Results 6,001-6,020 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (8 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Since the commencement of the decentralisation programme in the Department, expenditure returns have been submitted to the Department of Finance detailing non-property costs associated with the programme for both this Department and the agencies under its aegis. The following tabular statement summarises the returns associated with non-property costs. Expenditure figures for the first...

Seanad: Hospital Waiting Lists (8 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I will take this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. The National Treatment Purchase Fund was established as a statutory body in May 2004 to treat public patients who are longest on surgical inpatient waiting lists. Access to treatment under the auspices of the NTPF is open to patients who are waiting more than three months on a surgical...

Seanad: Health Services (8 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I thank Senator Buttimer for raising this issue and I am replying to it on behalf my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. Asthma is a respiratory disease that affects the airways and which can develop over a period of time into a chronic respiratory condition in some individuals. Respiratory disease is a significant cause of morbidity in both the childhood and...

Seanad: School Staffing (8 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I thank each of the Senators their personal good wishes and I answer this question on behalf of the new Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. Primary and secondary schools are funded through capitation grants and likewise secretarial and caretaker services are funded by grants that are related to the number of pupils in the school. There are a small number of primary and...

Seanad: School Staffing (8 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Department of Education and Science has no plans to employ directly caretakers and secretaries. The scheme that has existed since 1978 is being phased out. The money given to each school is provided on a discretionary basis, so the school decides whether to employ people for three or five hours, for example. The money provided would allow primary schools to employ a secretary for four...

Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government: Motion. (7 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: It will be now.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 to 130, inclusive, together. The main emphasis in 2008 is on providing sufficient school places in rapidly developing areas as well as delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary school accommodation throughout the country. On the 1st February last I announced the first phase of projects that will commence construction...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (1 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Class size data for the school year 2007/2008 are currently being processed and are not yet available. Class size data by pupil age are not available. Schools have flexibility in the way in which they assign pupils and teachers to classes and the Department does not allocate teachers to specific classes or age groups. The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Over 3,000 Summer Works projects were funded by my Department since the introduction of the Scheme in 2004. With so many smaller scale projects having been funded in the last few years, the Department's intention is to concentrate the investment in school buildings this year on delivering as many large projects as possible. While there will be a focus on providing extra places in developing...

Written Answers — Asbestos Remediation Programme: Asbestos Remediation Programme (1 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The schools Asbestos Remediation Programme is carried out by the Office of Public Works with funding provided by my Department. The position of the College referred to by the Deputy is being examined in my Department at present and the authorities will be informed of the position as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (1 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Among the priority funding measures approved for support in 2006/2007 under the Educational Disadvantage category of the Dormant Account Fund and the RAPID Leverage Fund, was a scheme addressing educational infrastructure in disadvantaged schools. Eligibility for the scheme was restricted to primary and post primary schools participating in my Department's DEIS programme, schools in, or...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: My Department recently approved the Stage 3 submission for this project. The further progression of the project will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The architectural planning of the school building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage. The further progression of the project, as with all major building projects will be considered on an ongoing basis in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (1 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education 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. It is open to parents to contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The further progression of this building project, as with all major projects, 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 (1 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: An official from my Department has been in contact with the school recently and correspondence in the matter is expected shortly. My Department will respond to the school on receipt of the correspondence.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The schools referred to by the Deputy were included in my announcement of 1st February 2008 which outlined details of large scale building projects that are authorised to proceed to construction. At the end of February the school authorities were instructed to proceed with the acceptance of a tender for the project and it is envisaged that construction on the project will commence shortly.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Department is in receipt of an application for major capital funding for general classroom accommodation and a PE hall, from the school referred to by the Deputy. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and has been assigned a band 2 rating. Progress on the project will be considered in the context of my...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (30 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the deputy that following the receipt of additional information requested a grant was sanctioned and paid to the school in question last December.