Results 12,041-12,060 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 175 and 204 together. The financial information requested by the Deputy involves an inordinate amount of administrative time to compile. The various parts of this Department responsible for each grant will compile the information relating to the basis for each grant and will provide this information to the Deputy by letter as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 200 together. The financial information requested by the Deputy involves an inordinate amount of administrative time to compile. The various parts of this Department responsible for each grant will compile the information relating to the basis for each grant and will provide this information to the Deputy by letter as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The financial information requested by the Deputy involves an inordinate amount of administrative time to compile. The various parts of his Department responsible for each grant will compile the information relating to the basis for each grant and will provide this information to the Deputy by letter as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The financial information requested by the Deputy involves an inordinate amount of administrative time to compile. The various parts of this Department responsible for each grant will compile the information relating to the basis for each grant and will provide this information to the Deputy by letter as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 202 and 203 together. The financial information requested by the Deputy involves an inordinate amount of administrative time to compile. The various parts of this Department responsible for each grant will compile the information relating to the basis for each grant and will provide this information to the Deputy by letter as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that last year I launched a new action plan for educational inclusion, DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), one aspect of which will be more staffing for the most disadvantaged schools. The plan provides for an extra 300 posts across the education system over the course of the five year implementation period. I expect that approximately 180 extra...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: In the 2005/06 school year there were 562 Language Support Teachers allocated to primary schools and 263 wholetime equivalents allocated to post-primary schools. The corresponding figures for the 2006/07 school year are 802 posts and 359 wholetime equivalents respectively. In addition, grant aid towards the cost of employing language support teachers was provided in the 2005/06 school year...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has in the past operated a number of schemes to tackle educational disadvantage and reduce class sizes in schools in disadvantaged areas. These existing schemes are being integrated into the new action plan for educational inclusion, DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) which I launched last year, one aspect of which will be more staffing for the most...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The school which the Deputy refers received funding in respect of their homework club under the Fund for the Development of Targeted Educational Responses to Certain Children at Risk in 2005. The school is now participating in Band 1 of the School Support Programme under DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the action plan for educational inclusion and now has access to:...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The new school to which the Deputy refers was provided by my Department to meet the growing need for extra primary provision in the area in September, 2005. When fully occupied, the school will operate as a two-stream 16-classroom school. To enable it develop in this manner, it can only enrol two junior infant classes annually. This incremental development is common to all newly established...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (16 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The report of the Action Group on Access to Third Level Education made detailed recommendations concerning the introduction of special rates of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students, usually referred to as 'top-up' grants. The target group of "those most in need" was defined in terms of the dependants of people receiving long-term welfare payments, where the necessary conditions are...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (15 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department funds four maintenance grant schemes for third level and further education students which are administered by the Local Authorities and the Vocational Education Committees. The Higher Education Grant Scheme operates under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. Generally speaking, students who are entering approved courses for the first time are...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (15 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that the 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. All applications for the Summer Works Scheme are currently being assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for the scheme. I intend to publish a list of successful applicants before Christmas.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (15 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding under the Small Schools Scheme 2007 (SSS) from the management authority of the school to which he refers. Applications for the SSS are currently being assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for the Scheme and a list of successful applicants will be published when this...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (15 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 and a new integrated School Support Programme (SSP). The School Support Programme will bring together, and build upon, a number of existing interventions in schools with a concentrated level of disadvantage. The process of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (15 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school to which he refers is included in my recent announcement of 80 schools which have been given the go-ahead to commence architectural planning. The Department's Building Unit will shortly be inviting the schools concerned to an information session to outline how the projects will proceed from here.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (15 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that there are currently 59 special classes for children with specific speech and language disorder operating in primary schools nationwide. In the greater Dublin area there are 8 special classes for children with specific speech and language disorder. Each class can cater for up to 7 children and the children have access to a speech and language therapist. The National Council...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (15 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy, that following a review of the position, the school concerned has been allowed to retain the post in question.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (15 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Officials from the School Planning Section of the Department recently met with the Trustees of the school to which the Deputy refers to discuss its long term accommodation needs. A possible location has been identified and this is currently being considered by the Department's technical staff. The Department will be discussing the outcome with the Trustees at the appropriate time.

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (15 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 all graduates of honours Bachelor degree programmes should be eligible to apply. It is anticipated that the...