Results 17,721-17,740 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school transport appeals board considered an appeal in this case and found that the present level of service to the school referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied is reasonable and that the benefits of an exclusive service would not justify the costs involved. The question of the legal responsibility for the safety of children while boarding or alighting a school bus or while...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (23 Jun 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, agreed between the Department of Education and Science and the education partners. In the current school year, the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy comprises a principal and ten mainstream class teachers based on...

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that since November 2004, I have made a series of announcements regarding capital projects across all three sectors. Accordingly, I do not accept the Deputy's suggestion that there has been a delay in announcing budgetary decisions for capital projects. In November 2004, I ended the freeze on third level capital funding following the report of the review group on the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There are eight SNAs employed in this school at present, some of whom are catering for the needs of pupils enrolled in special classes attached to the school. The school has sanction for four full-time posts and five part-time posts from next September. My Department has recently issued a letter to schools which have surplus SNA staff that contained guidelines for schools in selecting staff...

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

Mary Hanafin: The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has been established as an independent statutory body with responsibilities as set out in the National Council for Special Education (establishment) Order 2003. With effect from 1 January 2005, the NCSE through local special educational needs organisers, SENOs, will process resource applications for children with special educational needs....

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There are 278 officers serving in principal, assistant principal and higher executive officer posts in my Department. As part of the preparation of a three year scheme under section 11 of the Official Languages Act 2003, staff in my Department were surveyed and asked to identify their fluency in the Irish language. An analysis of the survey showed that 13 officers in PO, AP and HEO posts...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has been operational since 1 January 2005 and is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs, SEN, supports. My officials have been advised by the NCSE that the local special educational needs organiser, SENO, has examined the application for the pupil in question. I can confirm that the pupil...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The management authorities of schools must employ qualified teachers for casual substitute and part-time teaching where possible. Where a suitably qualified teacher is not available, they may engage an unqualified person while continuing to actively seek a qualified replacement. Prior to December 2001, all part-time and substitute teachers in post-primary schools were paid a standard hourly...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy is included in the disadvantaged areas scheme, DAS, and the Giving Children an Even Break programme, GCEB. Under the scheme, the school benefits from additional capitation grants of €38.09 per capita, a refund of the television licence fee and eligibility for 95% building grants for building projects. Designated disadvantaged schools are included in the...

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

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy should be aware that the school to which he refers is on the list of schools to begin architectural planning, which I published in March 2005. The design team will be Department-led and officials in the school building section will be in contact with the school authorities shortly.

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

Mary Hanafin: The extension project at the school to which the Deputy refers has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria. The project will be considered in the context of the School Buildings and Modernisation Programme 2005-2009.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The family referred to in the details supplied were paid a grant to the end of May 2005. My Department is currently considering the provision of suitable transport for the child in question.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: An independent appeals board was established to adjudicate on appeals from boards of management on mainstream staffing teacher allocations in primary schools. The appeals board operates independently of the Minister and the Department and its decision is final. A circular outlining these procedures issued to all primary schools. The staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There were no costs incurred by my Department in respect of the two Nice treaty referenda.

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: All EU directives currently in force for which my Department has responsibility have been transposed into Irish law.

Written Answers — Schools Funding: Schools Funding (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As a result of measures intended to streamline the funding allocation process, my Department now provides a budget allocation to the CABAS Kilbarrack pilot project on a school year basis. These arrangements were implemented during the 2003-04 school year. For the 2004-05 school year, CABAS Dublin was allocated a budget of €1,006,321.61 to cater for 24 children. The funding allocation for...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The recent report of the Irish language commissioner highlighted the fact that despite appreciable time devoted to Irish in the school system, many students emerge from primary and post-primary education without achieving a reasonable command of the language. Particular concerns were raised about students' command of the spoken language. The report by An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta...

Written Answers — Schools Funding: Schools Funding (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is currently engaged in discussions with Educate Together in respect of annual funding. The provision of some additional funding in 2005, to meet the immediate issues of concern to Educate Together is under discussion with their longer term needs. The current level of funding my Department provides to Educate Together as a school management body is on a par with that provided to...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There is evidence to confirm that the proportion of students with a disability is growing in third level. The preliminary results of a recent survey of participation in third level conducted by the Association for Higher Education Access and Disability, AHEAD, indicate that participation by students with a disability in third level education has improved over the past five years and in...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (23 Jun 2005)

Mary Hanafin: A report on this case has been requested from Bus Éireann. The Deputy will be advised of the position when the report has been received and assessed.