Results 8,421-8,440 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (15 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The assessment of means under my Department's Student Maintenance Grant Schemes is based on gross income from all sources, with specified social welfare and Health Service Executive payments being excluded from the calculation. The following Social Welfare and Health Service Executive payments are excluded in the calculation of reckonable income:— Child Benefit; — Family Income...

Written Answers — Road Safety Strategy: Road Safety Strategy (15 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is at present working in co-operation with the Health and Safety Authority and the State Claims Agency on the development of guidelines and resources for schools on health and safety, with an initial focus on second-level schools. It is envisaged that these guidelines and resources, which will include guidance on the preparation of a road safety protocol for inclusion in the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (15 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 148 together. As the Deputy will be aware, all applications for large scale capital funding are assessed against published prioritisation criteria and assigned a Band rating. Progress on individual projects is then considered in the context of the multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme consistent with the assigned Band rating. This...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (15 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government includes a commitment to establish a Developing Areas Unit in my Department, dedicated solely to progressing school planning in rapidly developing areas, building on improvements that have already been made in recent years. I should point out that my Department's School Planning Section has been organised on a geographical basis for...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (15 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools and my Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters. Schools are not required to inform my Department when changes to enrolment procedures occur. However, under section 15 (2) (d) of the Education Act 1998, each school is legally obliged to publish its...

Written Answers — Home Tuition: Home Tuition (15 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am informed that the Board of Management of the school is expediting the recruitment process to fill the current teacher vacancies with a view to re-opening the school as soon as possible. In the interim, my Department has sanctioned 20 hours home tuition per week for the pupil referred to by the Deputy and the pupil's parents have been notified accordingly.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (15 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy applied under the Summer Works Scheme 2007 for the provision of a drop off area and staff car parking facilities. Within the budget available, it was not possible to allocate funding to all proposed projects. The Department considered further the application following an appeal from the school authority however the original decision was confirmed.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (15 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the role of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs), includes identifying appropriate educational placements for children with special educational needs. I understand that the relevant SENO is currently liaising with the family concerned to identify a placement for their child....

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (15 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: For the purposes of post-primary education provision, the country is divided into catchment areas, each of which has its own post-primary education centre. The catchment boundaries were determined following consultation with local educational interests and the intention was that certain primary schools would feed exclusively into each centre. My Department provides accommodation to meet the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (15 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding towards the provision of an extension for the school to which the Deputy refers has been assessed and the long-term projected staffing on which the school's future accommodation needs has been determined and notified to the school authority. The building project required is being considered in the context of the multi-annual School Building and Modernisation...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (15 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 — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (15 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has agreed to dispose of a small portion of its land to South Dublin County Council to facilitate a new access road. The agreement is subject to a number of conditions including the reinstatement of the field. While improved access has now been provided, my Department has been advised that some works still remain outstanding and in this regard the matter has been raised with...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (15 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has received a request to dispose of some lands in the area referred to by the Deputy. This land is not for sale at the present time.

Written Answers — School Services Staff: School Services Staff (14 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: In 2006 I introduced, with the concurrence of the Minister for Finance, pension arrangements for caretaking staff employed under the 1979 Employment Scheme in Primary Schools. These arrangements provide that membership of the superannuation scheme will be effective from 1 September 2001 in the case of eligible caretakers in service at that time. The pension scheme will be a contributory,...

Written Answers — Home Tuition: Home Tuition (14 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The July Education Programme is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism and severe and profound learning disability who choose to extend their education services through the month of July. Home based tuition is offered as an alternative for eligible pupils who cannot avail of school based programmes. The...

Written Answers — Summer Works Scheme: Summer Works Scheme (14 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The closing date for the Summer Works Scheme 2008 was the 28th of September last. Decisions on the Scheme will be taken later in the year.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I understand that the tender documentation for the project referred to by the Deputy is nearing completion. Progression of all projects to tender and construction will be considered in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (14 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Under the provisions of the Education Act, 1998, the board of management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. In general, the Board has the responsibility to ensure that the school operates efficiently and effectively and also has responsibilities in relation to the action of its employees. My Department supports the principle that complaints regarding schools should be...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (14 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that on 22 February 2007, my Department gave devolved authority for the project in question to proceed to tender and construction. I understand that tenders have been returned and my Department is currently awaiting the tender report.

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (14 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: In accordance with the Rules and Programme for Secondary Schools, all second-level schools should offer Physical Education as part of the curriculum. The programme should be based on the Department's approved syllabuses and teaching hours should be registered on the school timetable. The syllabuses in Physical Education have been developed on the basis of a time allocation of two hours per...