Results 15,081-15,100 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (16 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department funds three means tested maintenance grant schemes for third level education students in respect of attendance on approved courses in approved third level institutions and one maintenance grant scheme in respect of students attending approved post-leaving certificate courses in approved PLC centres. These are the higher education grants scheme, the vocational education...

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second and Subsequent Stages. (16 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I thank my colleagues for their support in taking the Bill and their support for the teaching profession generally, which was my former profession. When Deputy McGrath talked about the need for more males in the classroom I am sure he is not wishing himself back in the classroom after the next election, nor would we wish that upon him. This is a good opportunity for us to talk about the work...

Finance Bill 2006: Allocation of Time Motion. (16 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders: (1) The proceedings in the Select Committee on Finance and the Public Service on the Finance Bill 2006 shall be brought to a conclusion in accordance with the following timetable:— Date Proceedings To conclude not later than Tuesday, 21st February Chapters 1 and 2 (part) of Part 1 (sections 1 to 3) 2 p.m. Chapter 2...

Finance Bill 2006: Financial Resolutions. (16 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I move the following Resolutions: 1. THAT section 848A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997), which is concerned with the scheme of tax relief for donations to approved bodies, be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving rise to this Resolution. 2. THAT Chapter 3 of Part 7 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997), which is concerned with...

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second and Subsequent Stages. (16 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to bring this Bill to the House. This Bill is very short and consists of a number of amendments to the Teaching Council Act 2001. The amendments are of a technical nature which are designed to cover a legislative lacuna in the teaching council. This lacuna became apparent only recently and I wish to resolve this situation as soon...

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second and Subsequent Stages. (16 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: It was not his fault.

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second and Subsequent Stages. (16 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: It is perfectly gender balanced.

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second and Subsequent Stages. (16 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: We are tackling it this year and next year.

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Residential Institutions Redress Board was established under statute to provide financial redress to victims of child abuse in residential institutions to assist them in their recovery and enhance the quality of the remainder of their lives. The board provides an alternative to victims having to pursue traumatic civil court cases to obtain compensation for their injuries. The provisions...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The National Centre for Technology in Education, NCTE, issued questionnaires for its census of school information and communications technology, ICT, infrastructure for both primary and post-primary schools early last summer. The census follows similar exercises undertaken in 1998, 2000 and 2002 and addresses a range of areas, including the extent of ICT equipment, networking and Internet...

Written Answers — School Discipline: School Discipline (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 81 and 101 together. In January 2005, the National Educational Welfare Board, NEWB, issued guidelines to the management authorities of all primary and post-primary schools on reporting student absences and expulsions. These guidelines advise that the board of management must report its decision to expel a student to the NEWB. According to its analysis of the...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations, including organising the holding of examinations; ensuring the preparation of examination papers and other examination materials; and determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted, including the supervision of examinations. Notwithstanding this,...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Projected long-term enrolments at the school in question have dropped since the proposal for a new school was originally approved. In that context, it is important to confirm that provision of a new second level school is still warranted. To consider the matter thoroughly, a review of second level education provision in the area is underway in the school planning section of my Department....

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Department and the National Council for Special Education met with representatives of the school referred to by the Deputy on Wednesday, 1 February to discuss a range of issues. Following this meeting a comprehensive letter issued on 8 February to the school representatives outlining the Department's and NCSE's position on the various matters discussed at the meeting. The Department's...

Written Answers — Literacy Levels: Literacy Levels (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: This Government is strongly committed to achieving the highest possible standards of literacy for people of all ages. We see this as central to achieving our key objective of social inclusion and have put increased resources in place in recent years to this end. Targeted measures are now in place in schools, in the community and in the workplace to achieve this goal. At school level,...

Written Answers — Commercial Marketing in Schools: Commercial Marketing in Schools (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Commercial marketing in schools can take a variety of forms — from educational materials made available to schools by newspapers to companies offering schemes whereby products are given to the school on the basis of tokens collected by parents. It is at the discretion of management in individual schools to decide what commercial initiatives they want their school to engage with. Clearly...

Written Answers — Disruptive Students: Disruptive Students (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The task force completed its work and produced a final report with detailed recommendations in late January. I am considering the final report and its recommendations at present and I intend to publish the report in the near future. The Deputy will appreciate, however, that I would prefer not to comment further on particular aspects of the task force report until I have concluded my...

Written Answers — Garda Vetting Services: Garda Vetting Services (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Ensuring the protection, health and welfare of children is a key concern for the Government, for parents, for agencies that work with children and for society generally and the Government is determined to do all it can to keep our children and vulnerable adults safe. In the education sector, vetting is available in respect of prospective employees of children in detention schools as well as...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 141 together. The number of National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, psychologists has increased from 43 on establishment to 121 at present. The Public Appointments Service has recently established new recruitment panels for NEPS. Regional panels are now in place and my Department is currently in the process of appointing ten new psychologists....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Devolving funding to school management authorities allows them to have control of their projects, assists in moving projects more quickly to tender and construction and can also deliver better value for money. The two devolved initiatives, the small schools initiative and the permanent accommodation initiative, were originally introduced on a pilot basis due to the positive feedback from...