Results 10,581-10,600 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Department of Education and Science made a total of 42 appointments in January and February of this year. It appointed ten people to the Strategy Group for ICT in Schools, three people to an Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta, 18 people to the Higher Education Authority, four people to UCC, one person to Dundalk Institute of Technology, one person to Letterkenny Institute of Technology...

Written Answers — Water Meters: Water Meters (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Water usage in schools is minimised through automatic shut off taps and dual flush toilets, while local water blending valves are provided to prevent scalding. These design features are included in the Department's Generic Repeat Design schools. Local Authority service and other charges payable to the various Local Authorities do not come within the remit of my Department. It is a matter...

Written Answers — Home Tuition: Home Tuition (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has sanctioned a home tuition grant to approximately 900 students in the current school year. The corresponding figures for the past five years are not readily available in my Department. However, my officials have recently revised its record keeping arrangements and this information will be maintained going forward. The cost of providing home...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (8 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available and would take an inordinate amount of administrative time to compile.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Definitive results on population are not available from Census 2006 yet, however, Population and Migration Estimates published by the Central Statistics Office in April 2006 give a figure of 189,600 women in Ireland age 70 and over. Information on the means and sources of income of this group is not generally available but work done in my Department in relation to women of pension age...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 to 265, inclusive, together. Major improvements have been made in staffing at primary level in recent years. There are now 4,000 more primary teachers than there were in 2002. The average class size in our primary schools is 24 and there is now one teacher for 17 pupils at primary level, including resource teachers etc. Children with special needs and...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: An application was submitted by the school referred to by the Deputy under the Permanent Accommodation Scheme 2007. On Monday, 5 March 2007, I announced details of the schools to receive funding under the Permanent Accommodation Scheme 2007. The application from the school to which the Deputy refers was successful.

Written Answers — Speech and Language Therapists: Speech and Language Therapists (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular statement. In May 2002, my Department approved the provision of 175 additional therapy training places to tackle shortages of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists as identified in the report "Current and Future Supply and Demand Conditions in the Labour Market for Certain...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The school to which the Deputy refers commenced operation in September 2002 with provisional recognition from the Department on the basis that it would be providing multi-denominational education in the Clontarf/Marino/Fairview area of Dublin. It is a condition of recognition that the Patron must provide suitable accommodation in the stated area which must be capable of meeting the growing...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 271 and 287 together. Teaching practice is an integral part of the curriculum for the training of both primary and post-primary teachers and, as such, my Department does not provide special financial assistance for students towards costs associated with teaching practice. The Deputy will be aware that teacher education programmes provided in approved third...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has been operational since 1st January 2005, and is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs supports through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs). The SENO is also a focal point of contact for parents and schools. My officials have been in contact with the NCSE...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: This old national school building in question is not in the ownership of my Department and therefore the upkeep of the building is not the responsibility of my Department.

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has identified the need for a new primary school in the Rochestown area of Cork. A site for this purpose has been reserved by the local authority and the Department has confirmed with the local authority the continued need for the site in question and is currently pursuing its acquisition.

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The last Census of National Schools took place on 29 September 2006. As at 2nd March, 3,267 national schools had returned a complete set of enrolment forms and 1,249 of these had been processed and fully entered on the Database for Primary School enrolment. The process of inputting the data is continuing with a view to finalising it as soon as is possible.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Between 2000 and 2006 my Department has delivered over 7,800 projects in schools throughout the country with an investment of €2.6 billion. The investment on school buildings under the new NDP for 2007 to 2013 is over €4.5 billion and will focus on delivering over 100,000 school places in rapidly developing areas. Projects in individual counties are listed on my Department's website as...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Following a recent meeting with the Department of Finance in relation to the pensionability of this category of school staff, including the person to whom the Deputy refers, my officials intend to issue a circular letter and initiate the processing of these pension issues in the next month.

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools and the Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters. The Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. This may result, however, in some pupils not obtaining a place in the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has approved the Stage 4/5 (Detailed Design/Bill of Quantities) of the proposed new school building project. The Vocational Education Committee in conjunction with their Design Team is now in a position to proceed through the tendering process and on to construction.

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department recognises the need for a new Community School in Ballinamore to facilitate further the amalgamation of three post primary schools in the area. A suitable site for the new school building is however required before architectural planning for the project can commence. The Office of Public Works (OPW) are acting on behalf of my Department in this regard. A suitable site...

Written Answers — College Closures: College Closures (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department decided that recognition for the purposes of providing summer courses in respect of which grants are paid by the Department would be withdrawn from the college referred to by the Deputy because a failure by the college authorities to comply with conditions laid down by the Department, and accepted in writing by the college authorities, for the recognition of the college in 2006....