Results 8,701-8,720 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (1 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 — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to inform the Deputy that there are currently thirteen school building projects being progressed in my Department for County Laois. The process of appointing Design Teams to three school building projects is under way. One school building project is at stage 3 (Developed Sketch Scheme); four projects are at stage 4/5 (Detail Design/Bill of Quantities), one of which has submitted a...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and I will arrange for it to be forwarded to him as soon as possible.

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: In relation to schools under the aegis of the Department of Education and Science, it is a matter for the managerial authorities to determine enrolment policies. In doing so, they must act in accordance with the requirements of the Education Act 1998 and equal status legislation. Enrolment policies in Northern Ireland are a matter for the relevant Northern Ireland authorities. My Department,...

Written Answers — Student Support Schemes: Student Support Schemes (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 143 together. As the Deputy may already be aware, I plan to introduce a single unified scheme of maintenance grants for students and to consolidate the administration of this unified grants scheme in the VEC sector. This will, I believe, provide for a more coherent administrative system. The scheme, which will be underpinned by a new Student Support...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Office of Public Works which acts on behalf of my Department generally on the acquisition of sites for schools has been requested to source a suitable site for this school. When a suitable site has been identified its acquisition will be considered in the context of my Department's budgetary allocation for site acquisitions which has yet to be finalised for 2008.

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the home tuition scheme provides funding to parents to facilitate the provision of education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting a suitable educational placement. I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The issue of road safety measures outside the vested site areas of schools, would be a matter that should be raised in the first instance with the relevant Local Authority. Local Authorities have the power to decide on road safety measures outside schools and should ensure that measures are in place to protect the safety of local school children. Individual school authorities are responsible...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The New School Advisory Committee (NSAC) has received formal notifications of intention to apply for the recognition of new primary schools in September, 2008 in the locations to which the Deputy refers. The (NSAC) is an independent advisory group established to process applications for the recognition of new primary schools and to make recommendations to me. I would expect that the NSAC...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: In order to meet the language needs of students in our schools whose first language is not English or Irish, additional support is given to their schools which can take the form of financial assistance, additional teaching posts or portions of posts. The level of extra financial or teaching support provided to any school is determined by the numbers of eligible non-English speaking students...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The total capital allocation for the Primary and Post-Primary sectors in 2007 is over €540m and this allocation will be expended by year-end. It is not possible to determine the level of contractual commitments that will be a constituent part of the 2008 allocation until later this year. This arises as projects on site will incur further expenditure in 2007 and a number of projects may...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: When a school is given approval to enter architectural planning the first step in the process is the appointment of a Design Team to design and plan the works. All Design Teams are made aware of the Department's Design Team procedures which include relevant and appropriate guidelines and these must be adhered to in advancing a school through the architectural design process.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Following a pre-planning discussion between the Design Team and officials from the Roads Section of Kildare County Council, it was confirmed that a traffic impact assessment was not required. During this discussion, Kildare County Council suggested alterations to the scheme to take account of traffic requirements and these alterations have been incorporated into the design. Kildare County...

Written Answers — Grant Applications: Grant Applications (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The special rate of maintenance grant is available to students under each of my Department's four maintenance grant schemes. In order to qualify for the special rate of maintenance grant the following conditions must be satisfied: 1. An applicant must qualify for the standard maintenance grant; 2. The relevant income, in the prescribed tax year, must not exceed the lower income limit as set...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The scheme of performance-related awards in the civil service applies to Deputy and Assistant Secretaries and equivalent grades. It does not apply to Secretaries General. Details of awards to individual officers under the performance related scheme are not disclosed on the basis that they are confidential to the officer concerned. However I can say that during 2007 awards totalling €93,000...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy has applied for funding for the upgrade of toilet facilities under the Summer Works Scheme 2008. The closing date for the Summer Works Scheme 2008 was 28 September 2007. Decisions on the scheme will be made later in the year.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Planning and Building Unit of my Department, which is located in Tullamore, has a total staffing level of 128 posts. The unit deals with first, second and third level infrastructure, as well as Public Private Partnership. Details of the staff allocation at each grade are set out below. There are 5.5 vacancies in the unit and arrangements are being made to fill these. 8 — Principal...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The information to which the Deputy refers is acquired by the Department in the context of applications which are made by schools under the various Capital Programme Schemes. The information received is maintained on an individual school basis and is used to assess applications under the published prioritisation criteria attaching to each Scheme. The Government is delivering on its...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: It is not clear what the Deputy is referring to, however, as he will be aware, funding of €4.5 billion is being provided by the Government under the new National Development Plan (NDP) for investment in school building infrastructure over the lifetime of the Plan. This will be the largest investment programme in schools in the history of the State and will enable the Department to ensure...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (1 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is not available as the parties to the contracts are generally the school authority and the rental company and as such the Department provides grant aid to individual school authorities towards these costs. The demand for additional accommodation in schools has risen significantly over the last number of years mainly due to the rapid expansion in...