Results 12,261-12,280 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A key area covered in the report of the Action Group on Access to Third Level Education — which was asked to advise on the development of a co-ordinated framework to promote access by disadvantaged students — is the Special Rates of Maintenance Grant (also known as the Top-Up Grant). Eligibility is determined by reference to an income threshold and receipt of a long-term social welfare...

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

Mary Hanafin: 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. The Deputy will be familiar with the variety of current provision in this regard which includes pre-school classes for children with autism, special classes for children with autism attached to special schools and...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (1 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 explore the possibility of acquiring a site for the school in question. Following an advertisement seeking proposals in relation to possible sites a number of responses were received. In July of this year the OPW...

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

Mary Hanafin: My Department is in liaison with the school in question regarding the delivery of the project under the terms of the Permanent Accommodation Scheme.

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The ICT in Schools Programme commenced in 1998 following the publication of Schools IT2000. The objective of the Programme is to ensure that all students have the opportunity to achieve computer literacy and to acquire the necessary skills for participation in the Information Society. By the end of last year, over €170m was invested in the Programme since its commencement including some...

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 582 and 583 together. The latest school year for which data are available is 2005/2006. In that year there were 58,458 pupils in Junior Infants and 59,960 pupils in Senior Infants. The overall number of pupils in ordinary classes in primary schools was 442,131.

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

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding towards the provision of an extension at the school referred to by the Deputy, has been assessed and the long term projected enrolments, on which the school's accommodation needs will be based has been determined. In order to determine how best to provide for the school's accommodation needs into the future, it will be necessary to have a technical...

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

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding towards the provision of an extension to provide ancillary accommodation has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. In the light of declining enrolments at the school in recent years, a reassessment of the long term projected enrolment, on which the schools accommodation needs are based is required. This reassessment will take into...

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

Mary Hanafin: The Road Safety Authority has already commenced work on a number of key areas including the development of a Road Safety programme for use in Transition Year. This work is being undertaken in co-operation with my Department and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. I believe that schools have a role to play both in teaching students about road safety issues and in helping them...

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

Mary Hanafin: The School Planning Section of my Department recently received an application for additional temporary accommodation from the school. The application is being assessed by my officials and a decision on the matter will be made as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The position in respect of the schools, based on the order of the details provided, is as follows: 1. The process of appointing a design team to initiate architectural planning is under way at this school. 2. In view of the substantial amount of additional mainstream and special needs accommodation being planned for the school there are a number of issues surrounding the site that need to be...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: It is understood from Kildare VEC that the candidate referred to by the Deputy was not eligible for the maintenance grant as the reckonable income in this case — i.e. the combined income from the mother's employment, Department of Social and Family Affairs payment and the student's own income — exceeded the prescribed limit for the 2005 tax year set out in the grant scheme. Kildare VEC...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Capitation grants constitute the main form of government funding towards primary and voluntary secondary school operating costs, which affords schools considerable flexibility in the use of these resources to cater for the needs of their pupils. This is in my view, in general, a preferable approach to putting in place grants for specific cost items. As schools are not required to supply...

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

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the 75 local special educational needs organisers, known as SENOs, is responsible for processing applications from schools for special needs supports. These supports include resource teaching hours and special needs assistant support for pupils with low-incidence special needs and assistive technology or...

Written Answers — School Insurance Scheme: School Insurance Scheme (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department provides funding to primary and secondary schools by way of per capita grants, which affords schools considerable flexibility in the use of these resources to cater for the needs of their pupils. It is a matter for the authorities of these schools to arrange insurance cover on school property and against public liability. There have been significant improvements in the level of...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (1 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The funding arrangements made by my Department for second level vocational schools and for community and comprehensive schools reflect the different management and ownership arrangements that apply to schools at second level. Financial allocations for Vocational schools and Community Colleges are made to the VECs as part of a block grant that in addition to specific provision for teacher,...

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

Mary Hanafin: My Department publishes data on the number of pupils within each sector in its annual Statistical Report. Although the report for the 2005/06 school year is still in preparation, I can provide the following provisional information to the Deputy. The number of pupils enrolled in the various sectors, excluding Post-Leaving Certificate students, is as follows: Secondary — 182,831 Vocational...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (26 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is assigning officers wishing to decentralise to Mullingar to posts in Dublin due to decentralise to that location on an on-going basis with a view to being in a position to relocate 300 posts to Mullingar in 2009 when permanent accommodation is ready for occupation. The feasibility of sending an advance party to temporary accommodation in Mullingar will be kept under review but...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (26 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: All applications received under the Summer Works Scheme 2007 are currently being assessed. The list of successful applicants is due for publication before the end of the year as outlined in the Circular Letter governing the scheme.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (26 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has agreed to the retention of the special needs assistant support for the pupil in question until the 10th November 2006. The school has been advised of the position. My officials are currently liaising with the National Council for Special Education in the context of the pupil's needs.