Results 10,601-10,620 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

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

Mary Hanafin: The scope of works referred to by the Deputy is suitable for consideration under the Department's Summer Works Scheme. It is open to school management authorities to make an application under this scheme which is published each year by the Department. Alternatively, schools can use their minor works grant which is issued by the Department annually and which has recently been increased to...

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

Mary Hanafin: Responsibility for the provision of speech and language therapy supports rests with the Health Service Executive which has been allocated funding for this purpose. My Department or the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has not had sight of the psychologist's recommendations referred to by the Deputy. The NCSE is now operational. A specific function of the NCSE, through its...

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

Mary Hanafin: An application received from the group referred to by the Deputy to participate in the pilot scheme, which has facilitated the establishment of a number of ABA-specific units nationwide, is under consideration by officials in my Department. The Deputy will be aware of my commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with autism receive an education appropriate to their needs,...

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

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous year. The number of mainstream posts is determined by reference to a staffing schedule. The schedule is set out in a circular which issues from my Department to all primary school Boards of Management. Accordingly, all Boards are aware of the staffing position...

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

Mary Hanafin: My Department is currently considering an application from the school in question for additional teaching provision to support a number of Traveller children in the school referred to by the Deputy. The application will be examined as quickly as possible and will be considered in the context of the recently published Report and Recommendations for a Traveller Education Strategy. The school...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The original decision not to grant an exemption from the study of Irish in the case referred to by the Deputy was reviewed by my Department in the light of the new medical evidence submitted. However, it was decided that a reversal of the decision is not warranted. The school authorities have been advised accordingly.

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I move amendment No. 16: In page 9, to delete lines 20 and 21 and substitute the following: "(2) The Education Acts 1878 to 2001 and sections 2 to 5 may be cited together as the Education Acts 1878 to 2007.". This was drawn to my attention by Deputy O'Sullivan on Committee Stage in regard to the citation of legislation. The provision regarding the collective citation of legislation is not as...

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I acknowledged him by name.

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to focus first on the amendments. I note that Fine Gael did not table any Report Stage amendments.

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The various amendments to the Education Act 1998 that are contained in the Bill were presented to the partners and discussed with them. All of the latter indicated some pleasure in respect of these amendments. The Bill arises out of the report of the task force on student behaviour in second level schools, which was published less than 12 months ago. Since then, the behaviour support task...

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Under section 27 of the Education (Welfare) Act, the National Educational Welfare Board has an obligation to make other arrangements, as it deems appropriate, if it cannot enrol a child in another school. Undoubtedly, there are some schools that are too willing to get rid of students and that expect other schools to take them. I hope that schools will engage in a form of reciprocal...

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I accept that. However, that is the value of the other education provision which is available and which we are mapping at present. Some of this provision comes directly within the remit of the Department of Education and Science. However, there are institutions that do not come within the Department's remit which are doing very good work and which are providing a service to young people....

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Staffing for the National Educational Welfare Board will increase by 15, as I already announced.

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: There will be further increases next year and the following year. To reassure the Deputies about the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, the Bill, in subsection (4A), states that the appeals committee can uphold a complaint in relation to a permanent exclusion of a student from a school if the student or the parent of the student can show that subsection (1) or (4) of section 24 of the 2000 Act has...

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The appeals committee can find in favour of the student.

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: It is not because it puts the onus on the school to fulfil its obligations under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 because it knows they will lose if it does not tell the parent and students what are their rights under that Act.

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: On briefing, the National Parents' Council-Primary was invited to attend the briefing and it did not attend. I understand the officials spoke to Fionnuala Kilfeather about it.

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The cherry-picking of students is an issue in a number of schools in different areas. Each of us has experienced this regarding children with special needs, Travellers and immigrant children. However, it should be borne in mind that all schools are not only obliged to have an enrolment policy but they are also obliged to conform with all other legislation such as that dealing with equality...

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: They are probably covered by the provision whereby a child does not have to be taken until he or she is aged six. Traditionally, children attend school from an early age in Ireland. In small rural schools, they are sometimes taken in on their fourth birthday to ensure the numbers are maintained. When the school enrolment issue arose, my predecessor, Deputy Noel Dempsey, took an initiative...

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Mary Hanafin: If an application is made in writing, a formal letter decreeing acceptance or refusal should issue. If the application is put on the long finger by the school and a formal reply is not issued, the appeals committee will deem that to be a refusal. I accept the point that parents should be aware of that and I will examine how information about this can be disseminated. As Deputy O'Sullivan...