Results 7,901-7,920 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Early School Leavers: Early School Leavers (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I can assure the Deputy that my Department is committed to further developing high-quality, relevant and timely statistical information relating to all levels of education in order to contribute to the development of policies and services to the public and to meet the needs of learners, education providers and other users of education data, nationally as well as internationally. In that...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Students pursuing approved part time undergraduate courses are eligible for tax relief on their fees. The Towards 2016 agreement also contains a commitment to put in place a targeted scheme to alleviate the fees in public institutions for part-time courses at third level for those at work who have not previously pursued a third level qualification. The Higher Education Authority, in...

Written Answers — School Planning: School Planning (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Five Draft Area Development Plans have been published by the Commission on School Accommodation to date. The areas covered by the Plans are: Mountmellick/Mountrath The N4/M4 corridor Newport/Westport North Kerry North Dublin The Commission is currently finalising a Plan for the East Meath and South Louth area. All Plans, which will be the blueprint for capital investment for the areas...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The information on class sizes for the 2007/08 school year is currently being compiled in my Department. 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,...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware of the commitment in the Programme for Government to examine how local authorities might grant allow schools a reasonable level of usage of water and waste services without charge, and that charges would only apply when a school exceeded the allowance. The Deputy will appreciate that it is a primarily a matter for my colleague, the Minister for the Environment,...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 744 together. The schools referred to by the Deputy are recognised primary schools and attract funding in the same way as all recognised primary schools. The Deputy will be aware that schools' running costs are met by my Department's scheme of capitation grants. and capitation grants have been increased substantially in recent years. I announced...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The revised primary curriculum was launched in 1999 after extensive consultation with the partners in education. Page 27 in the Introduction to the Curriculum states "It is a particular feature of Irish primary education that children, from the beginning of schooling, have experience of language learning in two languages." It also sets out a suggested minimum weekly time framework for...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Circuit Court issued its Judgement on 19th October last on my Department's appeal on the findings of the Equality Tribunal in relation to annotations on examination certificates. The Court found that the practice of including an explanatory note on examination certificates where a core element was not assessed is not discriminatory. My Department has been served notice that one of the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Special needs assistants are allocated to schools to support the care needs, rather than the learning difficulties, of certain children with special needs. Some children with learning difficulties may have no care needs and do not need the support of a Special Needs Assistant. These children can be supported by the learning support teacher in the school. Schools which have enrolled...

Written Answers — School Insurance: School Insurance (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy may be aware that my Department is currently undertaking a review of insurance arrangements in schools throughout the primary and post-primary sectors as part of the VFM and Policy Review Initiative. The Value for Money and Policy Review Initiative was introduced in June 2006, replacing the former Expenditure Review Initiative and is part of the wider public service modernisation...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 667 and 668 together. My Department have completed a technical visit of the school referred to by the Deputy with a view to determining the project brief. The future progression of the project will be considered in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: An extension/refurbishment project proposed for the school referred to by the Deputy is at the early stages of architectural planning. The progression of the project will be considered in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the deputy that following the receipt of additional information requested a grant has been sanctioned for the school in question. Arrangements are being put in place to have the grant paid into the school's bank account as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is involved in the collaborative purchase of electricity for use in Government Departments operated by the Government Supplies Agency, OPW, who administer the tendering process. The present contracts for the supply of electricity to my Department do not include electricity from renewable sources. My Department will evaluate the situation when the contract is re-tendered next...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is committed to purchasing a site for Gaelscoil Cluain Meala. For reasons of commercial sensitivities, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on individual sites.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Every year the Department of Education & Science awards 50 Third Level Irish Scholarships to students, who have completed their Leaving Certificate through Irish and who have amongst other things, attended an all-Irish school and reached a certain minimum standard in the Leaving Certificate. Twenty of these scholarships are offered to students who wish to pursue their third level studies...

Written Answers — Third Level Courses: Third Level Courses (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I have taken note of the Recommendations of the National Competitiveness Council in relation to the development of a policy framework for attracting foreign students to Ireland. In this area, my Department established an interdepartmental group some time ago with the remit of considering the most effective way of promoting Ireland as a centre of educational excellence for international...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has a significant number of staff who provide services to schools around the country and are therefore not office based. This includes staff in the Inspectorate and psychologists in the National Educational Psychological Service. In total, 530 official mobile phones are supplied to staff in my Department and are paid directly by my Department to the...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department does not pay mobile telephone bills in the form of expenses. All staff mobile phone bills are paid directly to the mobile phone provider.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department's mobile phone operator is unable to provide the information on data and roaming charges for 2006 as it is protected information under the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003. The total cost of charges for my mobile phone in 2006 was €3,137.82. The information in relation to 2007 is contained in the table. Year Total Data Roaming 2007 €3,313.96 €310.28 €1889.60