Everything in the programme for Government is predicated on strong economic growth. The Tánaiste and Minister for Finance had an...

Departmental Expenditure. (20 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: There are no cutbacks in education. There is an increase of 8%, €690 million, in our budget. The education system is extensive and I was concerned to ensure that all levels within it would receive an increase. Previous Ministers might have determined not to provide increases in respect of third or fourth level education, but I see such behaviour as having a significant impact, not only...

Departmental Expenditure. (20 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The devolved grant will certainly not be allocated on as large a scale as last year or the year before.

Departmental Expenditure. (20 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I previously stated in many different fora that the priority for this year rests with larger projects.

Departmental Expenditure. (20 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Any other projects will not be catered for to the same extent as in previous years.

Departmental Expenditure. (20 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: In the past couple of years works were carried out at over 350 schools under the small projects scheme.