Results 1,581-1,600 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department received 58 applications from schools in County Mayo under the summer works scheme 2005, of which 21 applications were successful.

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The process of advertising and interviewing for the appointment of a chief executive officer of a vocational education committee is a matter for the Public Appointments Service. The closing date for receipt of applications for the post referred to by the Deputy has closed. The Public Appointments Service intends to conduct interviews in the near future and is making arrangements with a view...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Issues have been raised with my Department on the terms of reference of the inquiry referred to by the Deputy. These are being dealt with. I expect that the officer appointed to conduct the inquiry will soon be in a position to advance the matter and present a report to my Department. When the report is received, I will be considering it in advance of making it available to the VEC and other...

Written Answers — Educational Appointments: Educational Appointments (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on the 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...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: On foot of a Government decision, the then Minister for Education and Science formally established the State Examinations Commission on 6 March 2003. The commission now has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. Accordingly, I have passed the query to the chief executive officer of the commission for direct reply.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The National Council for Special Education, which has been operational since 1 January 2005, is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs supports. A total of 71 special educational needs organisers have been recruited throughout the country and will be a focal point of contact for schools and parents. My Department officials have been informed by the NCSE that the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (12 Apr 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. In accordance with the staffing schedule, the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the school year 2004-05 is a principal and four mainstream class teachers,...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Primary school running costs are met by my Department's scheme of capitation grants. These grants are intended to contribute towards the general operating costs of schools which would include heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, painting, teaching aids and other miscellaneous charges. The capitation grant for primary schools has been increased substantially in recent years. Since 1997, the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 897 and 898 together. I am aware that Louth, like many areas located within close proximity to Dublin, continues to experience population growth, a position that almost inevitably places some strain on existing educational provision. However, a range of significant measures has been undertaken by my Department to address the current and future need for pupil...

Written Answers — Modern Language Teaching: Modern Language Teaching (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has determined that with effect from 18 April 2005, new students who are citizens from outside the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland, registering with the Garda national immigration bureau will not be permitted access to employment unless they are attending a full-time programme of at least one year's duration leading...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The review of the school transport scheme within my Department is at an advanced stage. I have no plans to introduce charges for pupils attending primary schools or to increase charges for pupils attending post-primary schools.

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on the 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule agreed between my Department and the education partners. In accordance with the staffing schedule, the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the school year 2004-05 is a principal and a mainstream class teacher...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department's school building section has no record of having received an application from the school in question for the refurbishment of science laboratories at the school. However, the school did apply for grant aid for the purchase of equipment to enable it provide the revised science syllabus for the junior certificate examination and was allocated a grant of €24,300 in December...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 904, 1032 and 1034 together. 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...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: An application for an extension has been received from the management authority of the school referred to by the Deputy. The application is being examined in the school planning section of my Department. When a decision is taken on how best to provide for the school's accommodation needs, the application will be progressed in the context of the schools building and modernisation programme 2005-09.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has already decentralised with offices in Tullamore and Athlone. There is also a network of regional offices set up throughout the country. Under the Government's decentralisation plan, the Dublin offices will be moved to either Athlone or Mullingar, with 300 staff moving to Mullingar and 100 staff moving to Athlone. This will be done in two separate phases while at the same...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The decision on eligibility for third level grants is a matter for the relevant local authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except in exceptional cases where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is desired. It appears that no such advice or instruction has to date been sought in the case of the...

Written Answers — Early School Leavers: Early School Leavers (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 908 and 933 together. The new policy framework to be published shortly is the result of a full review of the measures that have been put in place to support pupils from disadvantaged areas over the past two decades. It will be introduced on a phased basis, starting in the next school year, and will involve an additional annual investment of €40 million on...

Written Answers — Education Welfare Service: Education Welfare Service (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: This issue is a matter for the National Educational Welfare Board, which was established under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 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...

Written Answers — Fairtrade Products: Fairtrade Products (12 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I am aware of the Fairtrade campaign and am supportive of the objectives of the campaign. In so far as my Department is concerned, the potential use of Fairtrade products would probably be confined to our staff restaurants. This issue has been raised with the catering managers in our Dublin, Athlone and Tullamore offices who have agreed to investigate the availability of such Fairtrade...