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

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

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled by my Department at present and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Educational Projects: Educational Projects (5 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: Financial support for an adult educational guidance project in Cork city was approved by my Department in 2000 on a pilot basis as part of phase 1 of the adult education guidance initiative, AEGI. This initiative comprises 25 pilot projects throughout the country with the aim of providing a high quality educational guidance service for adults in VTOS, literacy, community education and other...

Seanad: Educational Facilities: Motion. (6 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: Gabhaim buíochas dona Seanadóirí uilig as an bhfáilte croíúil a chur siad romham anseo inniu. I thank Senators for their warm welcome and I look forward to working with them over the next two years and nine months in my new role. I was chuffed that, on my first day as Minister of State in February 2000, my father was in the Seanad to welcome me and it was particularly nice that my...

Seanad: Educational Facilities: Motion. (6 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: People can get the wrong impression in this regard based on media reports and so on and I am anxious to clarify that in the interest of an excellent second level school. St. Catherine's is also an excellent third level school. I reject the notion that the decision was reached on the basis of political interference. We are all politicians and we make representations. The public is entitled to...

Seanad: Educational Facilities: Motion. (6 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: Senator Terry said Dublin people might like to stay in Dublin. If one wants to follow a specialist course, one will travel. While the decision was taken on the basis of all the considerations, I reiterate that the issue would not have arisen but for the recognition of the difficulties the Dominican trustees were having. We are faced with circumstances in which a decision has been taken and is...

Seanad: Educational Facilities: Motion. (6 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: It is not the job of a Minister to reverse the decisions of previous office holders.

Seanad: Educational Facilities: Motion. (6 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: Of course, I will be more than happy to meet with staff, the board of governors and the board of management of St. Catherine's for whom I have a very high regard. However, I hope it is not in the expectation that I can reverse the decision which has been made but rather that I can help with transitional arrangements, discuss where their future lies and facilitate them in whatever way I can....

Seanad: Educational Facilities: Motion. (6 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I was asked to meet them.

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (12 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The report of the action group on access to third level education, published in 2001, sets out detailed recommendations in relation to the operation of the millennium partnership fund for disadvantage which provides assistance to partnership companies and community groups to develop their support schemes for students from disadvantaged families. These partnerships and community groups operate...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (12 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The National Council for Special Education has been established as an independent statutory body under the National Council for Special Education (Establishment) Order, 2003. The order requires the council to undertake its full range of functions with effect from October 2004. The council has approval to employ up to 80 special educational needs organisers, SENOs, to undertake the service...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (12 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: The matter of art teachers who failed to become fully qualified through the technical schools examinations system, which was wound up in 1988, was examined in the course of discussions with the teachers' representative bodies. Arising from these discussions, a course was organised by my Department which gave such teachers the opportunity to become fully qualified. The course, called the NUI...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (12 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has no record of having received an application for the establishment of a secondary school for pupils with autism and autistic spectrum disorders in Kilkenny. I can confirm, however, that my officials are examining a proposal to construct a new building for the Holy Spirit special school in Kilkenny which caters for pupils with special needs including those with autism. The...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (12 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: Owing to staff changes in the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, there was a period of time when it was not possible to offer a service to the school in question. However, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the situation has been resolved, and a NEPS psychologist has been assigned to the school.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (12 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: On 15 September 2004, my Department received an application from the school in question for an increase in the special needs assistant support levels for the pupils referred to by the Deputy. However, the application was incomplete as the relevant supporting documentation did not accompany the application. The school was advised of this on 24 September. Additional information was submitted by...

Written Answers — College Closures: College Closures (12 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 135, 150, 154, 176 and 179 together. The issue of the future of the college, which is the subject of the questions posed by the Deputies, arose in the context of a decision by the trustees of the college that, due to personnel and financial considerations, they were no longer in a position to fulfil the role of trustees of the college. Following discussions...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (12 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: As recently announced, over the remainder of this school year a new school planning model involving published area development plans will be piloted in five areas. Included in the pilot scheme is the N4-M4 route from Leixlip to Kilcock and including Maynooth and Celbridge and from Enfield through to Kilbeggan. The plan for this particular area, which was published in June of this year,...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (12 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: An application for grant aid towards refurbishment and additional accommodation has been received from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. My officials are nearing completion of a review of all projects in line with the revised prioritisation criteria that resulted from consultation with the partners. The purpose of the review is to enable and inform a...

Written Answers — Administration of Universities: Administration of Universities (12 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: Any issues around internal administrative practices within the Trinity College library are a matter for that university, in line with the provisions of the Universities Act 1997. I have no plans to look into internal university issues of that nature.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (12 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 — School Services Staff: School Services Staff (12 Oct 2004)

Mary Hanafin: School secretaries in certain primary schools, employed under the 1978-79 scheme are paid a salary throughout the year, including holiday periods. In the case of all other secretaries in primary schools, the arrangement is that each school receives a grant from my Department for the provision of secretarial and other ancillary services. It is a matter for each school to determine how best to...