Results 5,861-5,880 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I understand from my officials that the local special educational needs organiser is liaising with the family in question in the context of arranging an early meeting to discuss the issues in question. My Department is continuing to fund a home tuition grant to the family concerned pending the provision of an appropriate educational placement.

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The process of identifying primary schools for participation in the new school support programme under the DEIS, delivering equality of opportunity in school, programme, has now been completed, and schools are being notified of the results.

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The youth affairs section of my Department received an application for funding under the special projects for youth scheme on behalf of the Mid-Waterford Action for Youth Development Project. This application was submitted through County Waterford VEC. While it was not possible to accede to this request for mainstreaming the project in 2005, due to the large number of applications received, a...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The most recent data available on staff in my Department who have a disability indicate that there are 37 such officers, which equates to 3.03% of staff. The guidelines followed for the collection of this information are set out in the Code of Practice for the Civil Service 1994. Following the cessation of special competitions for the recruitment of persons with disabilities, due to the Equal...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a suitable site has been identified for the provision of a new school in Blennerville. Contract documents have been signed and returned to the Office of Public Works for signing by the vendor. The provision of a new school will be considered further when the acquisition of the site is completed.

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has no record of receiving a freedom of information request from the person in question. The Department did, however, receive a letter from the person requesting information on their performance at an interview for a teaching position. My officials spoke with the person concerned and explained that the information would need to be sourced from the chairperson of the interview...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 509, and 541 to 545, inclusive, together. The Deputy will be aware that my Department has recently been engaged in extensive correspondence with the school in question relating to a range of issues, including those referred to by the Deputy. My Department has sanctioned three special classes for children with autism in this school. However, the issue relates...

Written Answers — Institiúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann: Institiúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Ag cruinniú ginearálta urghnách ITÉ, a tionóladh i mí Iúil 2003, d'aontaigh an cuideachta go mba cheart tús a chur le próiseas maidir le leachtú deonach na cuideachta. Rinneadh an cinneadh sin i gcomhréir lena meamram agus airteagail chomhlachais chomh maith le dlí cuideachtaí cuí. Tuigtear dom, ar an 5ú Nollag 2003, d'aontaigh coiste feidhmiúcháin ITÉ clár-ama do...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The allowance being sought by the person concerned is the category 2 allowance payable to teachers who are seconded to a range of positions under the various national education initiatives, in accordance with the findings of the teachers arbitration board in July 2003. The person concerned is not a seconded teacher. My Department is reviewing the arrangements applying under the various...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is committed to funding the provision of physical education, general purpose and outdoor play areas in schools as part of the school building and modernisation programme. This is being addressed in the context of available resources and the published criteria for prioritising school building projects. The provision of physical education halls at post-primary level is considered...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The report to which the Deputy refers is entitled area development plan for the N4-M4 area. This plan, which was published last year by the commission on school accommodation, outlines my Department's long-term educational strategy at both primary and post-primary level for the area concerned, which includes Kinnegad, Rochfortbridge and Tyrrellspass. The recommendations in the plan are being...

Written Answers — Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A total of 640 primary schools — 320 urban-town and 320 rural — and 200 second level schools have been selected to participate in the school support programme under the new action plan for educational inclusion entitled DEIS, delivering equality of opportunity in schools, and letters of invitation issued to these schools on 24 February 2006. Early childhood education provision is a key...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Major improvements in school staffing have been made in recent years with the hiring of more than 5,000 additional primary teachers. This represents the largest increase in teacher numbers since the expansion of free education. Today there is one teacher for every 17 children, the lowest pupil-teacher ratio in the history of the State. Aside from decreasing average class size, the...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am very much aware of the important role played by the sciences in a modern educational system. As the Deputy's question suggests, there has been a concern regarding participation rates in the sciences in recent years. This concern is not unique to Ireland but is one commonly found in developed economies throughout the world. While science is optional in the junior cycle, approximately 89%...

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Funding is provided to primary schools by way of per capita grants, which affords schools considerable flexibility in the use of these resources to cater for the needs of their pupils. This is, in my view, a preferable approach to putting in place grants for specific cost items such as insurance. There have been significant improvements in the level of funding provided to primary schools....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding towards the provision of an extension to provide ancillary accommodation has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. The project is being considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme 2006-10.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has been operational since 1 January 2005 and is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs supports. There is one special needs assistant, SNA, on my Department's payroll for the school in question. I am advised that the local special educational needs organiser, an official of the...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: At primary level, physical education is one of the seven curriculum areas and is an intrinsic element of the primary school curriculum which was revised in 1999. A minimum of one hour of physical education per week is recommended for all primary school pupils. All qualified primary teachers are qualified to teach the full spectrum of the primary curriculum, including physical education.

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 527 and 529 together. The position in respect of physical education facilities in primary schools generally is that 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 play areas which are used for teaching different...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (7 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department fully recognises the key role of physical exercise within the school environment and continues to respond to the need to improve physical education facilities for all pupils attending primary and post-primary schools. The provision of such facilities is an integral part of the design process for new school buildings or where an existing school building is undergoing major...