Results 761-780 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools of Music: Schools of Music (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Government decided last July that my Department should finalise contractual negotiations with Jarvis Projects Limited with the view to commencing construction of the Cork School of Music as soon as practical. Shortly thereafter Jarvis plc, preferred bidder for the CSM project, announced a profit warning on the London Stock Exchange. To help solve its financial difficulties it is at...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The property management section of the Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of my Department in relation to site acquisitions generally, has carried out visits in relation to a number of sites offered for the school referred to by the Deputy. A technical report on these sites is now being prepared. There are a number of school building projects awaiting site resolution, including that...

Written Answers — Substance Abuse Policy: Substance Abuse Policy (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under Action 43 of the National Drugs Strategy, guidelines for developing a substance abuse policy were drawn up by my Department in consultation with the Department of Health and Children and the former health boards. These guidelines were issued to all schools in October 2002 to assist them in the development of appropriate substance abuse policies. The implementation of the guidelines is...

Written Answers — Early School Leavers: Early School Leavers (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The most recently published analysis by my Department of retention rates at second level was released in August 2003. The report indicates that of those pupils who commenced the junior cycle programme in September 1994, approximately 12,500, or 18.2%, left school without the leaving certificate. My Department is currently preparing reports on the 1995 and 1996 cohorts. My Department's...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the indemnity agreement reached with the religious congregations, the property contribution of the congregations is divided into two separate and distinct schedules of properties. One is a schedule of properties to be transferred from the congregations to the State, State agencies or local authorities after the date of the signing of the indemnity agreement on 5 June 2002....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I recently announced details of 122 major school building projects that will progress to tender and construction over the next 12 to 15 months. Responsibility for the day to day management of these projects is a matter for each school authority and its design team. My Department is aware that planning permission has been granted on 24 of these projects. While some of the 122 projects will be...

Written Answers — Grangegorman Development Agency: Grangegorman Development Agency (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Dáil Select Committee on Education and Science concluded Committee Stage of the Grangegorman Development Agency Bill on 16 December 2004. The purpose of this Bill is to establish an agency whose function, in the first instance, is to prepare a strategic planning scheme for the Grangegorman site. The plan must provide for the needs of the Dublin Institute of Technology, the Health Service...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: An application for the new school building for the school referred to by the Deputy, has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria, which was revised following consultation with the education partners. The Deputy will be aware that I recently announced the first phase of the 2005 school building programme which provided details of 122 major school building...

Written Answers — Schools Language Support Services: Schools Language Support Services (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Schools catering for non-national pupils who have significant English language deficits are entitled to assistance to enable these pupils gain full access to the curriculum. Schools that have 14 to 27 non-English speaking non-national pupils enrolled are entitled to a full-time temporary language support teaching post at primary level and a whole-time equivalent teaching post at post-primary...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Applications for capital funding for schools are assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria, which was revised following consultation with the education partner. I recently announced the first phase of the 2005 school building programme which provided details of 122 major school building projects countrywide which will prepare tenders and move to construction during...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: A total of €116.5 million has been provided in the 2005 Abridged Estimates Volume for school transport which is a 6% increase in the outturn for 2004. It is estimated that between 138,000 and 140,000 pupils will be carried each day on school transport services in 2005. The cost of improved transport services for children with special needs, including grants was estimated at 30% of the...

Written Answers — Literacy Levels: Literacy Levels (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Reading literacy achievement in primary schools is measured using standardised reading tests. Children's achievement scores on these tests are expressed in percentiles from one to 99. Those who score at or below the tenth percentile are generally regarded as having serious literacy difficulties and would be given additional supports in school, such as learning support teaching. This is a...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: At present there are 128 psychologists working with the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS. The last Civil Service Commission panel of 69 entry level psychologists has recently been exhausted and my Department has initiated the process to run a new recruitment competition. Further recruitment of psychologists to NEPS will depend on the availability of resources and must also...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. I recently announced details of 122 major school building projects that will progress to tender and construction phase over the next 12 to 15 months under the €3.4 billion multi-annual funding secured for the years 2005 to 2009. I am anxious to ensure that a consistent flow of...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As part of the mid-term review of part two of Sustaining Progress, the parties to the agreement agreed that the benchmarking exercise under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness was an important initiative in developing a better system of pay determination in the public service. The parties are also agreed that the benchmarking process is an appropriate way of determining public service...

Written Answers — National Adult Literacy Council: National Adult Literacy Council (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The National Adult Learning Council was formed in March 2002 on an ad hoc basis with the intention that it would be established as a statutory body under section 54 of the Education Act 1998. Following the formation of the ad hoc council, concerns emerged that the functions envisaged for the council were too wide-ranging and were not sufficiently focused. Additionally, a number of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the recently announced 2005 school building programme provides details of 122 major school building projects countrywide which will prepare tenders and move to construction during 2005 is just the first phase of the school building programme. Last December I outlined a new approach to the rollout of the multi-annual building programme with key changes based on...

Written Answers — National Education Welfare Board: National Education Welfare Board (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Since its formal launch in December 2003, the aim of the National Educational Welfare Board has been to provide an intensive service to the most disadvantaged areas and most at-risk groups. Five regional teams have been established with bases in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford and staff have been deployed in areas of greatest disadvantage and in areas designated under the...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Significant improvements have been made in the pupil-teacher ratio at primary level in recent years. The ratio has fallen from 22.2:1 in the 1996-97 school year to 17.44:1 in the 2003-04 school year. Arising from these improvements, class sizes have reduced in the same period. The overall maximum class size in primary schools by reference to the staffing schedule has been reduced from 35 to...

Written Answers — Third Level Funding: Third Level Funding (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 54 together. An amount of €671 million has been allocated to the university sector for 2005. This is an increase of over €40 million or approximately 6.5% on the 2004 provision for the sector. The overall funding, capital and current, for the third level sector which I secured in the 2005 Estimates will stand at some €1.58 billion. The additional...