Results 1,381-1,400 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Tuition fees for post leaving certificate courses were abolished with effect from the 1995-96 academic year. However, schools may impose the following charges on students: textbooks; uniforms, clothing and equipment where they become the personal property of the student; student services; registration charges by professional bodies; and assessment and examination fees. Schools may require...

Written Answers — Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The vocational training opportunities scheme, VTOS, is a second-chance education and training programme which provides courses of up to two years' duration for unemployed persons. There are no plans to reduce the entry age for VTOS from 21 years on the basis that the programme has been designed for older people with a record of unemployment, with special targeting of those who have been...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: In the light of the reality that pupils in the high incidence disability categories of mild and borderline mild general learning disability and dyslexia are distributed throughout the education system, my Department, in consultation with educational interests, developed a general model of resource teacher allocation to schools to support students in these disability categories. This model...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: An application for five hours special needs assistant, SNA, support was received from the pupil's school on 22 September 2004. This support was sanctioned on 25 November 2004. The pupil was also granted three hours resource teaching support in February 2005. The school subsequently submitted an application for additional SNA support to my Department. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my...

Written Answers — Employee Assistance Service: Employee Assistance Service (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: A pilot programme for an employee assistance service for teachers was agreed during PCW negotiations. In 1996 the then Minister for Education announced the introduction of a two year pilot welfare scheme for teachers which commenced in 1998. In August 2000 a new interim phase began for two years with Cork Education Centre as nominated employer. The scheme was overseen by a steering committee...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 543 and 545 together. Since the inception of the higher education grants scheme in 1968, students pursuing postgraduate courses at approved colleges in Northern Ireland can apply for grants in respect of their fees and maintenance under the higher education grants scheme. As and from the 1996-97 academic year, the terms of my Department's student support...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is moving towards a model of devolving the responsibility for building projects to school management authorities, where appropriate. The devolving of funding to local level will accommodate school authorities to have responsibility and ownership of their building projects and assist in moving projects in a specific timeframe through the design process, to tender action and...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The employment of school staff is the responsibility of the individual school board of management. Substitute teachers may be employed by a board on a casual basis to replace a temporary or permanent teacher who is absent on approved paid leave. A board may recoup the cost of employing these substitute teachers from my Department.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy may be aware that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, which was established recently and which has been operational since 1 January 2005 is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs, SEN, supports. Some 71 special educational needs organisers, SENOs, have been recruited throughout the country and will be a focal point of contact for schools...

Written Answers — School Services Staff: School Services Staff (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The person in question is employed as a primary school caretaker under the 1978-79 scheme. His terms of employment entitle him to 91 days sick leave in a 12 month period of service. Any sick leave in excess of this limit is unpaid and does not qualify for arrears in respect of salary. Following an agreement with SIPTU, a gross pro rata arrears payment in respect of phase 1 of parallel...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department's planning section has been in contact with the school in question. Approval of the provision of the temporary accommodation required is expected to issue shortly on receipt of confirmation as to the allocation of the additional teaching post at the school.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule, agreed between my Department and the education partners. The system for allocating teachers to primary schools is based on ensuring an overall maximum class of 29 in each school. Where some classes in a school have class sizes of...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: An application for an extension to the school is under consideration in my Department. Enrolments have increased at the school in recent years and this upward trend in enrolment has necessitated a further examination of the school's long-term accommodation needs so as to ensure any capital funding being provided is appropriate to meet the need into the future. The project will be progressed...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that County Kildare VEC has been allocated a grant under the summer works scheme 2005 in respect of a science laboratory at the college in question. The grant allocated is the full amount sought by County Kildare VEC in respect of the proposed project. The grant aid provided is all inclusive and it is, therefore, the responsibility of the vocational...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Tuition is generally free to eligible students participating in full-time adult education programmes funded by my Department. Means-tested maintenance grants are available to higher education and PLC students. Full-time students on Youthreach, senior traveller training and VTOS programmes receive a training allowance and allowances towards the cost of travel and meals. Books and materials are...

Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under section 13 of the Official Languages Act 2003, my Department placed advertisements in the national newspapers on 26 November and in Foinse on 27 November 2004. The cost to my Department was €7,133.24.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: All special educational needs resources sanctioned by my Department are made subject to review. The pupil in question is in receipt of ten hours per week resource teaching support. This is a significant allocation in the context of my Department's circulars in which five hours is generally the maximum allocation. Sanction was given in August 2002, on an interim basis, to facilitate the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I am aware of the case referred to by the Deputy. I am pleased to advise him that permission has been granted to place the pupil in question in the special class for autism in the school referred to. A letter confirming this position issued to the school authorities on 9 March 2005.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule agreed between my Department and the education partners. The system for allocating teachers to primary schools is based on ensuring an overall maximum class of 29 in each school. Where some classes in a school have class sizes of...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy may be aware that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, which was established recently and which has been operational since 1 January 2005 is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs, SEN, supports. A total of 71 special educational needs organisers, SENOs, have been recruited throughout the country and will be a focal point of contact for...