Results 9,581-9,600 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (28 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: All primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) that is administered by NEPS and full details of which are available on my Department's website. NEPS does not keep waiting lists for assessments of...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (28 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Department is not in receipt of an application for capital funding from the school to which the Deputy refers. It would appear that the scope of works referred to is suitable for consideration under the Summer Works Scheme. Details of the Summer Works Scheme for 2008 were published recently on the Department's website www.education.ie. It is open to the school to decide whether or not...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (28 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Primary schools' running costs are met by my Department's scheme of capitation grants. These grants are intended to contribute towards the general operating costs of schools which would include heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, painting, teaching aids and other miscellaneous charges. The primary school capitation grant has been increased substantially in recent years. Since 1997 the...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (28 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Proposals for the works to which the Deputy refers were received from the schools in question in the context of an amalgamation negotiation. The amalgamation is not being pursued. it is open to the school authority to apply for funding for the works concerned under the Summer Works Scheme. Details of the 2008 Scheme were recently published on the Department's website www.education.ie. The...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (28 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Department is currently in negotiation around the possibility of acquiring the building to which the Deputy refers. This process is complex involving as it does suitability assessment, valuations, price negotiations and attendant legal formalities. The Department is keenly aware that the issues concerned are commercially sensitive and that it is not a foregone conclusion that the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (28 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Teacher allocations for second level schools are approved by my Department on an annual basis in accordance with generally applied rules relating to recognised pupil enrolment. In general a ratio of 18:1 is applied in respect of recognised pupils on established Junior Certificate, Leaving Certificate, repeat Leaving Certificate and Transition Year Programmes and a ratio of 16:1 is applied in...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (28 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy may be aware that, with effect from 28th March, 2006, the Teaching Council is the designated authority for recognition of qualifications for the regulated profession of primary and secondary teachers. Persons wishing to be registered as a teacher in this country must apply to the Teaching Council for recognition of their qualifications. If their qualifications are recognised by the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (28 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The school in question is a special school for children with mild general disability (MGLD). The criteria for the allocation of special needs assistant (SNA) support is set out in Department circulars and has regard to the recommendations of the Report of the Special Education Review Committee 1993. This report recommended that the appointment ratio for special schools catering for children...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (28 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The decision on eligibility for third level grants and the issue of grant awards is a matter for the relevant local authority or VEC. My Department contacted Kildare County Council, the awarding body for the student's address, and was advised that an application was not received from the student referred to by the Deputy. In the absence of an application it is not possible to advise on the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school to which he refers is included in my announcement of 5th April, 2007 of 56 schools which have been given the go-ahead to commence architectural planning. The school authority recently attended an information session, held by the Department's Building Unit, which outlined how projects will proceed from here.

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (28 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Department has identified a potentially suitable site for the school to which the Deputy refers and officials have entered into negotiations with the owner's agent in the matter. When a suitable site has been secured, a building project for the school will be considered for progression in the context of the multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Kildare Town Community School is one of six schools that make up the Second Bundle of the Department's current Public Private Partnership Programme. Work on the pre-procurement of this bundle commenced in late 2006 and is on-going. An outline planning application is currently being prepared for the school in question and the educational needs of the school are being finalised. The...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: County Kildare VEC, the school authority in this instance, is currently negotiating with the Department of Defence with a view to acquiring a suitable site for the new school. As soon as a site has been acquired progress on the project will be considered in the context of the multi annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (28 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) was established under the Education for Persons with Special Needs (EPSEN) Act to improve the delivery of education services to persons with special educational needs arising from disabilities with particular emphasis on children. The NCSE has a key role in the delivery of services and operates through a network of...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (27 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: One hundred (100) posts in my Department will relocate to Athlone when the new office accommodation is ready for occupation next year.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I would like to inform the Deputy that my Department has finalised the long term projected enrolment for the proposed new second level school in Buttevant, County Cork. Department officials are currently engaged in an exercise to revise schedules of overall accommodation for the proposed project. The building project required to deliver this new accommodation is being considered in the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (27 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 289 and 290 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the home tuition scheme provides funding 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 an educational placement. As there...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (27 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the tuition grant can be used towards the fees of the pre-school concerned as my Department has reached agreement with the provider in question.

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (27 Jun 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 making arrangements for the marking of work presented for examination. In view of this, I have forwarded the Deputy's query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to her.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (27 Jun 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Programme for Government commitment in this area is for the long term funding for the existing centres that are currently in the ABA pilot scheme subject to agreement with my Department on standards that will enable my Department to support them as primary schools for children with autism. In relation to specific provision for children with autism, my Department considers that as each...