Results 16,021-16,040 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 provides a statutory scheme of financial redress for persons who, as children, were abused while in residential institutional care. The scheme applies in respect of institutions specified in the Schedule to the Act. Section 4 of the Act provides that the Minister for Education and Science may, by order, provide for the insertion in the Schedule of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school planning section of the Department of Education and Science recently received an application for major capital funding from the school in question. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects. Progress on the proposed works is being considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 219 together. The National Council for Special Education, established recently and operational since 1 January 2005, is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs supports. Over 70 special educational needs organisers have been recruited and are a focal point of contact for schools and parents. My officials have been advised...

Written Answers — Education Funding: Education Funding (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Enormous progress has been made in the funding of second level schools since 2002, the financial year indicated in the OECD report in question. The OECD report examined changes in expenditure since the mid-1990s. It shows that public expenditure on education in Ireland has increased substantially between 1995 and 2002 at all levels, even when allowing for inflation. According to data provided...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The availability of laboratory technicians has not been a universal feature of support for science teaching in second level schools and in some countries that provide this type of resource it is confined to certain types of school. I am aware that the provision of technical assistants was one of some 39 recommendations in the report of the task force on the physical sciences. The task force...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Schools caretakers are employed directly by school management authorities or vocational education committees. Caretakers in vocational schools are employed and paid by the appropriate VEC. Those employed on a wholetime basis have been pensionable for many years. Those employed on a part-time basis for 18 hours per week or more have the option of joining the pension scheme, under transitional...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Arising from the provisions of the Pensions (Amendment) Act 2002, employers are obliged to facilitate access to personal retirement savings accounts, PRSAs, for some categories of employees in certain circumstances. The obligation arises where the employer does not operate a pension scheme, limits eligibility for membership of a scheme or imposes a waiting period for membership greater than...

Written Answers — School Discipline: School Discipline (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The statistical information requested by the Deputy is contained in the attached document. Year Withdrawn Upheld at Hearing Not Upheld at Hearing Local Resolution Facilitator Resolution Total 2005 33 55 82 50 29 249 2004 45 85 71 14 48 263 Distribution of Appeals under section 29 in 2004 and to date (30th November) 2005. 2004 2005 Cavan 6 3 Carlow 0 1 ...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The file on the person named by the Deputy is in my Department's off-site archives. On its retrieval the Department of Education and Science will write directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (1 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Officials in the school planning section of the Department of Education and Science will supply the Deputy with the catchment area map as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (30 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The issue of road safety measures outside the vested site areas of primary and secondary schools would be a matter that should be raised in the first instance with the relevant local authority. Local authorities have the power to decide on road safety measures outside schools and should ensure that measures are in place to protect the safety of local school children. It is open to the boards...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (30 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As part of the expansion of the devolved scheme for primary school building works, a grant of €350,000 was sanctioned to enable the management authorities of the school in question to provide additional accommodation. The initiative allows boards of management to address their accommodation and building priorities with a guaranteed amount of funding and gives boards of management control of...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (30 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Individual VECs are not required to provide details of their various boards and committees to my Department. Therefore, the information requested by the Deputy is not readily available.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (30 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under the current staffing schedule for primary schools, an enrolment of 12 recognised pupils at the end of September 2004 is required for the employment of a principal and one mainstream classroom teacher. However, the provisional enrolment figures, which have been submitted to my Department, indicate that a minimum of 12 recognised pupils were enrolled in a number of schools which currently...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school planning section of my Department is in receipt of an application for a new building from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects. Progress on the proposed works is being considered in the context of the school building and modernisation...

Written Answers — Summer Works Scheme: Summer Works Scheme (30 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that the authority of the school to which he refers has submitted an application for funding under the summer works scheme for 2006. The school planning section of my Department is in the process of assessing all applications received. Details of the successful applicants will be published when the assessment process has been completed.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 and 261 together. The information regarding the number of special education teachers for County Kildare in the years 2002 to 2005 is not readily available within my Department. I can confirm, however, that at primary level there are now approximately 5,000 teachers in our primary schools working directly with children with special needs, including those...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (30 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: : The school to which the Deputy refers opened with provisional recognition from my Department in September 2004. The school is required to complete a minimum period of three years in this mode, during which time it must demonstrate its viability and that it is operating in accordance with the rules and programme for secondary schools. The matter of permanent recognition can be considered...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (30 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: A total of 33 schools in County Kildare have applied for funding under the summer works scheme for 2006. All applications are currently being assessed and a list of successful applicants will be published when the assessment process has been completed.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (30 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Appointments to posts of the kind indicated are a matter for the vocational education committee as the employer. My Department prescribes qualifications for appointment but does not sanction individual appointments. It is open to interested parties who are dissatisfied with such an appointment to present a complaint to the VEC. If no satisfaction is obtained, the matter may be brought to my...