Results 11,961-11,980 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (22 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A suitable site has been acquired by the Office of Public Works on behalf of my Department for this project. The long term projected staffing, on which the accommodation needs will be based, has been determined and also notified to the school authority. The building project required to deliver the new school will be progressed in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (22 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The review of the one teacher schools is ongoing. The Deputy will be aware that, as an exceptional matter, I approved the appointment, or retention where appropriate, of a mainstream teacher in addition to the Principal for the current school year in the schools which had projected that the appropriate number of pupils required — 12 — for such appointment or retention would be achieved at...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (22 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that construction on the school building in question commenced in late June 2006.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (22 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department allocates additional teaching hours to Vocational Educational Committees (VECs) to support the delivery of education programmes in a range of facilities, including special schools. Such allocations are made under the heading Co-Operation Hours with Other Institutions and are made in response to specific applications which are submitted by the VECs in advance of the commencement...

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (22 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that I have received a copy of a report from the Single Manager of the school referred to by the Deputy. Clarification on the report has been sought. Pending receipt and consideration of the clarification, I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this juncture.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (22 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is of the view that children with autism, in common with all children should have access to appropriate provision delivered by suitably qualified teachers within the school system where children can mix with their wider peer group and have maximum opportunities for integration. The preferred approach to the provision of appropriate education for children with autism, is through...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (22 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, this Government has provided for the largest increase in teacher numbers since the expansion of free education. The number of primary school teachers has increased by 4,000 since 2002 alone. We have reduced the average primary class size to 24. With the unprecedented increases in support staff, there is now one teacher for every 17 primary school children, down...

Written Answers — Third Level Charges: Third Level Charges (22 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The student charge is levied by third level institutions to defray the costs of examinations, registration and students services. The student charge is €800 for the 2006-2007 academic year. All students who are eligible for means tested student support have the student charge paid on their behalf by the Local Authorities or the Vocational Education Committees, in addition to any...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (22 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 413 and 414 together. As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made by this Government in both the income limits and the payment levels for third level grants. The income limits were increased significantly in 2003/04. For the 2003/04 academic year, the income limit for a family with 4 children was increased from €23,770 to €35,165, an...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A new web based system which enables Secondary and community/Comprehensive schools to input claims for the payment of casual and non casual teachers and special need assistants and record teacher absences on line from the school was introduced on the 6th November. During the first week of operation there were some technical difficulties with the system. These difficulties were resolved and...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: There have been significant improvements in recent years in the level of funding for voluntary secondary schools, including the schools referred to by the Deputy. In addition to the €12 per pupil increase in 2006 in the standard per capita grant that now stands at €298 per pupil, voluntary secondary schools have benefited additionally by the increase of €14 per pupil in 2006 in the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: School Planning Section of my Department is in receipt of an application for the Small Schools Scheme 2007 from the school referred to by the Deputy. The closing date for this devolved scheme was 27 October 2006. The application will be assessed by my officials and publication of the list of successful applicants for the scheme will be published as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Clár Tógála Scoileanna: Clár Tógála Scoileanna (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Dheimhnigh Coimisinéirí na nOibreacha Poiblí le gairid leis an Roinn nach bhfuil an suíomh i gceist ar fáil le breithniú mar shuíomh scoile nua. Tá mo Roinn gafa go gníomhach faoi láthair ag lorg suímh oiriúnaigh nua chun foirgneamh buan a thógáil don scoil a dtagraíonn an Teachta di. Is féidir leis an Teachta a bheith cinnte de go bhfuiltear ag tabhairt aghaidh ar...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The most recent OECD Education At A Glance report provides figures for 2003/04 which fail to reflect the major increases in second level funding in recent years. Spending by my Department on second level education has increased dramatically since 2003. In 2005, €2.7 billion was spent on second-level education — up from €2.3 billion in 2003 and €1.25 billion in 1997. The Estimates...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The School Planning Section of the Department is in receipt of an application for major capital funding from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects and has been assigned a Band 2 rating. Progress on the proposed works is being considered in the...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the action plan for educational inclusion, provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage. DEIS will bring together, and build upon, a number of existing interventions in schools with a concentrated level of disadvantage. The process of identifying primary and second-level schools for participation in DEIS was...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The decision to close the school to which the Deputy refers was taken by the school's Trustees. It was decided that the closure would take place on a phased basis, culminating with full closure in June 2007. Thanks, in part, to the co-operation of another school in the immediate area, students from the school referred to by the Deputy have been accommodated. While the Department is...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An experienced visiting teacher for the visually impaired has been and is currently in place providing full cover for the permanent visiting teacher. If there are any queries from parents, this replacement visiting teacher can be contacted directly by mobile phone, as she has been and is using the same phone number as the permanent visiting teacher whom she is replacing.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I understand that the Management Authority of the school referred to by the Deputy is in consultation with Sligo County Council for the acquisition of a site for the provision of a new school. The school referred to by the Deputy was included in my recent announcement of projects which have been approved to progress to architectural planning. It is not possible at this point to indicate...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that the Department is in receipt of an application under the Permanent Accommodation Scheme 2007 from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. Applications for this Scheme are currently being assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria and a list of successful applicants will be announced when this process is complete. In relation...