Results 11,981-12,000 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

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

Mary Hanafin: The school building project in the area referred to by the Deputy was one which I announced to commence architectural design in 2005. A full Design Team has been appointed and the project is at an early stage of Architectural Planning. The design and planning of a building project is covered by stages 1 to 5, during which the project is developed from the assessment of site suitability,...

Written Answers — Public Private Partnerships: Public Private Partnerships (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased that my Department is participating in the Government's programme on Public Private Partnerships (PPP) as I believe PPPs have significant potential in relation to: Developing new ideas on design which arise from the output-based approach; Testing value for money over the life-cycle of the projects rather than just construction; Allowing educationalists to concentrate on their...

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

Mary Hanafin: The 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 — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the local special educational needs organisers (SENO), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special needs supports. These supports include resource teaching hours for pupils with low-incidence special needs, based on applications in respect of individual pupils. My officials have been in...

Written Answers — Third Level Institutions: Third Level Institutions (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: On the 1 February 2006 the Minister for Health and Children and I published the report of the Fottrell Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training. Among the recommendations of the Fottrell Group was that a graduate stream of entry to medicine be introduced and that graduates of honours Bachelor degree programmes should be eligible to apply. It is anticipated that the...

Written Answers — Third Level Institutions: Third Level Institutions (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Officials from my Department along with the officials from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) recently met with the authorities of the National College of Art and Design in relation to its campus development. The College was requested to consider and put forward options for the delivery and management of the proposed development and provide an implementation programme. The HEA has not...

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

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, the local area development plan for the N4/M4 corridor outlines the Department's long-term educational strategy at both primary and post-primary level for the area to which the Deputy refers. The recommendations in the plan will be advanced under the School Building and Modernisation Programme from 2007 onwards subject to the prioritisation criteria for large...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 532 and 533 together. My Department provides a range of supports to second level schools to enable them to cater for pupils with special educational needs including the needs of pupils with autism. The supports in question include remedial and resource teaching support, special needs assistant support, funding for the purchase of specialised equipment,...

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 534 and 544 together. The information requested by the Deputies in relation to the total amount of money spent on temporary school premises in respect of both purchase and rental for the period 2000 to end Oct 2006 is outlined in the table. However, the breakdown of expenditure on a constituency basis is not available. As the Deputies will see from the...

Written Answers — Home Tuition: Home Tuition (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 535 and 536 together. I can assure the Deputy that officials in my Department make every effort to ensure all applications for tuition under the terms of the scheme are processed as quickly as possible. There are 53 applications on hand in my Department — over 85 have been received since 6th November 2006. It is expected that all fully completed applications...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Maintenance Grant Scheme for Students attending Post Leaving Certificate courses is administered by the Vocational Education Committees on behalf of my Department. Under the terms of the Maintenance Grants Scheme for Post Leaving Certificate Courses 2006, grants are available to eligible candidates who are entering approved PLC courses for the first time in the 2006/2007 academic year....

Written Answers — Capital Investment Projects: Capital Investment Projects (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the Review and Prioritisation of Capital Projects in the Higher Education Sector (the Kelly Report) recommended a ten year expenditure programme. The Report recommended capital support for a total of 93 individual projects at a cost to the Exchequer of €933m in 2003 prices. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that as a result of having achieved a multi-annual...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that the Department is in receipt of applications under the Summer Works Scheme 2007 and the Permanent Accommodation Scheme 2007 from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. All applications under these Schemes are currently being assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria. I intend to publish a list of successful applicants as...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: School Planning Section of my Department is in receipt of an application for the Summer Works Scheme 2007 from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. Applications for the Summer Works Scheme are currently being assessed and the list of successful applicants will be published as soon as possible.

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

Mary Hanafin: The Property Management Section of the Office of Public Works (OPW) which acts on behalf of my department in relation to site acquisitions generally has been requested to source a suitable site for the new school in Summercove, Kinsale. My Department has been advised that a suitable site has been identified and that a formal offer has issued to the owner for its acquisition. A response is...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (21 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 — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available as the parties to the contracts in such cases are the school authority and the rental company. My Department provides grant aid to individual school authorities towards these costs.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (21 Nov 2006)

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). My officials have been in contact with the NCSE regarding the special needs assistance (SNA) support for the pupil...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (21 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I understand the student referred to by the Deputy has been approved for a maintenance grant under the Third Level Maintenance Grants Scheme for Trainees. Under this scheme the grant shall be paid by the Institute in monthly instalments in arrears. The student will have received a letter from the assessing authority confirming grant eligibility which needs to be submitted to the Institute...

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

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that 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 published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and has been assigned a Band 2 rating. The long term projected staffing for the school is currently being...