Results 4,301-4,320 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. The school in question was listed in my announcement of April this year as a project to progress through architectural planning up to pre-tender stage, namely, up to and including advanced architectural planning. My Department's officials are in the process of examining a recently...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Nov 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, which is issued annually to all primary schools. 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...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The property management section of the Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of my Department on site acquisitions generally, is continuing to explore all possibilities in the acquisition of a site for a new national school in Kill in consultation with the local authority. Every effort will be made to ensure that a site is acquired as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 678 and 729 together. The information regarding the pupil-teacher ratio in individual schools is not readily available in my Department. Since 1997, the Government has dramatically increased the number of teachers in our schools. At primary level more then 4,500 additional teachers, including approximately 2,500 resource teachers, have been employed. At...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 682 and 730 together. The school planning section of my Department is responsible for planning the provision of suitable cost effective accommodation both in response to applications from school managerial authorities for accommodation and by analysis of changing demographics. All resultant projects, whether extensions to existing schools or new schools, are...

Written Answers — Prefabricated Classrooms: Prefabricated Classrooms (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The information is not readily available in the format requested by the Deputy. However, all applications received for major capital funding from schools throughout the country have been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. Progress on individual projects will be considered in the context of the school building and modernisation...

Written Answers — Bullying In Schools: Bullying In Schools (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Individual school management authorities are not required to report to my Department on incidences of bullying. Therefore, the information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department. I can assure the Deputy that I am acutely aware of the issue of bullying in schools and my Department has in place a multi-faceted strategy to tackle the issue. Educating both primary and...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Enormous progress has been made on increasing the number of special needs assistants, SNAs, in our schools who specifically cater for children with special educational needs. Approximately 6,650 whole-time equivalent SNAs work in our primary and second level schools supporting children with special needs. The National Council for Special Education, through its network of locally based special...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department actively encourages the uptake of science and technological subjects through an ongoing programme of curriculum reform and teacher in-service and by upgrading school facilities. A new science curriculum was introduced into primary schools in 2000 as part of the revised primary school curriculum. Revised syllabi in junior certificate science and in leaving certificate physics,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The extension at the school to which the Deputy refers was completed in May 2005.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The refurbishment and extension project for the school referred to by the Deputy is on site. Work commenced in October 2005 and is due to be completed in October 2006.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Tenders have been received for the extension project at the school to which the Deputy refers. The design team for the school authority, the vocational education committee, is assessing the tenders. A tender report will be submitted to my Department for approval once this assessment is completed.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is considering the question of the purchase of a site and temporary building for the school referred to by the Deputy. It is hoped to have the matter concluded as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: An application for further additional accommodation has recently been received from the school in question and progress on this application will be considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme from 2006 onwards.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. The school in question was listed in my announcement of April this year as a project to progress through architectural planning up to pre-tender stage, that is, up to and including advanced architectural planning. To bring this project to the required stage my Department's officials...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, it is proposed that a double autism unit will be established at the school in question. In this regard, appropriate classroom accommodation has been provided in the school for this purpose. My officials have been liaising with the school authorities for some time in relation to the resources to be made available to facilitate the operation of the classes. My Department...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 698 and 710 together. The information the Deputy requests is not readily available, however, all applications on hand for major capital funding from schools in the Kildare area have been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. Progress on individual projects is being considered in the context of the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. A stage two submission has not yet been received. My Department's officials wrote to the school authorities in September 2005 advising them that they should now proceed to prepare and submit a stage two submission, outline sketch scheme. The school authorities have advised that they...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As part of the expansion of the devolved scheme for primary school building works, a grant of €250,000 was sanctioned to enable the management authorities of the school in question to provide additional permanent accommodation. The initiative allows boards of management to address their accommodation and building priorities with a guaranteed amount of funding and gives boards of management...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school in question was granted permanent recognition effective from 1 September 2004. A letter to this effect issued to the school authority on 24 March 2005