Results 8,981-9,000 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (10 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding towards the provision of an extension has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. The assessment of the long term projected staffing, on which the schools accommodation needs are based is required. Once the long term projection has been determined and agreed with the school authorities the building project will be considered in the...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I wish to inform the Deputy that Planning Permission for the construction of the school to which he refers has been received. It is expected that construction will commence shortly with a construction period of approximately four months, if there are no unforeseen issues. Upon completion of the new building, the school will be informed to make the necessary arrangements to take up occupation.
- Written Answers — Child Abuse: Child Abuse (10 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that the management of child abuse claims taken against the State was formally delegated to the State Claims Agency (SCA) by Government Order made in July 2005. The effect of a delegation order was that the SCA would act in place of my Department in instructing a legal team in defending and, where appropriate, settling claims made against the Minister for...
- Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (10 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: Two laptops owned by my Department have been stolen in recent years â one in 2006 from my Department's offices in Marlborough Street (valued at â¬896) and the other in 2007 from a school inspector's car (valued at â¬1,120). Neither laptop was recovered. The cost of replacing each of the laptops was â¬1,400, respectively. There were no other losses resulting from fire, theft or...
- Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (10 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: My Department has not entered into any leasing arrangements for office properties. The leasing of office property is a matter for the Office of Public Works which acts as an agent for all Government Departments.
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of my Department in relation to sites acquisitions, has secured a site for the provision of a new school. The building programme required to deliver the new school building will be considered in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme.
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (10 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: My Department provides for special education resources to State recognised schools to ensure that children have access to an appropriate education with additional supports as necessary. These resources are provided through the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and the local Special Educational Needs Organisers. The Deputy should be aware that private junior schools are not State...
- Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (10 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are available on my Department's website. Schools that do not currently have NEPS psychologists assigned to them,...
- Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (10 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are available on my Department's website. Schools that do not currently have NEPS psychologists assigned to them,...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (10 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: 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 Bill, will facilitate consistency of application,...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (10 Oct 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 — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (10 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware of my commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with autism, receive an education appropriate to their needs. With regard to specific provision for children with autism, the Government believes that as each child with autism is unique; such children should have access to a range of different interventions to meet their individual needs. Applied...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (10 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I understand the Deputy is asking about eligibility for a grant under the maintenance grant schemes rather than eligibility to attend a course. My Departments Maintenance Grants Schemes, which are assessed by the relevant Local Authority or the local VEC's, define a mature student to mean a person of not less than 23 years of age, on the 1st day of January in the year of entry to an approved...
- Seanad: Access to Education: Motion (10 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: Ba mhaith liom a bhua sa toghchán a thréaslú leis an gCathaoirleach agus leis na Seanadoirà a labhair anseo inniu. I note that of the 14 Senators who spoke on this topic, 12 are newly elected which augurs well for future debates on education. I thank them all for their interest and welcome them to the Houses of the Oireachtas. I thank them also for affording me the opportunity to...
- Seanad: Access to Education: Motion (10 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I do not see the need for another forum just to bring people together to talk, when we have plenty of ways of ensuring everybody's voice is heard. The important thing is to continue to move forward. The Government is investing â¬4.5 billion in school buildings under the national development plan to ensure we have sufficient places for children of schoolgoing age. We are very conscious of...
- Shannon Airport (9 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I am responding on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport and the Marine, Deputy Dempsey. Under the memorandum and articles of association, the State is entitled to appoint three directors to the board of Aer Lingus. Currently, there is only one State appointed director serving on the board and it is now proposed that two further appointments be made. The State's...
- Schools Building Projects. (9 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. His main interest concerns the school to which he referred. I understand there are two schools listed for Ballynacargy, each with its own roll number. One is Scoil BhrÃde and the other is Ballynacargy mixed national school. My reply to the parliamentary question last week related to Scoil BhrÃde and my reply tonight concerns the mixed national...
- Site Acquisitions. (9 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I thank Deputy Tom Hayes for giving me an opportunity to outline the current position maidir le Gaelscoil Chluain Meala. Tuigim go maith an gá atá ann le haghaidh scoil nua. I genuinely appreciate that the school has had to wait a long time for new accommodation. The Government will do all it can to acquire a site for the gaelscoil as soon as possible. The aggressive protest that took...
- Written Answers — Student Support Services: Student Support Services (9 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I do not believe that there is a need to set up an independent body on the lines suggested by the Deputy. Our higher education institutions are autonomous bodies which have statutory and other grievance procedures. The statutory procedures provide for appointment of an independent person or persons as appropriate. Of course, where allegations are of a criminal nature they should be reported...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Oct 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of my Department in relation to sites acquisitions, has secured a site for the provision of a new school. The building programme required to deliver the new school building will be considered in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme.