Results 20,361-20,380 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (16 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 250 together. The enrolment required on 30 September 2004 for the appointment of the first mainstream class teacher in new schools for the 2004-05 school year is 20 pupils. This is in accordance with guidelines agreed between my Department and the education partners. The enrolment of the school referred to by the Deputy on 30 September 2004 was 17...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: In March 1996 my Department received an application for the provision of a PE hall at the school referred to by the Deputy. The building project is at advanced architectural planning and my Department's officials have received a combined stage 4-5, detail design-bill of quantities, submission from the school. My officials are nearing completion of a review of all projects which did not...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The application from the school to which the Deputy refers is being considered as part of a review of all projects which did not proceed to construction as part of the 2004 school building programme. Under this review, all projects are being assessed against the published prioritisation criteria which were revised earlier this year following consultation with the education partners. Each...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (16 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I understand from my officials that the school gained one additional mainstream teaching post and one additional developing post due to increased enrolments for the 2004-05 school year. In addition, the school has 11.5 hours resource teaching support. The school's request for additional teaching resources for children with high incidence special educational needs will continue to be reviewed.

Written Answers — Educational Services: Educational Services (16 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: It is my Department's policy to support the provision of all-Irish school facilities at primary and post-primary level in areas outside the Gaeltacht regions, where a demand for such provision is demonstrated and no alternative exists within a reasonable distance. Where a demand for such provision exists, it is open to school management authorities to make an application to my Department for...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs. (10 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I thank the Senators for raising this issue. It sounds like a very compelling case, given that a school with 930 students has so many students with language difficulties. The Department is aware of the report mentioned and I want to commend those who were involved in its compilation. I know it was motivated by people who want to do the best for their students. This is a challenge that has...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs. (10 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: Once a scheme is drawn up, there is very little scope for exceptional measures within that scheme. Expanding it would have to include everyone on a phased basis. I accept what the Senators are saying; it is a very large number. I will consider the matter and see if there are any imaginative ways in which we can facilitate the school.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs. (10 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I will come back to both Senators on the issue.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (2 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of my Department's higher education maintenance grant schemes, students from this State who are attending undergraduate courses in the UK, including courses in nursing, can apply for maintenance grants in respect of approved courses at higher national diploma level or higher, which are pursued in colleges approved for the purpose of the schemes. Under the terms of the schemes,...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (2 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has no plans to establish a school transport service to the school in question for those pupils residing in the area referred to by the Deputy. The pupils may, if they so wish, apply for concessionary catchment boundary transport and have their applications assessed in the normal way.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (2 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has recently conveyed its decision to the relevant transport liaison officer. The Deputy will be aware that under the terms of the post-primary school transport scheme, routes are planned so that, in general, no pupil will have more than two miles to travel to a pick-up point. Furthermore, where eligible pupils attend a school at a centre other than the post-primary centre that...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: In December 2001, the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, produced a position paper on special educational needs as its contribution to the debate on the issue. In the position paper, it recommended that schools should be adequately resourced in the first instance to be able to cater for most of the range of abilities that they could expect to find among their pupil populations....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The extension-refurbishment project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. It has a band 2 rating. My officials are nearing completion of a review of all projects which did not proceed to construction as part of the 2004 school building programme with a view to including them as part of a multi-annual programme from 2005. All projects are...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: My Department received additional documentation in support of the application referred to by the Deputy on 22 October. This will be reviewed by the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, as quickly as possible. The Deputy may be aware that my Department has established a team to review special needs assistant support in mainstream schools generally. The team commenced its task...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that an application for an increase in the level of special needs assistant, SNA, support from part-time to full-time has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. The application is currently being considered and a response will be conveyed to the school at the earliest possible date.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The application for resource teaching support received from the school on behalf of the pupil in question was reviewed by the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS. The outcome of this review was that the needs of this pupil should be catered for under the proposed new system of resource teaching allocation. This pupil's special educational needs, SEN, are in the high incidence...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is considering an application for special needs assistant support to cater for the needs of a number of pupils in the school referred to by the Deputy, including the pupil in question. My officials have been liaising with my Department's inspectorate regarding the matter and a decision will be conveyed to the school authorities at the earliest date.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (2 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the third level student support schemes, maintenance grants are not payable to candidates who already hold an undergraduate degree and are pursuing a second undergraduate degree. Similarly, tuition fees under the free fees initiative, are not payable in respect of a second period of college attendance on a course at the same level. These restrictions apply to every student...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (2 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 443 and 444 together. The Vocational Education (Amendment) Act 2001 and the Composition of Vocational Education Committee Regulations 2004 represent a new departure by giving a statutory right to parents and guardians to participate in the election of members to VECs. Under the Act parents of students, who have not reached the age of 18 years and who are...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 Nov 2004)

Mary Hanafin: Where pupils with special educational needs enrol in a post-primary school, it is open to the school to apply to my Department for additional teaching and-or special needs assistant support for these pupils. My Department allocates additional teaching support and special needs assistant support to second level schools and vocational educational committees to cater for pupils with special...