Results 6,421-6,440 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (8 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that an application has been received for funding for the provision of additional accommodation at the school in question. The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to tender and construction, including this project, will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The project at the school referred to by the Deputy is at advanced stage — Stage 2b of architectural planning. (i.e. Detailed Design and Bill of Quantities). Progression of all building projects, including the school in question will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. Issues of health and safety are the responsibility...

Written Answers — Higher Education: Higher Education (8 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The position is that the universities are run as autonomous institutions. They are also academically independent and my Department does not have any function in the day to day operational affairs of such colleges. It would, therefore, not be appropriate for me to intervene in this matter.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Middletown Centre for Autism project is a joint initiative between the Department of Education in Northern Ireland and the Department of Education and Science aimed at supporting the promotion of excellence in the development and harmonisation of education and allied services to children and young people with autistic spectrum disorders. It has been agreed that the following four key...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The process of appointing a design team to the school building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage. The advancement 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 — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: In 2002 my Department approved the provision of an additional 75 places on new courses in Speech and Language Therapy in University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Galway and University Limerick in addition to the 25 places on an existing course in Trinity College Dublin. As a result there has been a significant increase in the numbers of Speech and Language Therapists...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: On 1 February, I announced a list of schools which are due to go to construction in 2008. It is also my intention to make a further announcement shortly to allow a further batch of schools to commence construction and to update progress on the new schools planned for September 2008 delivery in developing areas. Details of my announcement on February 1 can be viewed under the "Press Room"...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (8 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Higher Education Grants Schemes operate under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. Under the Higher Education Grants Scheme an approved course is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of at least two years duration or a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one year duration pursued in an approved institution. An approved institution is...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (8 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 332 and 333 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the 2006/2007 enrolment figures are the most recent available ones at the present. For 2006/2007 there were 13,911 pupils attending Church of Ireland schools in the country.

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (8 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: There are 21 Protestant secondary schools with 9,331 children enrolled. These schools receive funding from my Department by way of the Block Grant. There are a further 5 Protestant schools in the Community and Comprehensive sector in receipt of funding from my Department, with 3,049 students enrolled. The enrolment figures referred to above are at 30th September 2006, which are the most...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (8 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that the 2006/2007 enrolment figures are the most recent available ones at the present. For 2006/2007 there were 291 pupils in Country Sligo and 93 pupils in County Leitrim attending Church of Ireland schools.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, there has been enormous progress made over the past number of years in relation to increasing the number of teachers in our second level schools who are specifically dedicated to providing education for children with special educational needs. At second level, approximately 2,125 whole time equivalent teachers are in place to support pupils with special educational...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (8 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that significant improvements have been made in the staffing levels of our second level schools in recent years. In the period between the 2001/2002 and 2007/2008 school years, there were approximately twelve hundred additional wholetime equivalent teaching posts allocated to second level schools. The number of permanent teaching posts available in...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (8 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. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding towards the provision of a new school building has been received from the school authority referred to by the Deputy. The long term projected staffing assessment and the further progression of the proposed building 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 (8 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: An extension project for the school in question is at an advance stage of architectural planning. The further progression of the 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 (8 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 (8 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the Home Tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting a suitable educational placement. 910 pupils participated in the scheme in the 2006/2007 school year and...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (8 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy may be aware, in 2007 a Developing Areas Unit was set up in my Department to focus on the school accommodation needs of rapidly developing areas including the area to which the Deputy refers. The main emphasis in 2008 is on providing sufficient school places in these developing areas, as well as delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary school...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 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 Departments Multi Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.