Results 16,141-16,160 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Youthreach Programme: Youthreach Programme (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Youthreach programme is the national response to the needs of unqualified early school leavers in the 15-20 age group. It is designed to offer courses of integrated general education, vocational training and work experience. My Department already has criteria governing the recognition and funding of Youthreach centres. In this regard, an integrated district approach is implemented by the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The proposed extension project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning and is one of the 124 schools that I announced in April of this year to progress through architectural planning. The brief for the planned extension currently consists of a total area of 1,450 m2 and was initially set to cater for a long-term projected enrolment of 750...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the third level student support schemes, clause 7.6 of the higher education grants scheme, maintenance grants are not payable to candidates who already hold an undergraduate degree and are pursuing a second undergraduate degree. Similarly, tuition fees are not payable in respect of a second period of college attendance at the same level. I understand that the student...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: An increase in funding to the project referred to by the Deputy has been granted under my Department's fund for the development of targeted educational responses to certain children at risk for 2005-06.

Written Answers — Early Retirement Scheme: Early Retirement Scheme (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The person to whom the Deputy refers applied to the Department to retire at the end of the 2004-05 school year under strand 3 of the early retirement scheme for teachers. The scheme specifies that strand 3 may be availed of by teachers in posts which are surplus to requirements, from which they may not be redeployed readily and which will not be filled should they leave the posts. The scheme...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The information sought is not readily available in the format requested by the Deputy as the financial records which are maintained in respect of payments made to school authorities for rented temporary accommodation are recorded on a monthly basis and are not recorded on a county basis. However, if the Deputy wishes to request details on the annual cost of rented school accommodation on...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 245 and 246 together. The Department provides a range of supports to second level schools to enable them to cater for pupils with special educational needs including pupils with visual impairment. The supports in question include learning support and resource teaching support, special needs assistant support and funding for the purchase of specialised...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Department provides a range of supports to 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. There has been enormous progress made over the past number of years in relation to...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: A key element of DEIS, Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, the new action plan for educational inclusion is the putting in place of a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage in our primary and second-level schools for the purposes of qualifying for resources, both human and financial, according to the degree of disadvantaged experienced. This standardised system...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has received correspondence from the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland seeking approval for the inclusion of the winter streams of the professional practice course 1 under the higher education grant scheme for 2005-06. The application for course approval is under consideration within my Department.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The statutory framework for the maintenance grants scheme, as set out in the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts 1968 to 1992, provides for means-tested higher education grants in order to assist students to attend full-time third level education. With regard to income thresholds prescribed under the student maintenance grant schemes, the practice in recent years has been to...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: With regard to income thresholds prescribed under the student maintenance grant schemes, the practice in recent years has been to increase the reckonable income limits for the ordinary rate of grant by at least the annual increase in the average industrial wage in the 12 months to September of the year prior to the relevant academic year. Similarly, with regard to the value of the grant, the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The back to education allowance is administered by the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, not by the Minister for Education and Science. Changes in the conditions for receiving the allowance may, however, affect schemes under my Department, for example, students who qualify for the BTEA from the Department of Social and Family Affairs could also qualify for a maintenance grant from my...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The student charge is levied by third level institutions to defray the costs of examinations, registration and students services. The student charge is €775 for the 2005-06 academic year. All students who are eligible for means tested student support have the student charge paid on their behalf by the local authorities or the vocational education committees, in addition to any maintenance...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy has made an application for capital funding towards the provision of additional accommodation. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria which were revised last year following consultation with the education partners. The project is being considered in the context of the school building and modernisation...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school to which the Deputy refers has submitted an application for an upgrade to its external play area under the summer works scheme for 2006. The closing date for the receipt of such applications was 14 October last. All applications are currently being assessed and a list of successful applicants will be published when the assessment procedure has been completed.

Estimates for Public Services 2006: Motion (Resumed). (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: It was a pleasure.

Estimates for Public Services 2006: Motion (Resumed). (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I will talk to the Deputy shortly.

Estimates for Public Services 2006: Motion (Resumed). (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I welcome the opportunity to outline to the House the main features of my Department's Estimates for 2006, obviously just focusing on the current spending because my capital has yet to be confirmed in the budget. Education has done extremely well in the Estimates. With an increase of 9% being provided for next year, way ahead of inflation, day-to-day spending will next year be €7.2 billion,...

Estimates for Public Services 2006: Motion (Resumed). (23 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Minister for Finance has committed also to a further reduction in class size in the following year. In real terms what this means is that over the next two years we will put 500 extra teachers in our schools to reduce class size and to tackle disadvantage. Schools will be asked to use the extra class teachers to ensure there are smaller classes for infants and young children rather than...