Results 12,521-12,540 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: It is the policy of my Department to provide all new schools with access facilities and special toilets to cater for disabled students and teachers. In the architectural design of emergency evacuation routes, account is also taken of the requirements of students and teachers with disabilities. New schools with two storeys or more are provided with lifts. The school authorities are advised of...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Two Montessori qualifications are currently recognised for the purpose of appointment to the following posts in primary schools: resource teaching posts, special classes and special schools. The two recognised qualifications are (i) the three-year full-time course in the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) College, Mount St. Mary's, Milltown, Dublin 14 and (ii) the HETAC accredited...

Written Answers — Third Level Courses: Third Level Courses (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I understand that there are already degree courses in early childhood studies available in a number of universities and institutes of technology, including University College Cork and the Dublin Institute of Technology. The provision of such courses is in the first instance a matter for the institutions themselves — universities are autonomous under statute and my Department has no...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 314, 317, 322 and 325 to 327, inclusive, together. At the outset I want to acknowledge the impact this important decision has on the local community in the area in question. However, I must point out that as the school in question is a voluntary secondary school the decision to withdraw as providers of Education is within the remit of the Patron body, that is...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: There has been substantial progress made in the funding of our schools since 2003. Spending by my Department on second level education increased by 17% between 2003 and 2005. In 2005 €2.7 billion was spent on second-level education, up from €2.3 billion in 2003 and €1.25 billion in 1997. These increases have allowed for major progress to be made both in the staffing and in the...

Written Answers — School Places: School Places (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Projected enrolment arising from recent and planned population growth indicate the need to provide for additional school places in some areas and to meet that anticipated demand, last year I announced the provision of a new 650 pupil post-primary school at Doughiska/Ardaun on the eastern side of the city and also the provision of a new 550 place school to replace the existing Coláiste na...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 318 and 319 together. The home tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide education at home for children who, for a variety of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for pupils awaiting a suitable educational placement. I wish to advise the Deputy that the scheme...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The long-term accommodation needs of the school referred to by the Deputy have been determined and notified to the school authority. In order to determine how best to provide for the school's accommodation needs into the future, it is necessary to have a technical assessment of the existing buildings carried out by my Department. Officials from School Planing Section will be in contact with...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Oct 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 — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: County Limerick VEC made application to my Department for funding towards the provision of a new school building for Coláiste Chiarán. Given the restricted nature of the existing site, my Department gave approval to County Limerick VEC to purchase a site to facilitate the development of a new, replacement school. I understand that the VEC are actively engaged in identifying a suitable site...

Written Answers — Home Tuition: Home Tuition (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that there has been no change to the procedures for processing home tuition claims. The home tuition claim in respect of the child in question has been processed and a payment will issue shortly.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (19 Oct 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. Under the Free Fees Initiative, my Department meets the tuition fees of eligible students attending full-time undergraduate courses, which must generally be of at least two years duration. Generally speaking,...

Written Answers — School Places: School Places (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: To meet increased demand for primary school places in the area referred to by the Deputy, a Notice of Intention to apply for the recognition of a new primary school to commence operation next September has been submitted to the New Schools Advisory Committee (NSAC). As with all such applications, a full application must be submitted to the NSAC no later than 31st of January 2007 and,...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department and would take an inordinate amount of administrative time to compile.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (19 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Teacher allocations to second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. Each school management authority is required to organise its time-table and subject options having regard to pupils' needs within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. The rules for allocating teaching resources provide that where...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department is in receipt of an application for both the Summer Works Scheme 2007 and the Small Schools Scheme 2007 from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. As indicated in the circulars governing these schemes, it is intended to publish the list of successful applicants before the end of theyear.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (18 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The funding arrangements made by my Department for second level schools reflect the sectoral division of our second level system. At the core of all arrangements is a reliance upon capitation as the principle determinant of funding. All schools submit a return of pupil enrolments based on the number attending as at 30th September each year and capitation payments are based on this....

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (18 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: 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. 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....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 and 280 together. The Department is aware that the population of County Louth continues to increase and this is causing some strain on existing educational infrastructure. However, it has undertaken a number of significant measures to address the current and future need for pupil places in the area at primary and post primary level. At primary level...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (18 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 281 and 282 together. The latest report of the Decentralisation Implementation Group, which was published earlier this month, gives indicative construction completion dates of the second quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009 for Athlone and Mullingar respectively. No decisions have been made regarding advance parties of volunteers to either Mullingar...