Results 8,361-8,380 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (20 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. The Higher Education Grants Scheme is...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (20 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 407 and 408 together. Under the relevant pension schemes for VEC and Institutes of Technology officers, on appointment to a permanent post a person is required to purchase previous temporary and part-time service where this was not pensionable. In the case of an officer who becomes liable on permanent appointment to Class A rate PRSI, the cost of purchasing...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (20 Nov 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 — Disputes Resolution: Disputes Resolution (20 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am aware of the dispute referred to by the Deputy. This matter is being dealt with by the Institution in question and I understand that all correspondence has been referred to their solicitors for attention.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (20 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department provides funding to secondary schools for the provision of caretaking and other ancillary services via the school services support fund. This grant, which is paid on a per capita basis, allows schools discretion in the application of the funding in accordance with their own needs and priorities. In particular, it represents a major resource for schools with difficulties in the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding towards the provision of new school building has been received from the school authority referred to by the Deputy. An assessment of projected enrolment trends, demographic trends and housing developments in the area will be required in order to determine the long term projected staffing figure on which the school's accommodation needs will be based. Once...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The breakdown of the 2008 building budget between the devolved and other schemes has not yet been determined.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Nov 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 about further progress as soon as the tender...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (20 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The report of the Action Group on Access to Third Level Education made detailed recommendations concerning the introduction of special rates of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students. The target group of "those most in need" was defined in terms of the dependants of people receiving long-term welfare payments, where the necessary conditions are fulfilled. The special rates of grant...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (20 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Schools' running costs are met by my Department's scheme of capitation grants which affords schools considerable flexibility in the use of these resources to cater for the needs of their pupils. These grants are intended to contribute towards the general operating costs of schools. This flexibility allows schools to engage interpreters to facilitate interaction with deaf parents where...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The type of project to which the Deputy refers would require large scale capital funding. Therefore, the relevant application form which the school is required to complete is "Major Capital Funding Form (SLE)". This form is available on the Department's website (www.education.ie) under the School Planning/ Building link (post-primary). The completed form should be returned to School...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (20 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Special Education Appeals Board (SEAB) was established under section 36 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 to hear and determine appeals pursuant to a number of sections of the Act. Members of the inaugural appeals board have been appointed and are currently working on the development of processes and procedures which need to be in place before the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The breakdown of the 2008 building budget between the devolved and other schemes has not yet been determined.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (20 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Special Rate of Maintenance Grant is available to students in receipt of the ordinary maintenance grant under each of my Department's four maintenance grant schemes. In order to qualify for the special rate of maintenance grant a candidate must meet a number of conditions, including the following:— 1.An applicant must qualify for the ordinary maintenance grant; 2.Total reckonable...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (20 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) was required by the Education for Persons with Special Education Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004, to provide a report on the Implementation of the Act. This report is, essentially, advice to the Minister for Education and Science, regarding the steps the Council considers necessary to implement EPSEN, within a period not greater than five years from...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The breakdown of the 2008 building budget between the devolved and other schemes has not yet been determined.

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (20 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is available on the tables attached. Table 1 details the level of EU aid received by the Department of Education and Science as appropriations in aid, per measure, for each of the years 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 from the European Social Fund under the Community Support Framework, 1994-1999. Table 2 details the level of EU aid received by the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: In recent years much greater authority has been devolved to local school management boards to manage and deliver smaller building projects, minor works etc., thereby freeing my Departments technical and professional staff to concentrate on the larger scale projects. This had become necessary due to the huge increase in larger scale projects being progressed through my Department. For...

Written Answers — Education Welfare Service: Education Welfare Service (20 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The National Educational Welfare Board is developing a nationwide service on a continuing basis that is accessible to schools, parents/guardians and others concerned with the welfare of young people. For this purpose, Educational Welfare Officers (EWOs) have been deployed throughout the country to provide a welfare-focused service to support regular school attendance and discharge the...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (20 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is aware that Carrigaline and its surrounding environs are experiencing population growth particularly in the projected pupil population, a position that almost inevitably places some strain on existing educational provision. In this regard, officials from my Department recently met with the Patron and representatives from the majority of the national schools in the area to...