Results 15,941-15,960 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The area development plan, which is being undertaken by the Commission on School Accommodation for the area in County Mayo in which the school to which the Deputy refers is located will be published shortly. The plan will be presented to me, placed on my Department's website and will be freely available to all interested parties. I will arrange for a copy to be provided to the Deputy. The...

Written Answers — Standardised Testing: Standardised Testing (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Standardised testing on a systematic basis has great potential to enhance the quality of teaching and learning for our students at classroom level and to provide valuable information for parents about their children's learning. It is also clear that test results, provided on a sampling basis, can also guide policies aimed at improving performance and combating educational disadvantage. I...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Advice from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment on proposals to reform of senior cycle education was sent to me earlier this year. The NCCA's advice is accessible on its website, www.ncca.ie. We are all concerned that our education system should be positioned so that it continues to maintain excellence, relevance, quality and inclusiveness in the changing climate which lies...

Written Answers — Home-School Liaison Scheme: Home-School Liaison Scheme (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: A total of 371 home-school community liaison co-ordinators are assigned to 310 primary and 201 post-primary schools in disadvantaged areas to work with school staff, parents and relevant community agencies in advancing the educational interests of children. The home-school community liaison scheme is concerned with maximising active involvement of children in the learning process, in...

Written Answers — Education Welfare Service: Education Welfare Service (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Education (Welfare) Act 2000 established the National Educational Welfare Board as the single national body with responsibility for school attendance. The Act provides a comprehensive framework promoting regular school attendance and tackling the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. The general functions of the board are to ensure each child attends a recognised school or...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The number of National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, psychologists has increased almost three-fold, 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 psychologists. Priority will be given to filling...

Written Answers — Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Early Start pre-school project was established in 40 primary schools in designated areas of urban disadvantage in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Drogheda and Dundalk during 1994 and 1995. The aims of Early Start are to expose young children to an educational programme which would enhance their overall development, prevent school failure and offset the effects of social...

Written Answers — Course Duration: Course Duration (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As soon as we have clarification on the duration of the course we will communicate directly with the Deputy.

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (7 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school planning section of my Department has no record of receipt of a letter from the person in question. If a copy of the letter is forwarded to it, a response will issue. The position in relation to this matter is that the schools application for capital funding for a PE hall has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects....

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The accessibility to all of the three European education programmes, Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and Youth, is a goal which I strongly support. Targeting disadvantaged, including disabled, groups is one of the long-standing priorities of the current EU programmes. People with special needs will continue to be targeted under the new EU lifelong learning programme. One of the objectives of the...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 408 and 418 together. My Department funds the provision of adult literacy and community education, through its annual adult literacy and community education, ALCES, grant to the vocational education committees, VECs. These programmes are delivered locally by the VECs. The national development plan committed €93.5 million to the service in the period 2000-06....

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school to which the Deputy refers was awarded designated disadvantaged status under the disadvantaged areas scheme in 1994. Under this scheme the school benefits from the services of a home-school-community liaison teacher post and each year is in receipt of additional supplementary capitation at the rate of €38.09 per pupil and a refund of the television licence fee. Schools included...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the primary school transport scheme, a pupil is eligible for transport if he or she resides at least 3.2 km or two miles from the nearest primary school. Pupils residing less than 3.2 km from their nearest school may be offered transport on a concessionary fare-paying basis subject to spare seats being available and provided that no additional cost is involved. Catchment...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that my Department has received the application referred to by the Deputy. My Department is considering the application with a view to requesting the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, to examine the matter further. The Deputy will be aware that the NCSE, which was established recently and which has been operational since 1 January 2005, is responsible for processing...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule, which is issued annually to all primary schools. Based on the current staffing schedule, the school would be entitled to appoint a 13th mainstream class teacher on 1 September 2006 based on the enrolment figure in the school on...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: In June 2005 my Department approved the provision of a full transport service for the pupil referred to in the details supplied from the foster mother's home to the school in question. My Department was subsequently advised that the pupil would require transport in the afternoons only. In October 2005 the foster mother wrote to my Department requesting the provision of a transport service for...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department's third level student maintenance grant schemes were extended to provide maintenance grants for eligible students pursuing approved full-time undergraduate courses of at least two years duration, pursued in a university or a third level institution which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds in other EU member states with effect from the 1996-97...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department provides a range of supports for second level school management to enable schools to cater for pupils with special educational needs. The supports in question include remedial and resource teaching support, special needs assistant support and funding for the purchase of specialised equipment. With effect from 1 January 2005, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule, which is issued annually to all primary schools. To ensure openness and transparency in the system, a school which wishes to appeal its mainstream teaching allocation must do so by applying to the appeals board for mainstream...

Written Answers — Traveller Community: Traveller Community (6 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: It is important from the outset to emphasise that the Traveller community is entitled to the same education provision as all others. In addition, to assist members of the Traveller community to successfully access educational services there are a number of special provisions. At departmental level, a high level official co-ordinates provision of education for Travellers. An advisory committee...