Results 6,141-6,160 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Languages Programme: Languages Programme (30 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The recent submission of an chomhairle setting out its views in regard to the National Education Centre for Irish in Baile Bhúirne was submitted by e-mail to my Department on 30 January 2006. In November 2003 an chomhairle had written to my Department highlighting the overlap between the role proposed for the centre and that of an chomhairle, and proposing that, for optimum synergy and...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (30 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: There are no plans at present for my Department to contribute towards the cost of developing or taking over swimming pools. The priority is to apply all capital funding allocated to my Department to school and college development. The Deputy may wish to pursue this matter with the Department of Arts, Sports and Tourism and-or the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (30 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The two key provisions of DEIS, delivering equality of opportunity in schools, the new action plan for educational inclusion, are for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated school support programme, SSP. The process of identifying primary and second-level schools for participation in the new school support was managed by the Educational Research...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (30 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The needs of children whose first language is not English are met through a separate programme of language support. Under this scheme, there are currently over 800 additional teachers at primary and second level helping children to improve their English language skills. My Department is currently reviewing provision in this area with a view to determining the appropriate educational response...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (30 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: DEIS, delivering equality of opportunity in schools, the new action plan for educational inclusion, provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated school support programme, SSP. This standardised system replaces all of the existing arrangements for targeting schools for participation in initiatives to address disadvantage. The process of...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (30 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The project for permanent accommodation at the school to which the Deputy refers has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. Progress on the project is being considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme from 2006 onwards. In the meantime, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department...

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (30 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has been operational since 1 January 2005 and is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs, SEN, supports through its network of special educational needs organisers, SENOs. The pupil in question is currently in receipt of five hours per week of resource teaching support and I can confirm...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (30 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: There was one officer of my Department on suspension with pay as at 31 December 2004 and none on 31 December 2005. The officer concerned was subsequently reinstated, upon completion of the process to deal with the issue. Such matters are dealt with in accordance the agreed procedures set out in the disciplinary code. As this code places an obligation on the Department to protect the dignity...

Written Answers — School Services Staff: School Services Staff (4 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department provides funding towards the cost of providing secretarial and caretaking services in primary schools under two separate schemes. One is the 1978-79 scheme for the employment of full-time secretaries and caretakers in primary schools, under which the Department meets the full cost of salary. This scheme is being phased out as posts become vacant and no new ones are being...

Written Answers — School Services Staff: School Services Staff (4 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department provides funding towards the cost of providing secretarial and caretaking services in primary schools under two separate schemes. One scheme is the 1978-79 scheme for the employment of full-time secretaries and caretakers in primary schools, under which my Department meets the full cost of salary. This scheme is being phased out as posts become vacant and no new posts are being...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (4 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 461 and 559 together. The review of the one-teacher schools is ongoing. As part of the review, inspectors of my Department have been asked to submit reports on the individual schools involved. When their reports have been received and considered discussions will be held with representatives of the interested parties.

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (4 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: DEIS, delivering equality of opportunity in schools, the new action plan for educational inclusion, provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated school support programme, SSP. The process of identifying primary and second level schools for participation in the new school support programme has been completed. As a result of the identification...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The proposed extension project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning and is one of the 124 schools that I announced in April of 2005 to progress through the architectural planning process. The educational worksheet to which the Deputy refers was returned to my Department in December 2005 and following this a schedule of overall accommodation...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (4 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As I have informed the House on previous occasions, my Department has introduced a general allocation model of additional resources to all primary schools for children in the high incidence categories of special educational needs. This enables an automatic response on the part of schools to any child deemed to be in need of additional teaching resources. In the case of children within these...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The vast bulk of the cost of school building projects is borne by my Department. In general, where a school is not owned by my Department, a local contribution of 10% of the project cost is required for school building projects. This is capped at €63,500 for new schools and €31,500 for extension projects. The amount of the local contribution for schools with disadvantaged status is 5% of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An application for an extension to the school referred to by the Deputy is currently under consideration in my Department. The assessment of the application includes a determination of the long-term projected staffing at the school which is informed by consideration of factors such as current and projected pupil numbers at the school, the likely impact of housing developments and existing...

Written Answers — Redundancy Provisions: Redundancy Provisions (4 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has reached agreement on the terms of a redundancy package for special needs assistants, SNAs, employed in primary and second level schools. I expect that confirmation of the provisions of the redundancy arrangements will issue to schools shortly. In this particular case, I can confirm that an application form for redundancy payment has been received in my Department. As soon as...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (4 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding from the school to which the Deputy refers. The application, which is for a PE hall only, has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large-scale building projects and assigned a band 4 rating. Progress on the project is being considered in the context of the school building and modernisation...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (4 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 469 and 471 together. There are six primary gaelscoileanna in County Kildare. In the 2004-05 school year, the last year for which details are available, these schools were paid a total of €432,612.54 towards their day-to-day running costs. A total of 57 full-time primary teachers were employed in the six schools in question in the 2004-05 school year. The...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (4 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: It is not clear to what additional regulations the Deputy refers. Section 10 of the Education Act 1998 provides for the recognition of new schools by the Minister. The application procedure for the process involved was revised in 2002 based on the recommendations in the Commission on School Accommodation's report, Criteria and Procedures for the Recognition of New Primary Schools. The...