Results 7,101-7,120 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (7 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that my Department is 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€18m joint Government — IBEC/TIF (Telecommunications and Internet Federation) Fund to provide local broadband connectivity to...

Written Answers — Departmental Records: Departmental Records (7 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The most up to date figures available to my Department show that in the 2003/04 academic year, a total of 3132 students from Louth were enrolled in full-time third level courses in the Republic. Figures available to my Department show that in the 2004/05 academic year 83 students from Louth were enrolled in Northern Irish Universities.

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

Mary Hanafin: All primary and post primary schools in Limerick have access to psychological assessments either directly through my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) that is administered by NEPS and full details of which are available on my Department's website. The number of psychologists in NEPS has...

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

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in primary school staffing in recent years. Next September there will no less than 4000 extra teachers in our primary schools, compared with 2002. Not only is the average class size in our primary schools down to 24, but there is now one teacher for 17 pupils at primary level, including resource teachers etc. Children with special...

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

Mary Hanafin: The person referred to by the Deputy was granted a career break for a period of six months from 2 July 2001 for the purpose of rearing her children. Her career break was subsequently extended at six monthly intervals at her request up to the maximum period of five years permitted under the terms of Department of Finance circular 18/98 concerning career breaks. Under the terms of the circular...

Written Answers — Bullying in Schools: Bullying in Schools (7 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can assure the Deputy of my concern that any child would feel upset in school because of bullying — be it physical, verbal or cyber and am anxious that all schools have effective practices in place both to prevent bullying and to deal with cases that may arise. Each school is required to have in place a policy which includes specific measures to deal with bullying behaviour, within the...

Written Answers — Disruptive Students: Disruptive Students (7 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has currently no guidelines in relation to restraining unruly or violent children in primary schools. Should the Deputy provide my Department with specific details in relation to the case referred to, I will arrange to have the matter looked into.

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

Mary Hanafin: Special Needs Assistants are recruited specifically to assist in the care of pupils with special educational needs in an educational context. They may be appointed to a special school or a mainstream school in situations where a pupil has a significant medical need for such assistance, a significant impairment of physical or sensory function or where their behaviour is such that they are a...

Written Answers — Disruptive Students: Disruptive Students (7 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has not been made aware of the incident referred to by the Deputy. Should the Deputy provide more specific details on the case referred to, my Department would be happy to examine the matter.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that officials of my Department continually meet with representatives of children with special educational needs (SEN) including various disability bodies, parents of children with disabilities and SEN, educationalists in colleges of education and university special education course deliverers. My officials participate in international committees that focus on the...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (8 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A decision will be made on the application to establish a new Gaelscoil in West Wicklow within days. The reason the decision was deferred at the time that the list of new schools was announced was to allow for consideration of the impact that recognising this school would have on the existing schools in the area, plans for the expansion of which are well advanced. The New Schools Advisory...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (8 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The relocation of DIT, which is currently spread over 30 different sites in Dublin, to a 65-acre campus in Grangegorman is a major priority for this Government. The move will enable the Institute to provide better academic and support services for its nearly 20,000 students. It will also allow for much greater academic and social interaction between students of many different disciplines,...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (8 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A grant of €425,000 was sanctioned under the 2006 Permanent Accommodation Scheme to enable the Vocational Education Committee to provide 5 additional classrooms at the College referred to by the Deputy. The Committee submitted an appeal in the matter and the level of grant aid was increased to €595,000 to provide 7 additional classrooms. The initiative allows management authorities to...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The proposed refurbishment and extension project for the School referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. Additional Stage 2 (Sketch Scheme) documentation was requested from the school authorities and is currently being examined by the Technical Staff in my Department. Department officials will be in contact with the school authorities when this examination has...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (8 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: 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. These reports on the individual schools involved are expected to be available shortly. Discussions will be held with representatives of the interested parties when all of the reports have been received and considered.

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (8 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations, including organising the holding of examinations. In view of this, I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding towards the provision of a general purpose room, staff room, multipurpose room and storage capacity has been received from the school to which the Deputy refers. The project has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and is being considered in the context of the School Building and...

Written Answers — Teacher Registration: Teacher Registration (8 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The person concerned first applied for registration as a secondary teacher in January 2006. Her application for admission to the Register of Secondary School Teachers was refused on the basis that her primary degree was not one deemed suitable by the Registration Council for the purpose of teaching at second level. A suitable degree is a degree or equivalent award from a nationally-recognised...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (8 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The details requested by the Deputy are as follows. The details refer to the position as at 30th June of the year in question except in the case of 2006 where they relate to the position as at 31st March. Year Total Teachers 1996 21,052 1997 21,035 1998 21,100 1999 21,500 2000 21,850 2001 22,850 2002 23,935 2003 24,700 2004 26,039 2005 26,282 2006 27,595...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The process of appointing a design team to the school building project referred to by the Deputy is under way and will be completed shortly.