Results 12,241-12,260 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that the Department is in receipt of applications for both the Small Schools Scheme 2007 and the Summer Works Scheme 2007 from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. All applications received are currently being assessed. Outside of the Summer Works Scheme, it is open to management authorities to use the devolved funding received by them under the...

Written Answers — School Fees: School Fees (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Fee charging schools, with the exception of the special arrangements that apply in respect of the Protestant and Jewish fee paying schools, do not receive capitation or related supports. The Protestant and Jewish schools receive funding mainly by way of a Block grant, which has its origins in the desire of the State to enable pupils of the Protestant and Jewish persuasion to attend schools,...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department is in receipt of an application to establish a Gaelcoláiste in Arklow. This application is currently under consideration and a decision will be communicated to the proposer as soon as possible.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy will be compiled by the relevant officials in the Department and forwarded to him directly.

Written Answers — Third Level Grants: Third Level Grants (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The following tables provide details of the current reckonable income limits. In relation to income thresholds prescribed under the student maintenance grant schemes, the practice in recent years has been to increase the reckonable income limits for the ordinary rate of grant by at least the annual increase in the average industrial wage in the 12 months to September of the year prior to the...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A total of 636 second level schools offered the Transition Year Programme in the 2005/06 school year, which represented almost 87% of all second level schools. My Department publishes data on the number of pupils enrolled in each programme in its annual Statistical Report. Although the report for the 2005/06 school year is still in preparation, I can inform the Deputy that the provisional...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at primary in recent years. There are now 4000 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 those from disadvantaged areas are getting more...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: This Government is committed to modernising school buildings throughout the country and is determined to ensure that every child is educated in a suitable and comfortable environment. Under the largest school building programme in the history of the State we are investing over €500 million on school buildings in 2006. Between 2000 and 2005 my Department invested over €2 billion on...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Children who have been assessed as having special educational needs have access to a range of special support services. The services range from special schools dedicated to particular disability groups, through special classes or units attached to ordinary schools, to placement on an integrated basis in ordinary schools, with special back-up supports. The allocation of resources for children...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 565 and 590 together. The Deputy will be aware of my commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with autism receive an education appropriate to their needs, preferably through the primary and post primary school network where children can mix with their wider peer group and have maximum opportunities for integration. My Department supports an...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 566 and 570 together. My Department supports an eclectic approach to the education of children with autism where a range of teaching methods can be applied specific to the needs of individual pupils. My Department's Inspectorate has advised me that while the sonrise approach has been evaluated in terms of its rationale and practice, it has not been evaluated...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The home tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting a suitable educational placement. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is actively engaged in identifying a suitable...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs (SEN) supports from primary and post primary schools. The teaching and special needs assistant (SNA) support allocated are intended to enable schools to meet the needs of pupils...

Written Answers — Third Level Funding: Third Level Funding (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Details of capital and recurrent funding for each University and Institute of Technology are provided on the following spreadsheets for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 and, to date, in 2006. Recurrent Funding to Institutes of Technology 2003 to Oct. 2006 Institute 2003 2004 2005 2006* € 000's € 000's € 000's € 000's Athlone Institute of Technology 21,526 22,904 24,617 21,947...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am informed that since I replied to the Deputy's earlier question, an official of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has been in direct contact with him in relation to the specific issues raised in that question. With regard to an appeals process, the Deputy will be aware that the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004 was enacted in July 2004....

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The situation generally is that where the provision of school furniture is being grant-aided by my Department, the specifications are based on Irish, European, International or British Standards, as appropriate. Irish Standards are set by the NSAI (The National Standards Authority of Ireland). The health and safety of pupils is in the first instance a matter for each Board of Management and...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Officials from my Department have been in contact with the school in question regarding this matter. The school's insurance will deal with a lot of the needs and I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has also recently approved funding for the provision of replacement furniture. My Department has also advised the school that it is open to consider applications from it for the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Department has established a number of Regional Offices to provide information and advice on educational issues to groups and individuals at a regional level and to liaise with regionally based development groups pursuing an educational agenda. The Dublin City and Fingal Regional Office will serve the area in which the Board referred to by the Deputy is based. This office will be...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Harris Report was published by the Stationery Office in July of this year and a copy is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie Improving students' competences in spoken and written Irish is a major policy priority of my Department and a range of measures have been taken in this regard, with plans for further actions to take effect in the near future. At primary level, a...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has made various attempts to secure a site for the school in question. This included a possible site at the Murphy Barracks Complex in Ballincollig and also a site that was identified by the local school. Neither of these options have proved viable so my Department now intends to instruct the Office of Public Works to advertise again for a site for the school. The timescale...