Results 7,941-7,960 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Department's Press Officer generally travels with me to official public engagements throughout the country where media are invited or are expected to attend. If the Press Officer is not in attendance, as can happen when I travel abroad for official business, I would remain in regular contact with officials in my office in Marlborough Street, including the Press Officer. It is not...

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

Mary Hanafin: The information sought will take some time to put together and accordingly I will arrange to have my Department reply directly to the Deputy as soon as possible .

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

Mary Hanafin: Please find the following spreadsheet containing the cost of using public transport by the Minister of Education and Science, Junior Ministers and Staff for 2006 and to date in 2007. Information on the breakdown for previous years is not readily available. 2006 2007 â'¬ â'¬ Taxi 234.25 116.50 Trains Luas Dart 108.40 226.00 Bus 0.00 5.30 Total for Public Transport 342.65 347.80

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

Mary Hanafin: All staff in the Department of Education and Science have access to education related news clippings through the intranet. Relevant newspaper stories are added to the intranet site on a daily basis. This service is provided by a commercial company, under contract to the Department. The cost of this service to the Department in 2006 was €45,383.63

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

Mary Hanafin: I was appointed Minister for Education and Science on 29/9/2004. I use one mobile phone supplied by my Department. The annual cost of same for each year since my appointment is contained in the table. Year Cost â'¬ 2004 291.92 2005 4,282.16 2006 3,137.82 Jan-Nov 2007 3,313.96

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

Mary Hanafin: My Department has provided three mobile phones, two Blackberry devices and one fax machine to staff appointed directly by me. The annual cost of same since my appointment on 29/9/2004 is given in the table. Year Cost â'¬ 2004 274.13 2005 8,211.07 2006 9,308.78 Jan-Nov 2007 8,140.15

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

Mary Hanafin: The information is not readily available in the format sought by the Deputy. However, I will arrange to have the information compiled and forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

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

Mary Hanafin: My Department has already provided a 16-classroom facility to meet the immediate accommodation requirements in Laytown. The new 24-classroom school building will be provided by my Department under a design and build contract. The procurement process for this project is now nearing completion and it is expected that the contract will be awarded very soon. As part of the tender competition,...

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

Mary Hanafin: The new Leaving Certificate examination schedule for 2008 has been agreed with a working group representing the Partners in Education, and is designed to reduce the demand on students especially during the first week of the examinations. It advances Chemistry, which is sat by some 7,000 students, and Geography, sat by some 25,000 students, to Thursday and Friday respectively of the first...

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

Mary Hanafin: A building project was recently completed at the school referred to by the Deputy to bring the capacity of the school to 1,200 pupils. Enrolment figures for 2007/08 are not yet available but I can confirm that the enrolment at the school in question for 2006/07 was 1,153 pupils.

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

Mary Hanafin: I have made arrangements to have the family's request for a meeting with the SENO transmitted to the NCSE.

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I can inform the Deputy that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) that is administered by NEPS and full details of which are available on my Department's website. NEPS does not keep waiting...

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

Mary Hanafin: The Teaching Council has had responsibility for the accreditation and recognition of courses for teaching since its establishment on 28 March, 2006. My Department does not have any involvement in this process. I understand that the Council has not yet received an application from this institute in relation to the recognition of this degree for the purposes of teaching physical education.

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

Mary Hanafin: The decision on eligibility for third level grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority — i.e. the 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 required. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has...

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 720 and 721 together. The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available.

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

Mary Hanafin: The processing of applications for grants/assistance etc. can be a complex and time-consuming operation. The length of time between receipt of an application and a decision issuing to an applicant varies widely on the type of application, accuracy in completing the original application form and the processes that have to be carried out by my staff to assess the application. For instance, with...

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

Mary Hanafin: Approval of the Stage 3 (developed sketch scheme) was issued to the Board of Management of the school in a letter dated 14 November 2007. In addition, preparation of Stage 4/5 tender documents has commenced. It is not possible to say at this point when construction will start. However, my Department will be in contact with the school authorities regarding further progress as soon as the...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Two specialist posts in my Department are scheduled to relocate to Athlone. None of the specialist staff in my Department have indicated a wish to decentralise to Athlone and there are no suitably qualified staff in other departments who have expressed a wish to decentralise to Athlone to these posts. Twenty six (26) specialist posts in my Department are scheduled to relocate to Mullingar....

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The agencies under the aegis of my Department that will decentralise under the programme of decentralisation are the National Education Welfare Board (Portarlington), the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (Portarlington), the Higher Education Authority (Athlone), the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (Edenderry), the Higher Education and Training Awards Council...

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

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled by my Department and will be forwarded directly to him.