Results 81-100 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004: Order for Second Stage. (17 Jun 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Schools of Music. (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Teachta as ucht an ábhar tábhachtach seo a ardú sa Teach agus guím gach rath ar a thriúir iníon atá ag déanamh ceoil ins an choláiste. This is an important issue. As Deputy Allen is aware, the Government decided last July that the Department of Education and Science should finalise contractual negotiations with Jarvis Projects Limited...

Education Projects. (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I thank Deputy Boyle for his good wishes and for raising this important issue. He will be aware that delegated responsibility for the area of adult education lies with my colleague, Deputy de Valera, although it is obviously one in which I also have an interest. Equally, Deputy Boyle will recognise the expansion of the adult educational guidance initiative service in the past three years...

Written Answers — Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 282 and 325 together. Under the vocational training opportunities scheme, VTOS, my Department provides full-time courses to adults who are at least 21 years of age and in receipt of specified social welfare payments for at least six months. The VTOS programme was designed for long-term unemployed people with minimal or no qualifications. Training allowances,...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The pupil referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied is not attending his nearest national school and is availing of concessionary fare paying transport. The case was considered by the School Transport Appeals Board which decided that, "the terms of the School Transport Scheme have been properly and appropriately applied and therefore this appeal is not allowed". Further documentation...

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The number of learning support teachers has grown from 1463 to 1531 over the last five years. I also wish to inform the Deputy that the number of resource teachers has grown from 200 to over 2,500 over the same period. The learning support service was evaluated by the Educational Research Centre on behalf of my Department in 1997 and its report was published in 1998. It made recommendations...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that the Government has recently approved the addition of a further 13 institutions to the Schedule to the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002. In accordance with Section 4 of that Act, a draft of the order necessary to add these 13 institutions to the Schedule has now been laid before each of the Houses of the Oireachtas in order to seek a resolution of approval of the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has been in contact with the school in question and advised the school to make an application for funding under the summer works scheme. Details of the 2005 summer works scheme were recently published and I have arranged for an application form to be sent to the school authorities. The closing date for receipt of applications is 5 November 2004.

Written Answers — Library Project: Library Project (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The junior certificate school programme, (JCSP), demonstration library project is a three year research project. New school libraries were set up in 11 participating post-primary schools for students up to junior certificate. The libraries are staffed by full-time qualified librarians. Reinforcing the concept of the whole-school approach to tackling literacy problems, the 11 schools are asked...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that an application for resource teaching support was received for the pupil in question. A new weighted model of resource teacher allocation for pupils with special educational needs has been introduced and the needs of this pupil fall to be met from this allocation.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department's school building section has approved funding for the provision of a special chair and desk for the pupil in question. The furniture has been delivered to the school and is in use by the pupil.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The appointment of teachers by Vocational Education Committees, VECs, is a matter for the relevent VEC, subject to agreed procedures. As my Department has no role in the appointment of individual teachers in the VEC, it would not be appropriate for me or my Department to intervene in any such matter.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is in the early stages of architectural planning. It is included in section 8 of the school building programme for 2004. The planning section of my Department is currently examining all projects on hands in line with the project prioritisation criteria that were recently revised in consultation with the education partners. I...

Written Answers — Statistics on Reading Problems: Statistics on Reading Problems (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: A national assessment of English reading at primary level which was carried out in March 2004 by the Educational Research Centre on behalf of my Department. The results of this survey will not be available until March 2005. At post-primary level, the reading literacy of 15-year-old students was assessed in 2000 as part of the Programme for International Student Assessment, PISA. This...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The school planning section of my Department is currently examining all building projects on hands in line with the project prioritisation criteria that were recently revised in consultation with the education partners. The proposed project at the school to which the Deputy refers is included in this review. I expect to be in a position to provide an update in relation to the progress of...

Written Answers — Transition Year Programme: Transition Year Programme (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The transition year programme is optional for each school. A minority of schools do not offer transition year at all. In others it may be available as an optional programme for some pupils. Some schools, in deciding to offer the programme, require all pupils to take the Programme in accordance with their curriculum provision across the school. In such schools (representing about 30% of the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I am aware of the issue in question. My Department is currently assessing the role of the visiting teacher service in the context of the level and range of teacher supports now being provided for children with special educational needs. I expect that the review will be completed within the current school term. A decision on the filling of vacancies, including the vacancy in County Galway to...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy was advised of its teacher allocation under the new weighted system on 24 June 2004. An additional 350 teacher posts are being provided to facilitate the introduction of the new system. This system will involve a general weighted allocation for all primary schools to cater for pupils with higher-incidence special educational needs, SEN, that is, those with...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that a number of applications for resource teaching support were received from the school referred to by the Deputy. The school authorities were informed recently of the outcome of some of the applications and will be notified of the outcome in relation to the remaining applications as soon as they become available. The school was advised of its teacher allocation under the new...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The precise information requested is not readily available. I am arranging for the information to be extracted and sent directly to the Deputy.