Results 2,001-2,020 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (26 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 — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The home tuition scheme is primarily intended to provide compensatory instruction for pupils who have a medical ailment that is likely to cause major disruption of their attendance at school. My Department continues to provide home tuition grants to pupils who cannot attend school at all, or are absent for a significant proportion of the school year. An application for home tuition for the...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to has recently received approval for funding for improvement works to windows under the 2005 Summer Works Scheme.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The property management section of the Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of my Department with regard to site acquisitions generally, is continuing to explore the possibility of acquiring a site for the school referred to by the Deputy. The technical suitability of a number of site proposals is being assessed at present. I assure the Deputy that the permanent accommodation needs of...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under the rules for national schools, grant aid is not continued to a primary school at which the average daily enrolment falls below eight units for two consecutive school years. Under the rules and programme for secondary schools, recognition can be withdrawn from a post-primary school which fails to comply with any one of the conditions relating to its recognition or in which, during two...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The application for capital funding from the school in question is being considered as part of a review of all projects which did not proceed to construction as part of the 2004 school building programme. Under this review, all projects are being assessed against the published prioritisation criteria which were revised last year following consultation with the education partners. Each project...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: It would appear that the original copy of the correspondence referred to by the Deputy was not received in my office. 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. In accordance with the staffing schedule, the staffing...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The enrolment figures required for the appointment and retention of teachers at both primary and post-primary levels have been reduced in recent years. Significant improvements have been made in the pupil-teacher ratio at both levels. At primary level, the ratio has fallen from 22.2:1 in the 1996 to 1997 school year to 17.44:1 in the 2003 to 2004 school year. At post-primary level the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The project at the schools to which the Deputy refers have been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria, which was revised following consultation with the education partners. The proposed project at the schools referred to will proceed in the context of the school building and modernisation programme 2005-09.

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: In November 2004 I announced the end of the freeze on third level capital funding when I gave immediate approval for key projects in the third level sector. The projects selected have been identified as being of a high national priority and include a number of new facilities to support the provision of additional health skills places and the expansion of teacher training places. I also...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Construction work is well advanced on the new 16 classroom primary school in Naas. The school building also includes provision for two special classrooms for children with autism. Approximately half of the classrooms in the new school are expected to be ready for September 2005. This is expected to be more than sufficient to cater for the school's immediate accommodation needs. The balance of...

Written Answers — School Funding: School Funding (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Additional information has been received from the school in question for an increase in funding. This information is being given further consideration by officials in my Department. The board of management of the school in question will be kept informed of any developments.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Details of the career break scheme for primary teachers are set out in Department circular 10/03 which issued to all schools in March 2003. In order to be eligible for a career break, a primary teacher must be permanent and have satisfactorily completed probation. As the requirement with regard to probation has not been met in this case, the person referred to by the Deputy is not eligible...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The project referred to by the Deputy is one of a number of dual use halls being funded as part of a joint programme to develop community sports facilities in drugs task force areas. Preliminary discussions have taken place with the relevant local authorities regarding the management of the community aspect of these facilities. Each school authority will be kept advised of developments.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I have included the building project for the school in question in my recently announced list of school projects to proceed through architectural planning in 2005. I have also approved the school for works to be carried out under the summer works scheme. My Department will be in contact with the school management shortly to progress the design process. I have now announced the first phases of...

Written Answers — School Completion Programme: School Completion Programme (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: In the 2004 to 2005 academic year, some 28,500 PLC places were approved in schools and colleges throughout the country. The approval process for PLC places for the academic year 2005 to 2006 will take account of enrolment trends, applications from VECs, schools and colleges for course approval and the totality of demands for courses and teaching resources across the system.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has been informed by Bus Éireann that 28 children from the west Waterford area are being transported to the schools referred to in the details supplied. My Department is not in a position to release the cost of transport for these children as the information is regarded as commercially sensitive. As the Deputy may be aware, the first school mentioned in the details supplied is...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I have no plans to introduce new charges for pupils attending primary schools or to increase charges for pupils attending post-primary schools.

Written Answers — Investigation of Incident: Investigation of Incident (26 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The information provided by the Deputy indicates that an investigation of the incident was undertaken by the relevant health authorities and the matter is known to the Director of Public Prosecutions. In such circumstances, it would be inappropriate for me to comment. However, I am making inquiries and will be in further contact with the Deputy regarding the matter.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (26 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...