Results 7,301-7,320 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (22 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The information sought by the Deputy is being compiled in my Department and will be sent to her as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (22 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Any instances where planned reductions in class sizes are likely to be constrained by limited availability of space in particular schools will be addressed through the Schools Building and Modernisation Programme in the normal way.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (22 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A suitable site for the new school has been identified and an agreement on price, subject to contract, has been reached. The contract documents were only recently received in the office of the Chief State Solicitor and are currently being examined by same. It is my intention to progress the building of the school as soon as the site has been acquired.

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (22 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department will contact the individual concerned directly in relation to the issues raised.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 487, 507, 526 and 527 together. The Deputies are aware that a specific function of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is to identify appropriate educational placements for all children with special educational needs, including children with autism. 19 additional special...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department considers that school-based education provision is the most appropriate intervention for all children including those with special educational needs and has discontinued the practice whereby children who are in full-time education provision would also be able to avail of home tuition grants. The children referred to by the Deputy are enrolled in special schools or special class...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. Following a recent review of the project, it was decided to provide the accommodation as an 8 classroom Generic Repeat Design School. Using this design, which has been developed by the Building Unit of my Department, will facilitate the early lodgement of planning permission and...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 490 and 515 together. The Property Management Section of the Office of Public Works which acts on behalf of my Department in relation to site acquisitions generally has been requested to source a site for the Gaelscoil in question. While a suitable parcel of land has been identified, a map of the specific area within that parcel that is offered for sale has...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The staffing of a primary school for a particular school year is determined by reference to the enrolment in the school on 30th September of the previous school year and by reference to a staffing schedule. This staffing schedule is outlined in Primary Circular 23/06 which issued to all primary schools recently. Under the staffing arrangements for primary schools there is provision for the...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 492 and 493 together. Under current regulations, a teacher may be probated in a special school or in a special class in a mainstream school where Irish is not a curricular requirement. Where such a teacher subsequently takes up a position in a mainstream setting, the only requirement is that they undergo probation in Irish as this subject will not have been...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: It is my Department's policy to support the provision of all-Irish school facilities at primary and post primary level in areas outside the Gaeltacht regions, where a demand for such provision is demonstrated and no alternative exists within a reasonable distance. The Aonad in the school referred to by the Deputy was established in response to demand for all-Irish provision at second level in...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A Circular Letter outlining details of the arrangements relating to redundancy for Special Need Assistants has been prepared by my Department. The number of the Circular Letter is 0058/2006 — " Redundancy Arrangements for Special Need Assistants in Primary and Second Level Schools". Where a redundancy situation arises in a school, the selection criteria will be on a last in first out (LIFO)...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 496 to 498, inclusive, together. The July Education Programme is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism who choose to extend their education services through the month of July. My Department also provides for a July Programme for pupils with a severe/profound general learning...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on the 30th September of the previous school year and by reference to a staffing schedule. This staffing schedule is outlined in Primary Circular 23/06 which issued to all primary schools recently. The enrolment in the school referred to by the Deputy on 30th September 2005 was 232 pupils, which...

Written Answers — Bullying in Schools: Bullying in Schools (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 500 and 501 together. As I have previously informed the Deputy, there is no requirement for schools to report on incidents of bullying to my Department. I do not agree with the Deputy that such reporting should be required and I do not propose to introduce such a system. Incidents of bullying can most effectively be addressed at school level. As the Deputy...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I understand that the local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) and the Education Welfare Officer (EWO) together with the Health Service Executive (HSE) are liaising with the family in relation to this student's needs. The Deputy will be aware that matters regarding health related services for this person are a matter for the HSE.

Written Answers — Home-School Liaison Scheme: Home-School Liaison Scheme (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Home/School/Community Liaison Scheme is a major mainstream preventative strategy targeted at pupils at risk of not reaching their potential in the educational system because of background characteristics which tend to affect adversely pupil attainment and school retention. The scheme is concerned with establishing partnership and collaboration between parents and teachers in the interests...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the action plan for educational inclusion, provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated School Support Programme (SSP). The School Support Programme will bring together, and build upon, a number of existing interventions in schools with a concentrated level of disadvantage. The process of...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on the 30 September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued annually to all primary schools. This circular (0023/2006) issued to all schools in March 2006. Under the staffing arrangements for primary...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Jun 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As part of the expansion of the devolved scheme for primary school building works, a grant of €250,000 was sanctioned in 2005 to enable the management authorities of the school in question to extend and refurbish their school. Devolving funding to school management authorities allows them to have control of their projects, assists in moving projects more quickly to tender and construction...