Results 4,321-4,340 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

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

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that construction of the extension at the school in question has been completed.

Written Answers — Health and Safety Regulations: Health and Safety Regulations (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: In accordance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989, it is the responsibility of school management authorities to have a safety statement in place in their schools. Schools are obliged to identify possible hazards, assess the risks to health and safety and to put appropriate safeguards in place. It is open to school management authorities or individuals to make direct contact...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, my Department is currently engaged in the roll-out of broadband Internet connectivity to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. This project is being undertaken in partnership with industry, following the establishment of a three year €18 million joint Government — IBEC-TIF fund. The broadband connectivity is being provided via a schools national...

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

Mary Hanafin: It is assumed the Deputy is referring to the Kildare area. The Deputy will be aware of the significant interventions made by my Department at both primary and post-primary level in Kildare to ensure that there is adequate accommodation to meet the demand for pupil places. These interventions include a mix of greenfield site schools, major extensions and the provision of temporary...

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

Mary Hanafin: An application for additional accommodation has 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: My Department is moving towards a model of devolving the responsibility of building projects to school management authorities where appropriate. The devolving of funding to local level will accommodate school authorities to have responsibility and ownership of their building projects and assist in moving projects in a specific timeframe through the design process, to tender action and...

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

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the building works at the school to which he refers are still on schedule to be completed by mid-2006.

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

Mary Hanafin: My Department has no record of the school in question. If the Deputy submits the roll number of the school to the school planning section of my Department, it will be happy to forward the information requested.

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

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy may be aware, following widespread local consultation, my Department recently published an area development plan for the N4-M4 corridor. This plan outlines my Department's long-term educational strategy at both primary and post-primary level for this area which includes parts of north Kildare. The recommendations in the plan are being considered in the context of the school...

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The first Destination of Award Recipients in Higher Education report which is compiled by the Higher Education Authority contains details of, inter alia, the employment of graduates by reference to their faculty in higher education institutions. The most recent report which contains details of the 2002 graduates is available on the HEA website, www.hea.ie.

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

Mary Hanafin: Responsibility for the progression to tender and construction of the project at this school has been devolved to the school authority, County Kildare VEC. I understand tenders have been received within the approved budget and it is intended that the project will commence on site in the coming weeks. The construction period will be in the region of 15 months.

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 — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (8 Nov 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, has identified a possible site for the new national school referred to by the Deputy. A technical assessment has been carried out on the site. Due to the commercial sensitivity of site acquisitions, it is not proposed to identify specific sites at...

Written Answers — Science and Technology: Science and Technology (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Science and technology has a key role to play in supporting continued economic progress and development. Ireland is fortunate in the high number of students who have studied science and technology. OECD data for 2003 reveals that Ireland ranks fifth of 31 countries in the number of science graduates per 100,000 employed in the 25 to 34 age group. The downturn experienced in Ireland in the ICT...

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

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that on 6 May 2005 my Department gave devolved authority for the project in question to proceed to tender and construction. This project went to tender at the end of September and my Department is awaiting the tender report.

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

Mary Hanafin: Significant improvements have been made in the pupil-teacher ratio at second level in recent years. The pupil-teacher ratio has been reduced from 16:1 in the 1996-97 school year to 13.4:1 in the 2004-05 school year. In line with Government policy, my Department will continue to provide further reductions in the pupil-teacher ratio within available resources and subject to spending priorities...

Leaders' Questions. (9 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Like the third socialist.

Ferns Report: Statements (Resumed). (9 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Ferns Report made for some very disturbing reading. It details the stark reality of the abuse suffered by young people and the lack of support and assistance at their time of greatest need. I pay tribute to the courageous people who gave evidence of their experience of abuse to the inquiry and express my thanks and appreciation to them. Without their witness, the report could not have...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (9 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 358 and 359 together. My Department's approach to tackling disadvantage has been refined in more recent initiatives to ensure that individual, at-risk pupils are targeted. Rather than the old method of designating schools as disadvantaged, we now provide supports that are commensurate with the levels of concentration in schools of pupils with characteristics...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (9 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The North-South Ministerial Council agreed at a sectoral meeting in February 2000 that a joint working group on teachers' superannuation should be set up to consider the question of transferring the superannuation entitlements of teachers between this State and Northern Ireland. The working group has identified a range of options for effecting transfer arrangements. The group is fully aware...