Results 17,141-17,160 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (6 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The findings from the HEA report on participation in higher education in 2003 show that the Irish participation rate in higher education stands at 54% up from 44% from the year 1998 and the Government has increased third level places by 30,000 since 1998. I am committed to increasing this participation rate. The capacity to realise this increase lies within the system as a whole, rather than...

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (6 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The latest Higher Education Authority review of participation rates in higher education relates to 2003. This indicates that, nationally, participation rates in higher education as a percentage of 17 to 19 year olds stood at 54%. This was up from 44% in 1998. The report showed that higher education participation rates in the south-east region in 2003 were above the national average. The rates...

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (6 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Details of recurrent funding and capital investment paid in respect of third level infrastructure for each university and institute of technology are provided in the following tables for the period 1997 up to and including payments to date in 2005. In addition to the capital investment paid to individual institutions, an amount of €136,240,088 has been paid to the HEA under the programme...

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

Mary Hanafin: Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport service on behalf of my Department, has been asked to provide a report on the case referred to by the Deputy. When the report is received and considered, my Department will advise the Deputy of the position.

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

Mary Hanafin: The representatives of the National Educational Welfare Board and the National Council for Special Education are liaising with the parents of the children in question to ensure that appropriate educational provision is made available for the children.

Written Answers — Inquiry into Child Abuse: Inquiry into Child Abuse (6 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Department of Education and Science was not responsible for placing people in this home and therefore had no regulatory function to exercise at the home.

Written Answers — Inquiry into Child Abuse: Inquiry into Child Abuse (6 Oct 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 for which the State had a regulatory or supervisory responsibility. 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...

Written Answers — Stádas Míbhuntáiste: Stádas Míbhuntáiste (5 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Tógfaidh me Ceisteanna Uimh. 305 agus 306 le chéile. Seoladh an clár "Giving Children an Even Break" sa bhliain 2001 agus tá sé ann anois in ionad an phróisis a bhí i bhfeidhm cheana ina ndearnadh scoileanna a shainiú chun réigiúin um mhíbhuntáiste oideachasúil a fhreastal. Tá an cur chuige sa Roinn anois níos foirfe chun a dheimhniú go dtabharfar aire ar leith do na daltaí...

Written Answers — Leibhéil Leitheoireachta: Leibhéil Leitheoireachta (5 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Tá polasaí na Roinne i leith na léitheoireachta bunaithe ar a bhfuil ráite i gCuraclam na Bunscoile (1999). I gcás na Gaeilge agus an Bhéarla, cé go n-aithnítear tábhacht príomhá na héisteachta agus an labhartha, aithnítear gur scil ríthábhachtach í an léitheoireacht, eochair a osclaíonn doras don leanbh i dtreo na scéalaíochta, i dtreo na samhlaíochta agus i dtreo an...

Written Answers — Languages Programme: Languages Programme (5 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The post-primary curriculum for the study of Irish has the capacity to cater for a wide diversity of ability. Nevertheless, provision exists for exemption from the study of Irish in limited special circumstances. The guidelines in relation to an exemption from the study of Irish at post-primary level are set out in circular letter M10/94. Under the terms of this circular, my Department has...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department proposes to build a new 16 classroom primary school in Castledermot. The property management section of the Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of my Department regarding site acquisitions generally, has acquired a site for this development. Progress on the project will be considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme from 2006 onwards.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (5 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school to which the Deputy refers applied for the provision of additional temporary accommodation in 2004 to cater for its immediate needs. Grant aid was approved accordingly. The school planning section also received an application for major capital funding. Progress on the project is being considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme from 2006 onwards.

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (5 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The pupil teacher ratio, PTR, is calculated by dividing the enrolment of a primary school on 30 September of a given school year by the total number of full-time teaching posts based in the school. The most recent data on pupil teacher ratios available to my Department refers to the 2004-05 school year. For the 2004-05 school year the PTR of the 35 schools referred to by the Deputy were as...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, a new general allocation scheme has been announced under which schools have been provided with learning support-resource teaching, LS-RT, hours, based on their enrolment figures, to cater for pupils with high incidence special educational needs such as dyslexia and those with learning support needs. In May 2005, the three schools in question were each notified of their...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Act: Residential Institutions Redress Act (5 Oct 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 — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (5 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of my Department's higher education grants scheme a student is not eligible for grant assistance in respect of a second period of study at the same level irrespective of whether or not a grant was paid previously. The scheme also provides that grants may not be paid to candidates who already hold a postgraduate qualification and are pursuing a second postgraduate...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (5 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is currently engaged in the roll-out of broadband Internet connectivity to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. This connectivity is being provided via a schools national broadband network supported by HEAnet, which will provide managed Internet access, email, security controls, content filtering and other services designed to enhance the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 316 to 318, inclusive, together. There has been enormous progress made over the past number of years in the provision of resources, including accommodation, for special needs pupils. I am continuing to prioritise provision to ensure that all pupils with special needs are adequately resourced to enable them to meet their full potential. On my plans to deliver...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (5 Oct 2005)

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

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (4 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The organisation referred to by the Deputy is developing an integrated plan, entitled "Preparing for Life", which is intended to address the needs of children at each stage of their development in order to better prepare them for school. The plan involves mentoring and group training for parents to improve their skills, esteem and aspirations for their children. It is intended that the...