Results 14,381-14,400 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: To date applications have been received to invoke Section 9 of the Universities Act, 1997 from Waterford Institute of Technology, Dublin Institute of Technology and Cork Institute of Technology. Any such application requires a detailed examination in the context not only of the detailed statutory process to which they are subject but also of their wider implications for higher education...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The decision on eligibility for third level grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority — the Local Authority or VEC. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a maintenance grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to the relevant local authority or VEC. Where an individual...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I understand, from enquiries made by officials of my Department, there has been no change to the enrolment policy operated by Balbriggan Community College, which operates under the control of County Dublin VEC. The Forward Planning Section of my Department is in the process of identifying the areas where significant additional accommodation will be required at primary and post-primary level...

Written Answers — National Biodiversity Plan: National Biodiversity Plan (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government is currently co-ordinating the preparation of the new National Biodiversity Plan for Ireland, which will cover the period 2008-2012. My Department is represented on the Inter-Departmental Steering Group for the new plan. Following agreement on the Plan, consideration will be given to implementing any recommendations relevant to my...

Written Answers — Student Support Schemes: Student Support Schemes (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Paragraph 7.9 of Part VI of Towards 2016 contains a commitment to establish a targeted fund to alleviate fees in Higher Education Authority (HEA) supported public institutions for part-time courses at third level for those at work who have not previously pursued a third level qualification. A €10 million fund, drawn from the National Training Fund, is available with the aim of meeting the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The architectural planning of the school building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage. The progression of all projects to tender and construction, including this project, will be considered on an ongoing basis in the context of my Department's Multi Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: As part of the expansion of the Small Schools Scheme, a grant was sanctioned in March 2007 under the Permanent Accommodation Scheme to enable the management authority of the school in question to build 3 permanent classrooms. The initiative allows Boards of Management to address their accommodation and building priorities with a guaranteed amount of funding and gives Boards of Management...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (9 Apr 2008)

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 — Languages Programme: Languages Programme (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Advisory Council for English Language Schools (ACELS) operates under the aegis of my Department to control quality standards in English Language Schools, including English language summer schools, through an inspection/recognition scheme. ACELS administers the scheme which leads to school recognition by my Department. Recognition of schools arises from their satisfying certain minimum...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The School Planning and Building Unit of my Department is in receipt of an application from the school referred to by the Deputy. My Department has agreed, in principle, to the future expansion of this school to an 8-classroom facility. As part of the Programme for Government, a Developing Areas Unit was set up recently in my Department to focus on the school accommodation needs of rapidly...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware of my commitment to ensuring that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs preferably in school settings through the primary and post-primary school network. There are now over 19,000 staff in our schools working solely with children with special needs. This includes almost 10,000 Special...

Written Answers — Bullying in Schools: Bullying in Schools (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I assure the Deputy that supports are in place to enable schools to prevent bullying and to deal with cases that arise. However, the Deputy will be aware that there is no requirement for schools to report incidents of bullying to my Department, nor do I believe that this should be the case. Responsibility for tackling bullying falls to the level of the individual school as it is at local...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at primary level in recent years. There are now in the region of 6,000 more primary teachers than there were in 2002. By the 2006-07 school year, we had reduced the average class size in our primary schools to 24, while the pupil teacher ratio was 16.4:1, including resource teachers etc. In that year, schools were...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I understand that the Deputy is referring to the availability of speech and language therapy services in schools. 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 (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Commitments entered into with regard to school building projects are progressed as speedily as possible in my Department. Applications are assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. Progress on projects will then be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation programme and available finance.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the Government is determined to ensure that all children with special educational needs, including autism, have access to an education appropriate to their needs. Parents of children with autism now have three distinct choices available to them — their child can either attend a mainstream class in their local school with additional supports as required, they...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware all primary and post-primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). Schools that do not have NEPS psychologists assigned to them may avail of the SCPA, whereby the school can have an assessment carried...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Information in relation to primary school pupil teacher ratios is provided in the annual census of primary schools. The details for the current compiled by my Department and the information requested is not yet available. Pupil Teacher Ratios in respect of all schools is currently only available at national level and not disaggregated by county or any other variable. Significant improvements...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: An application for large scale capital funding at the school in question has been received. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will be considered in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. It is not possible at this early stage...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The project to which the Deputy refers to is at early architectural planning. Officials from my Department have requested the Developed Sketch Design. On receipt of this. my Department will be in contact with the school authorities. The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to tender and construction, including this project, will be considered in...