Results 18,921-18,940 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As part of a review of all projects for the 2005 capital programme, an application for capital funding from the school referred to by the Deputy was assessed against the published prioritisation criteria for large-scale building projects which were revised last year following consultation with the education partners. Under this review, all projects were assigned a band rating and the progress...

Written Answers — Languages Programme: Languages Programme (14 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Education Co-operation Agreement between Ireland and China was signed in Beijing in February 2001. The overall objective of the agreement is to promote and encourage co-operation in education between Ireland and China on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and reciprocity and to strengthen existing education links with China. It provides a formal framework in which co-operation...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (14 Apr 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 a grant was paid previously. The scheme also provides that grants may not be paid to candidates who already hold a post-graduate qualification and are pursuing a second post-graduate qualification....

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (14 Apr 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 my Department and the education partners. The system for allocating teachers to primary schools is based on ensuring an overall maximum class of 29 in each school. Where some classes in a school have class sizes of...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (14 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There are no plans to provide legislation in the context of Irish sign language, ISL, at present. However, I wish to advise the Deputy that ISL has formal recognition in the Education Act 1998. Under the Act, it is a function of the Minister for Education and Science to ensure, subject to the provisions of the Act, that there is made available to each person resident in the State, including a...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (14 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Section 4 of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 provides that in order for an institution to be placed on the Schedule of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002, the facility must have been subject to inspection or regulation by a public body. Some 128 institutions are listed on the original Schedule to the Act and I signed an order in November 2004 for the inclusion of a...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy may be aware that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, which was established recently and which has been operational since 1 January 2005, is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs, SEN, supports. Some 71 special educational needs organisers, SENOs, have been recruited throughout the country and will be a focal point of contact for...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (14 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The schools referred to by the Deputy made a joint application for funding under the summer works scheme 2005. This application did not comply with the terms and conditions of the scheme in that it was not accompanied by the necessary consultant's report. The application was unsuccessful for this reason. My Department will be in contact with the schools shortly in relation to the appeal...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (14 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The scope of the works referred to by the Deputy is appropriate for consideration under the summer works scheme. The schools in question made a joint application for funding under the summer works scheme for 2005. This application did not comply with the terms and conditions of the scheme in that it was not accompanied by the necessary consultant's report. The application was unsuccessful for...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (14 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The new policy framework for tackling educational disadvantage that I will be publishing shortly will provide for a new standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and will put in place a new integrated programme of supports that will bring together, and build upon existing policy interventions and initiatives for schools and school communities with a concentrated level of...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (14 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Officials in the school planning section of my Department are re-assessing the accommodation needs of the school referred to by the Deputy in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria which was revised following consultation with the education partners. Until a final decision is taken on this matter, the property management section of the OPW, which acquires sites on behalf of my...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (14 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school authority in question, which is the client for this project, has as part of the building contract erected fencing to prevent children accessing the building site at the school. They are not aware of any further safety issues involving the fencing. If the Deputy wishes to provide specific information on this matter I will arrange for it to be brought to the attention of the school...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that an application for resource teaching hours for the first named pupil was considered by my Department. The school in question was advised that the pupil's special educational needs, SEN, appear to be within the high incidence disability range and it would be expected that these needs can be met from within the current resource-learning support teaching allocation available...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (13 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on the 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule, agreed between my Department and the education partners. The system for allocating teachers to primary schools is based on ensuring an overall maximum class of 29 in each school. Where some classes in a school have class...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (13 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The National Educational Welfare Board is aware of the circumstances referred to by the Deputy and is currently working with the family and with schools in the area to secure school places for the children in question. The family have been advised regarding their entitlement to appeal a decision of suspension for more than 20 days in a school year to the Secretary General of my Department,...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (13 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I am aware of the INTO's position on these matters. The system for allocating teachers to primary schools is based on ensuring an overall maximum class of 29 in each school. Where some classes in a school have class sizes of greater than 29 pupils, it is generally because a decision has been taken at local level to use the school's teaching resources to have smaller numbers in other classes....

Written Answers — Third Level Colleges: Third Level Colleges (13 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I have not received any proposal in regard to the provision of a third level college for Drogheda and therefore I am not in a position to make a statement on the matter.

Written Answers — Millennium Fund: Millennium Fund (13 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The national office for equity of access to higher education proposed by the action group on access to third level education has been established within the Higher Education Authority and has been fully operational since February 2004. The remit of the national office is to facilitate inclusive and equitable access to higher education from under-represented groups and promote improved...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (13 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The future viability of the school referred to by the Deputy is a matter of concern to my Department in view of the low and declining enrolment. The school has a current enrolment of seven pupils. The school authorities have been issued notification in accordance with section 11 of the Education Act 1998, that it is proposed to withdraw recognition from the school. Section 11 of the Act also...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (13 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy should note that significant steps have been made in this area in recent years. The pupil-teacher ratio, which includes all the teachers in the school, including resource teachers, has fallen from 18:1 in the 2002-03 school year to a projected 17.4:1 in the current school year. More than 4,000 additional teachers have been employed in our primary schools since 1997 when the...