Results 4,821-4,840 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The project at the school to which the Deputy refers has been reassessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large-scale building projects. Following that reassessment, it is proposed to provide for 425 pupil places at the school. The level of accommodation being provided will meet the needs of a school in future, taking all up-to-date influences into consideration....

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (13 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the general allocation of learning support and resource teachers, LSRTs, is intended to cater for children with learning support and high-incidence special educational needs. The system was constructed so that LSRT allocations would be based on pupil numbers, taking into account the differing needs of the most disadvantaged schools and the evidence that boys have...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (13 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department's approach to tackling disadvantage has been refined to ensure that individual "at risk" pupils are targeted. Rather than the old method of designating schools as disadvantaged, we now provide supports commensurate with the levels of concentration in schools of pupils with characteristics associated with educational disadvantage. The school to which the Deputy refers is included...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (13 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I am aware that the areas to which the Deputy refers, like many located in close proximity to Dublin, continue to experience population growth, a position that almost inevitably places some strain on existing educational provision. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a range of significant measures has been undertaken by my Department to address the current and future need for pupil places...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school planning section of my Department has received an application for major capital funding from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large-scale projects. Progress on the proposed works is being considered in the context of the school building and modernisation...

Written Answers — Public-Private Partnerships: Public-Private Partnerships (13 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department signed the contract for the new Cork School of Music, CSM, public private partnership project in September 2005. The capital cost of the project is €60.2 million, and the annual unitary payment, UP, will be €7.8 million. My Department did not enter into any PPP contracts in 2004.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department recently reached agreement on the terms of a redundancy package for special need assistants, SNAs, employed in primary and second level schools. The agreement was finalised with the assistance of the Labour Relations Commission. It is proposed to commence payment of redundancy to eligible special need assistants in January 2006. It is also proposed to advise schools of the...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The circumstances surrounding the case on which the Deputy based her question are under review in my Department at present. A response will be furnished directly to the Deputy in due course.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (14 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has sanctioned wheelchair accessible transport for the pupil referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied. Bus Éireann, which organises the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, has been requested to make the necessary arrangements in this regard.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (14 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The works referred to by the Deputy are appropriate to the summer works scheme, the purpose of which is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to undertake small scale building works which, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months. The school referred to by the Deputy has not made an application under the 2006 summer works scheme. It will be open to the school...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (14 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: An official of my Department has been in contact with the Deputy's office about this case. I understand that, based on the clarification provided, the issue has been dealt with by the VEC and remains a matter entirely for the VEC.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, which was established recently and which has been operational since 1 January 2005, is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs, SEN, supports. An application for two special needs assistants, SNAs, was made to the local special education needs organiser, SENO, by the school on behalf...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school management was offered a grant under the devolved initiative in 2004 to provide new accommodation. The offer was accepted and the management proceeded with the architectural planning of the project. The school has received planning permission for a new school building. The permission is subject to a number of conditions, laid down by the local authority that have to be complied...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 304 and 311 together. The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, which was established recently and which has been operational since 1 January 2005, is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs, SEN, supports. I can confirm that the schools inspectorate has no responsibilities in this regard and...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (14 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Physical educational facilities required by third level institutions are generally provided as part of multi-purpose facilities, as a component of a student centre/aula maxima or in conjunction with other recreational and leisure facilities. Given the aggregation of physical educational facilities with broader social and recreational facilities at third level institutions, it is not possible...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (14 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 306 and 307 together. The information in the format requested by the Deputy is not readily available. However, with regard to physical education facilities generally, the physical education curriculum has been designed on the basis that facilities in schools may vary. Many primary schools have a general purpose room and practically all schools have outdoor...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that there are currently approximately 326 whole-time special needs assistants, SNAs, in our primary and second level schools in County Kildare supporting children with special needs. This equates to approximately 10,432 hours per week, based on a 32 hour week, which is the basis on which the salaries of SNAs are calculated.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (14 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: It would be my intention that all appropriate and relevant information in respect of any agency funded by my Department or for which I have a responsibility would be provided in response to a parliamentary question. The availability or provision of this information would of course be subject to any legal or statutory constraints which might be applicable. In general terms, policy issues would...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (14 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: While my Department has no immediate plans to acquire the site to which the Deputy refers, it is anticipated that the Stepaside local area plan could generate a population of between 16,000 and 20,000 by 2012. With a projected population growth of this level, I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that it is prudent to have a site reserved for educational purposes. Having said that, my...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Dec 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Special schools and special classes funded by my Department are intended to cater for children and young persons with special educational needs from four years of age until the end of the school year in which they reach their 18th year. However, if particular circumstances arise whereby there is a necessity for a pupil to continue in a special school setting beyond the period outlined above,...