Results 14,281-14,300 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (25 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 925 and 926 together. As previously outlined to the Deputy, the school to which he refers made an application for additional temporary accommodation for the 2006-07 school year. This has been approved by my Department. The extra accommodation will meet the needs of the school's enrolment policy which operates a cut-off point. This cut-off point will result in...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (25 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 927 to 929, inclusive, together. My Department has an internal legal services section, the functions of which are to ensure policymaking is informed and takes account of relevant legal and constitutional requirements; to advise the Minister and the Department on legal issues; to ensure the effective management of litigation in which the Department is named;...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of my Department's 2005 third level student maintenance grant schemes the position is that, generally speaking, students who are entering approved courses for the first time are eligible for grants where they satisfy the prescribed conditions with regard to age, residence, means, nationality and previous academic attainment. A mature student is defined for the purposes of the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will appreciate that my Department does not expend public funds in a process of challenging through the legal process the parents of children with disabilities. However, where the parents of children with special educational needs initiate litigation proceedings against the State in which my Department is a named party, every effort is made to resolve matters without the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As outlined previously to the Deputy, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, through the special education needs organiser, SENO, sanctioned a third pre-school or early intervention class for children with autistic spectrum disorders to the school concerned on 21 March 2006 to facilitate the enrolment of specific named pupils pending further investigation into appropriate education...

Written Answers — Third Level Institutions: Third Level Institutions (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The college referred to by the Deputy is a privately owned institution and is funded by my Department. My Department does not have any strategy, nor is it aware of any strategy in place, to downgrade the college to facilitate a takeover by Trinity College Dublin. If there were such a strategy in place I would be concerned, and I would invite the Deputy to submit to my officials any...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 364 and 365 together. I understand that the child in question is currently accessing education provision through placement in a pre-school early intervention autism specific class in Scoil Mhuire national school, Ballyboden, Dublin 16. As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is now operational. A specific function of the NCSE,...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The circumstances surrounding the case to which the Deputy refers are the subject of an inquiry to the relevant institute of technology. When a decision is made on the matter a response will issue to the awarding authority.

Written Answers — Languages Programme: Languages Programme (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that Irish sign language, ISL, has formal recognition in the Education Act 1998. Under the Act, it is a function of the Minister for Education and Science to ensure, subject to the provisions of the Act, that there is made available to each person resident in the State, including a person with a disability or who has other special educational needs, support...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 368 and 369 together. Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 provides for an appeal to the Secretary General of my Department where a board of management of a school or a person acting on behalf of the board refuses to enrol a student, suspends a student for more than 20 days in an academic year or expels a student from the school. Appeals must be dealt with...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has no plans to close the school referred to by the Deputy. The future development of any school is a matter in the first instance for the patron in consultation with my Department.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Officials in the school planning section of my Department met recently with the owners of the building in which the school referred to by the Deputy is currently located. The owners of the building have agreed that they will be in a position to accommodate the school for a further year. Officials in my Department continue to explore other options for the long-term accommodation of the school....

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The selection and appointment procedures for posts of responsibility in post-primary schools are agreed between the respective school management bodies, the teacher unions and my Department and are set out in circular letters issued by my Department. There is no appeals procedure for the appointment of principal and deputy principal in post-primary schools. The terms and conditions of...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the maintenance grants scheme for post-leaving certificate courses 2005, grants are available to eligible candidates who are entering approved PLC courses for the first time in the 2005-2006 academic year. Candidates are ineligible if they already hold a FETAC level 5 qualification, formerly known as a FETAC, NCVA, level 2 qualification, a FETAC level 6 qualification,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is not in receipt of an application from the group referred to by the Deputy to establish a gaelcholáiste in south Dublin. Consideration will be given to such an application if and when received.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued to all primary schools each year. According to data submitted to my Department by the board of management of the school referred to...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The school's application under the additional accommodation scheme 2006 was not successful. Based on the information supplied by the school, it became evident that a more major project was required to address the school's accommodation needs into the future. In order for the need to be thoroughly assessed, the management authority has been advised to complete an application form for major...

Written Answers — Teaching Performance: Teaching Performance (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The issue of quality of teaching within a school falls within the remit of the board of management and principal of that school. It is the duty of the board to provide, or cause to be provided, an appropriate education for all students attending the school. The Education Act requires that "schools use their available resources to establish and maintain systems whereby the efficiency and...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding from the school to which the Deputy refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and has been assigned a band 2 rating. Progress on the project is being considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme from 2006...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school to which he refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects and progress on the proposed works is being considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme from 2006 onwards. In the...