Results 9,781-9,800 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department is in receipt of an application to establish a new school in County Dublin. This application is being assessed. The applicant will be informed of the outcome as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — Home Tuition: Home Tuition (25 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I understand the Deputy is referring to the payment of a home tuition grant as part of the 2006 July Education Programme. I wish to assure the Deputy that every effort is made to process all claims for payment as speedily as possible. With regard to the specific case referred to by the Deputy, I can confirm that 40 hours home based tuition for the month of July 2006 was sanctioned for the...
- Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (25 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The compulsory school starting age in a National School is 6 years of age. 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. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places....
- Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (25 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Teachers Union of Ireland referred a pay claim on behalf of the Directors of Outdoor Education Centres to the Labour Relations Commission. Currently, VEC staff, including the Directors of these Centres, do not have access to the Labour Relations Commission or the Labour Court. However, the Department agreed to attend a Labour Relations Commission conciliation conference on the issue on an...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The National Development Plan 2000-2006 identified the need for major investment in educational infrastructure in new and refurbished buildings, new equipment and information technology to make education more relevant to the needs of a modern economy. The Department accelerated the school building programme with record levels of investment and the streamlining of delivery systems during the...
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Department is in receipt of an application from the school to which the Deputy refers to re-locate. The request comes about because the existing school site, which is only c1.5 acres, is extremely restricted. This has several implications notably, for providing additionality at the school to meet its escalating demand for pupil places, to make adequate special needs provision and to...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Department's approach and policy is based on advice received from international experts on autism; NEPS; the Inspectorate; an analysis of research including that supplied by the IAA; and the report of the Irish Task Force on Autism. Advice was sought from international experts on research provided by the Irish Autism Action group and other research on educational interventions for...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The original plan for the school referred to by the Deputy was to extend and refurbish the existing school building. However, due to increasing enrolments and the limited size of the site, it was decided that the best way forward was to build a complete new 16 classroom Generic Repeat Design school on a new site. A meeting has been arranged between my Department's Technical Staff and the...
- Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (24 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I am aware of the document referred to by the Deputy. My commitment and that of this Government to on-going improvements in higher education is clearly demonstrated by a range of policy developments and funding programmes, including those which encourage wider access to further and third level education. Higher education in Ireland has come through a period of major expansion. Almost 45,000...
- Written Answers — Student Accommodation: Student Accommodation (24 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that a special tax incentive was introduced to encourage the provision of dedicated student residential accommodation in Section 50 of the Finance Act 1999. The purpose of the relief was to increase the supply of quality accommodation for third level students. The scheme has been very successful in this respect. The issue of task force on student accommodation would...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (24 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 802 and 818 together. The school referred to by the Deputies currently has 1 full-time shared learning support/ resource teacher (LS/RT) post and is receiving 17.5 hours per week teaching support from this teacher. My Department recently issued a new circular to all primary schools, Circular 0034/2007, in relation to arrangements for LS/RT and resource teacher...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: My Department has identified a potentially suitable c. 13 acre site for this school 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 in question will be considered for progression in the context of the multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The assessment of the school's long term projected staffing, which will determine the school's accommodation needs into the future, is underway in the Department. When this has been finalised, a decision will be taken on how best to meet the school's current and future accommodation needs. The building project required to address the school's accommodation needs will be considered in the...
- Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (24 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: At present, Resource Teachers for Travellers are allocated on the basis of a 14:1 ratio. The school referred to by the Deputy currently has the services of two Resource Teachers for Travellers. My Department is giving consideration to the school's staffing requirements for the 2007/2008 school year and will shortly be in contact with the school authorities in this regard.
- Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (24 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to staff in my office is as follows: Name Date of Appointment Salary Special Adviser Averil Power â Appointed 29th September 2004 â¬87,202 pa, with Employer PRSA of 11% Personal Assistant Carl Gibney â Appointed 29th September, 2004 â¬51,352 pa Press Officer Geraldine Butler, HEO on APO Higher Duties â Appointed 8th November...
- Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (24 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 808 and 894 together. I am aware of the correspondence to which the Deputy refers. There were some 39 recommendations in the Report of the Task Force on the Physical Sciences, with costed proposals totalling an additional â¬244 million, of which â¬66.3 million would be a recurring annual cost. Of the 39 recommendations, 4 are not for the education sector....
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding has been received from the school to which the Deputy refers. This application will be assessed with reference to factors such as current and projected enrolments at the school, the likely impact of ongoing and proposed housing developments and existing provision in the general area. When this assessment is complete, a decision will be taken on how best to...
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: Correspondence has been received in my Department from the VEC in respect of a site for the proposed child care centre referred to by the Deputy. The matter is currently receiving attention and a decision will be conveyed to the VEC as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that the Department is in receipt of an application from the school referred to by the Deputy for a new school building. The Department acknowledges the need for a solution to the schools accommodation difficulties and officials are currently considering a number of options in this regard. I want to assure the Deputy that the Department is committed to working to achieve a...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Apr 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The building project for the school referred to by the deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. My Department having got agreement from the School Authorities that the proposal which provides a completely new School as a stand alone building is the preferred solution from an educational, financial and ease of construction perspective, wrote to the School Authorities on the 27th...