Results 8,321-8,340 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Prison Building Programme. (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I am responding to this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The existing Cork Prison was built by the British military in the early 19th century as part of what is now known as Collins Barracks. It was only in 1972 that it was transferred to the Department of Justice and used as a civil prison. Originally designed for 150 inmates, it now has...
- National Drugs Strategy. (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: Again, I am making this reply on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Brian Lenihan. The Minister would like to thank Deputy Byrne for raising this matter on the Adjournment this evening and indeed we all welcome the comprehensive reporting on the drugs issue this week by the Irish Examiner. The issue remains one of the most pressing social...
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The prefabs to which the Deputy refers were not provided by my Department. They were provided as part of a contract to decant pupils on a temporary basis while a roof replacement and asbestos removal project was being carried out by the OPW. In compliance with that contract, the prefabs are due to be removed. The schools did not give any prior indication that they require additional...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department is in receipt of an application for large scale capital funding from the school to which he refers. The project has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. Progress on the proposed works is being considered in the context of the multi-annual School Building and Modernisation programme.
- Written Answers — Departmental Circulars: Departmental Circulars (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: Circulars and other administrative rules are a well recognised feature of administrative law and have been interpreted and applied by the courts. These circulars and rules may create legal rights and obligations. In addition they may be reviewed by the courts for legality. Thus the Rules for National Schools and Criminal Injuries Compensation Rules have both been considered and construed...
- Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Education Act 1998 provides the Minister with the power to make regulations relating to a range of issues concerning the provision of education by schools. I favour the incremental use of those regulatory powers where appropriate to replace existing rules, circulars and communications with schools. In that context it is my intention to put the primary curriculum on a regulatory footing...
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 281 and 282 together. The tender report for the construction of an eight classroom Generic Repeat Design school referred to by the Deputy is under examination in my Department at present. The school's Board of Management will be kept advised of developments including the position on a temporary facility when the examination is complete.
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: This project which has been approved to start architectural planning is being considered in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme.
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not sanction ABA specific classes for autism in mainstream schools, as the Department believes that each child with autism is unique; such children should have access to a range of different interventions to meet their individual needs. ABA is one of the methodologies used in special classes for children with autism. Advice received from...
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The school submitted an application under the Small Schools Scheme 2007 for additional accommodation. Due to the volume of applications received in the Department it was not possible to allocate funding to all proposed projects and the school referred to by the Deputy was not successful in this instance.
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Department has been working for some time with Fingal County Council on the acquisition of sites to enable new schools to open throughout its area of functionality in 2008. The ability of the Department to open these schools next September is contingent on the sites being acquired very soon. The Department is encouraged by the Council's recent positive statement in relation to the...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: My Department funds four maintenance grant schemes for third level and further education students. These are the Higher Education Grants Scheme, the Vocational Education Committees' Scholarships Scheme, the Third Level Maintenance Grants Scheme for Trainees and the Maintenance Grants Scheme for Students attending Post Leaving Certificate Courses. Under the terms of the maintenance grants...
- Written Answers — Student Statistics: Student Statistics (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The information available on overall retention or survival rates for all students in higher education indicates that Ireland performs well by international comparison. The OECD published 'Education at a Glance 2007' contains estimates of 'tertiary survival' for each OECD member state based on the estimated proportion of new entrants in a given year who successfully completed a tertiary...
- Written Answers — Student Statistics: Student Statistics (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in the form requested. The Higher Education Authority undertake periodic studies of the profile of the student population in higher education to facilitate the analysis of overall long term trends in relation to the participation of students by age, gender, field of study, educational achievement, and socio-economic background....
- Written Answers — Conflicts of Interest: Conflicts of Interest (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: My Department has consulted with the Ministerial Advisors that are serving or served at this Department during the said period. All of them have completed the relevant statements required in accordance with the terms of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 and the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 and have confirmed that there was no conflict of interest in the past five years.
- Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to consultants engaged by my Department is being compiled and will be forwarded as soon as possible. In relation to agencies under the aegis of my Department, the position is that the information in question is not readily available in my Department and would involve an inordinate amount of administrative time to compile. I attach a list of...
- Written Answers — Complaints Procedures: Complaints Procedures (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: My Department aims to provide high quality services to customers as outlined in our Customer Charter and Customer Service Action Plan. However, there are occasions when our customers are dissatisfied with the service they have received. The complaints procedures in place in my Department are designed to help staff respond to all complaints and, where possible, to put things right. My...
- Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The cumulative value of advertising placed by my Department in print media in each of the years since 2002 was as follows: 2007 â to end October â¬655,000 2006 â â¬800,000 2005 â â¬504,000 2004 â â¬790,000 2003 â â¬416,000 2002 â â¬1,007,000 A breakdown of the type of advertising placed is not readily available in my Department. Additionally my Department spent the...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: My Department is currently undertaking a programme of Value for Money Reviews, formerly called Expenditure Reviews. The objectives of these reviews, which were introduced in 1997, are to analyse Exchequer funding in a systematic manner and to provide a basis on which more informed policy and expenditure decisions can be made. One of the core evaluation questions of these reviews centres on...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: A Stage 3 submission (detailed sketch scheme) is currently under examination in my Department. The school's Board of Management will be kept advised of developments when the examination is complete. The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, is considered on an on-going basis in the context of my...