Results 12,781-12,800 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Teaching Council was formally established on 28 March 2006, following enactment of the Teaching Council Acts, 2001 and 2006. On its establishment, the Council took over the functions of the Registration Council, including those covering the registration of post-primary teachers. As part of this process, and in relation to the registration of post-primary teachers, the Teaching Council...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As soon as my Department became aware of the decision of the then Visiting Teacher serving the Galway area to seek a transfer to Dublin from 1st September 2006, it initiated the process to appoint a successor. Following interviews held in June 2006 a successor was appointed but she subsequently communicated her decision not to accept the appointment. The post was re-advertised in the...

Written Answers — Child Protection: Child Protection (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As Minister for Education and Science I am always concerned for the general welfare of children and any negative experience that interferes with a child's potential for learning is of particular concern to me. The Department issued new child protection guidelines to primary schools in 2001 and to post-primary schools in 2004. These guidelines, which are based on the...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at both primary and post-primary level in recent years. At the beginning of the current school year there are no less than 4,000 extra teachers in our primary schools, compared with 2002. The average class size in our primary schools is 24 and there is now one teacher for 17 pupils...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the Department's maintenance grants schemes, and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Act 1992, a mature student is defined as a candidate who is at least 23 years of age on the 1st January of the year of entry or re-entry to an approved course. Under the terms of my Department's Third Level Student Maintenance Grant Schemes the...

Written Answers — Capital Expenditure: Capital Expenditure (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Details of capital expenditure in respect of the schools to which the Deputy refers in the Dublin 15 area are contained in the following table. The position regarding applications for major capital funding in each school is as follows: 1. Blakestown CS — RN: 91316Q and Riversdale Community College — RN: 70081V. My Department has no current applications from these schools for...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A site has been acquired for the development of a new primary school in Passage West which will accommodate Star of the Sea Primary School which was formed as a result of the amalgamation of the boys' and girls' schools in the town. An assessment of projected enrolment trends, demographic trends and housing developments in the area was carried out in order to inform the determination of the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Property Management Section of the Office of Public Works which acts on behalf of my Department in relation to site acquisitions generally has been requested to source a site for a new national school in Ringaskiddy. A number of site options have been identified and the OPW are currently conducting negotiations for a site for the new school. When the site acquisition is finalised,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am advised by the Office of Public Works, who acts on behalf of my Department in relation to acquiring sites generally, that a suitable site has been identified for the school in question. The site comprises three parcels of land. The up to date position is as follows, Plot 1 — At conveyancing Plot 2 — Awaiting contracts Plot 3 — Agreement on price reached, subject to contract....

Written Answers — Student Support Schemes: Student Support Schemes (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm for the Deputy that my Department processed the claim in question and issued a payable order to the parents of the child on 12th September 2006. My officials have confirmed with the family that they have received the payable order. The family has also confirmed that they have reimbursed the tutor.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The project to provide additional facilities at the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. In October of 2005 my Department wrote to the School Authorities with issues that needed addressing on a stage 1/2 submission (outline sketch scheme with costings). The School's response was examined and discussed with them at a meeting with my Officials in...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: It is proposed to amalgamate the school to which the Deputy refers with another school in the area. The resulting building project has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and has been assigned a Band 1 priority rating. The local inspector has been requested to provide long term projections for both schools to establish the...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The person named by the Deputy is not entitled to pensionability on the basis of her work as an advising examiner. Examiners, including advising examiners, are engaged by the State Examinations Commission to provide their professional services to the Commission under a contract for services. They are paid on a fee basis, are not in an employer/employee relationship with the Commission and...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that my Department is currently examining a proposal for the development of a National Centre for the Visually Impaired. It is envisaged that the proposal will include provision of improved school accommodation. The proposal is currently under consideration with my Department and the Department of Health and Children.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1245, 1246, 1249, 1257 and 1258 together. I wish to advise the Deputies that the specific information requested in respect of primary schools with pupils with hearing impairment in the counties mentioned is not readily available to my Department. The position regarding the visiting teacher service on 31 July 2006 is that there were two visiting teachers...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Visiting Teachers (VTs) are assigned to areas and support the children/students with hearing impairment in that area. Except in large urban centres, the areas covered by VTs are aligned to county boundaries. One VT may serve children/students in a number of contiguous counties. The size of an area assigned to each VT depends on the number of children/students with a hearing impairment and...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Visiting Teachers (VTs) are not appointed to schools. They are assigned to areas and they support the education of children/students attending school in an area. It is important to note that the services of the Visiting Teacher are supplemental to those of the school. The VT service is available to all deaf and hard of hearing children, from time of diagnosis, through to third level...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The school authority has indicated its wish to apply for capital funding under the Small Schools Scheme 2007. A completed application form is awaited from the school authority in this case. The closing date for receipt of applications under the Small Schools Scheme 2007 is 27 October 2006. All applications received by that date will be assessed and considered in the context of the School...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware contracts for the transfer of the site for the project in question have been signed. In order for this transaction to formally close, the agreement of the Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests is required. It is the responsibility of the vendor to refer the transfer contracts to the Commissioners. Accordingly, confirmation from the vendor's solicitor of...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on the 30th September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued annually to all primary schools. The relevant circular (0023/2006) issued to all schools in March 2006. Under the staffing arrangements...