Results 9,361-9,380 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Property Transfers: Property Transfers (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The legal documents for the transfer of the site to which the Deputy refers from Dublin City Council to the Department have recently been cleared by the Chief State Solicitor's Office and arrangements are being made for their execution. The Department is committed to the provision, in the shortest possible time-frame, of suitable accommodation on the site to cater for the needs of the...

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Dr. Port's report is currently being examined. I expect that the analysis of the report will be completed as soon as possible.

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Schools are not encouraged to enrol from outside their catchment areas because the cumulative effect of so doing over a number of years can impact negatively on pupils from within the catchment area who are entitled, as of right, to a place in a particular school. It also invariably impacts negatively on the school or schools to which these pupils should rightly attend and in which...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Significant progress has been made in progressing a range of areas highlighted in the Report of the Task Force on the Physical Sciences e.g. A new science curriculum has been introduced at primary level supported by a resource grant in December 2004 of €1000 per school plus €10 per pupil. A revised syllabus in Junior Certificate Science was introduced in 2003 and it was examined for the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The process of appointing a Design Team to the building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage. The closing date for receipt of tender submissions from short-listed design candidates was Friday, 21 September. After these submissions have been assessed and the Consultants' tax clearance and insurance details have been checked and verified, contracts will be signed with the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to clarify that my Department provides funding for the education of children with autism through the primary and post-primary school system, rather than any specific support services being provided for parents. Parents may contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) directly to discuss their child's special educational needs using the contact details available on...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations, including organising the holding of examinations and issuing the results of examinations. In view of this, I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers, for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. My officials have been in contact with the National Council for Special Education and I understand that the SENO has not...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Office of Public Works (OPW) are acting on behalf of the Department in relation to the acquisition of a site for the project and the acquisition of same is currently at contract/conveyancing stages. On completion of the site acquisition process the project will progress in the context of the Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy will be considered in the context of the multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The assessment of means under my Department's Third Level 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 — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The determination of the long term accommodation needs of the school referred to by the Deputy has not yet been completed. The required building project, when determined, will be considered in the context of the school building programme.

Written Answers — Third Level Courses: Third Level Courses (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Minister for Health and Children, Ms. Mary Harney T.D., and I recently announced the establishment of a School of Podiatry at the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG). The announcement followed a call for proposals for the establishment of a Podiatry programme organised by the HEA on behalf of the Department of Health and Children and the Department of Education and Science....

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that special needs assistants (SNAs) and teachers have separate yet complementary roles. SNAs provide care support to pupils with special educational needs who have been assessed as having such needs while teachers deliver education to the pupils. The Deputy will be aware of the my Department's unprecedented investment in recent years in providing additional...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the process of engaging a Design Team for the building project at the school in question is underway. An advertisement seeking Expressions of Interest from suitably qualified consultants was published on the public procurement portal, www.etenders.gov.ie, on Monday 24 September on behalf of the Board of Management who, as Client, will oversee the...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am please to inform the Deputy that the school to which he refers has been retained for educational use. In this regard, the City of Dublin V.E.C, acting as anchor tenant, will be providing further education courses for the local community and St. Michael's House will be making new autistic provision. From next year, the building will also be occupied by another educational facility. The...

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in the format requested.

Written Answers — Whole School Evaluations: Whole School Evaluations (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Under the requirements of the Education Act 1998 each recognised school is required "to establish and maintain systems whereby the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations can be assessed." A range of supports is available to schools to assist them in undertaking self-evaluation and improvement of their work. External evaluation by the Inspectorate can also help to enhance the quality...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Department is currently examining the question of permanent recognition for the school to which the Deputy refers. Among the factors being considered is the long-term viability of the school, current and projected enrolments and suitability of accommodation. A decision in this matter will be conveyed to the school authority shortly.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (26 Sep 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 818, 864, 866 and 868 together. I can confirm to the Deputies that the Department is in receipt of applications for large scale capital funding from the schools to which they refer. The projects have been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. Progress on the proposed works is being considered in...