Results 7,541-7,560 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is currently 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. Following a competitive public...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of revised Circular 10/01, in order for service under this scheme to be recognised for the award of incremental credit, the service must have been remunerated, full-time, satisfactory and be relevant to primary teaching. The application for incremental credit submitted by the person referred to by the Deputy was considered by an independent Appeals Board on 27th June 2006. It...

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

Mary Hanafin: The School Planning Section of my Department received an application for additional accommodation from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. The application was assessed and a 25 square metre room was allocated to the school. The Department is now in receipt of an appeal to this allocation. This appeal is being processed through the appropriate channels and the...

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

Mary Hanafin: In September 2005, the Education Partners reached a transitional agreement on certain arrangements for the implementation of the Protection of Employees (Fixed Term Work) Act 2003 in the education sector. Under the Transitional Agreement certain individuals were to be awarded contracts of indefinite duration and a system for adjudication of appeals from aggrieved individuals was to be...

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

Mary Hanafin: As part of the expansion of the devolved scheme for primary school building works, a grant of €350,000 was sanctioned to enable the management authorities of the school in question to provide additional accommodation. Devolving funding to school management authorities allows them to have control of their projects, assists in moving projects more quickly to tender and construction and can...

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

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school in question has been allowed to retain the teaching post as part of the amalgamation process that is taking place involving this school.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (4 Jul 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. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued annually to all primary schools. The relevant circular (0023/2006) issued to all schools in March 2006. Under the staffing arrangements...

Written Answers — Inquiry into Child Abuse: Inquiry into Child Abuse (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The evidence given by the Secretary General of my Department to the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse at the Phase III hearings on 12th and 13th June 2006 was based on a detailed examination of files held in my Department in relation to the industrial and reformatory school system and related matters. These files were previously provided to the Commission on an informal basis or under...

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

Mary Hanafin: My Department currently does not keep a separate record of the costs of the July provision. My Department's support package for 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...

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

Mary Hanafin: I previously advised the Deputy that forty hours tuition under the July Provision Scheme has been approved for the child in question for this year. The allocation was made following an application from his parents for inclusion in the programme. An application for retrospective sanction was refused.

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

Mary Hanafin: My Department provides a range of supports to second level schools to enable them to cater for students with special educational needs. The supports in question include remedial and additional teaching support, special needs assistant support and funding for the purchase of specialised equipment. With effect from 1 January 2005, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has taken over...

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

Mary Hanafin: Prior to 2005/06 there was only one primary school in the area to which the Deputy refers which was a fully vertical co-educational facility meaning it catered for pupils from Junior Infants to 6th class. To ensure an adequacy of primary provision in what I accept is a rapidly developing area, my Department sanctioned the recognition of a 2nd primary school for the area to commence operation...

Written Answers — Higher Education Institutions: Higher Education Institutions (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The admission of students to higher education institutions is a matter for the individual institutions and/or the Central Applications Office.

Written Answers — School Discipline: School Discipline (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: In launching "School Matters" the final Report of the Task Force on Student Behaviour in Second Level Schools, I outlined a package of measures to tackle student behaviour issues. In my view, implementation of the report must be approached in a prioritised and carefully structured way. The putting in place of a Behaviour Support Team is at the core of many of the Task Force recommendations. I...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Property Management Section of the Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of my Department in relation of site acquisitions generally, has been requested to source a site for the school in question. Officials in my Department are awaiting a report from the OPW on the matter. As soon as a site has been acquired, the school building project can be considered in the context of the...

Written Answers — Schools Survey: Schools Survey (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Educational Research Centre does not release information provided by individual schools as part of the survey referred to by the Deputy. It is a matter for the authorities of each school to decide whether any or all of the responses it made to the survey should be made available and, if so, to whom. A review process has been put in place for both primary and second-level schools. The...

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

Mary Hanafin: The demand for additional accommodation in schools has risen significantly over the last number of years mainly due to the rapid expansion in teacher numbers particularly in the area of special needs, the growth in the school-going population in rapidly developing areas including the impact of inward migration and the demands to cater for diversity through the recognition of new...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department. Information is recorded on a project by project basis. The Deputy can be assured that My Department fully recognises the key role of physical exercise within the school environment and continues to respond to the need to improve PE facilities for all pupils attending primary and post-primary schools. The provision...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Jul 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 4,000 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...

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

Mary Hanafin: With regard to the first school referred to by the Deputy, the building project for this school is at an early stage of architectural planning. My Department's officials wrote to the school authorities in February 2006 advising them that they should proceed to prepare and submit a revised stage 1 submission (site suitability, briefing and site report). As the Board of Management is the client...