Results 8,541-8,560 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

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

Mary Hanafin: The acquisition of a site is the first key step in the delivery of new school projects. The Department has streamlined the design phase for such buildings and uses various innovative methods such as Generic Repeat Designs or Design and Build contracts as mechanisms to enable new schools to progress to planning permission and construction within the shortest possible timeframe. It is intended...

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

Mary Hanafin: As I indicated when publishing the various strands of the Department's Capital Programme for 2006, I intend to move through the School Building and Modernisation Programme in a planned way over the next five years. This is possible with the availability of a €3.9 billion multi-annual capital funding envelope (primary, post-primary and third level) over that period to underpin a continuous...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at primary level in recent years. There are now 4000 more primary teachers than there were in 2002. The average class size in our primary schools is 24 and there is now one teacher for 17 pupils at primary level, including resource teachers etc. Children with special needs and those from disadvantaged areas are...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As I indicated when publishing the various strands of the Departments Capital Programme for 2006, I intend to move through the School Building and Modernisation Programme in a planned way over the next five years. This is possible with the availability of a €3.9 billion multi-annual capital funding envelope (primary, post-primary and third level) over that period to underpin a continuous...

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

Mary Hanafin: The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, recently submitted its Implementation Report which sets out its views and recommendations on a plan for the implementation of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 and I have asked my Department to examine it. While the report focuses on the implementation of the Education for Persons with Special Education Needs...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Maintenance Grant Scheme for Students attending Post Leaving Certificate courses is administered by the Vocational Education Committees on behalf of my Department. Clause 6.3.6 of my Department's Maintenance Grant Scheme for students attending Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses provides as follows; "Grants may not be paid in respect of a second period of attendance at the same level...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department is in receipt of an application from the school to which he refers under the Permanent Accommodation Scheme 2007. All applications under this scheme are currently being assessed and a list of successful schools will be published when this procedure has been completed.

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy may be aware, the decision to close the school to which he refers was taken by the school's Trustees and it was decided that the closure of the school would take place on a phased basis, culminating with full closure in June 2007. Thanks in part to the cooperation of another school in the immediate area, the necessary arrangements have been made to ensure that all pupils in the...

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

Mary Hanafin: My Department is currently in the process of progressing a number of applications for extensions, refurbishments and/or new school buildings to accommodate school children in the area referred to by the Deputy. Progress on these projects will be considered in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme 2006-2010.

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

Mary Hanafin: The accommodation needs of the school referred to by the Deputy are under consideration by my Department. In order to ensure that the appropriate level of accommodation is provided, officials in the School Planning Section are currently assessing the long-term projected staffing figure on which the accommodation needs will be based. Progress on the project will be considered in the context of...

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 286 to 310, inclusive, together. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department is delivering a record school building programme which is transforming the standard of school accommodation throughout the country. Details of the rolling series of my announcements on the programme are available on my Department's website. Between 2000 and 2005 my...

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 311 to 317, inclusive, together. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department is delivering a record school building programme which is transforming the standard of school accommodation throughout the country. Details of the rolling series of my announcements on the programme are available on my Department's website. Between 2000 and 2005 my...

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

Mary Hanafin: The acquisition of a site with clear title is the first key step in the delivery of new school projects. The Deputy will appreciate the inappropriateness of developing out plans for new schools on lands in any other circumstances. The Department is working to resolve the title issues which have arisen on the site in question through the Chief State Solicitors office.

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

Mary Hanafin: At primary level, all mainstream class teaching posts allocated under the Primary Staffing Schedule which issues on an annual basis, are regarded as permanent posts. Learning Support/Resource teacher posts and Resource teacher posts at primary level may be made permanent in accordance with the criteria outlined in my Department's Circular 0036/2006 which is available on the Department website...

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (9 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 to 212, inclusive, together. On the 1 February 2006 the Minister for Health and Children and I published the report of the Fottrell Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training. Among the recommendations of the Fottrell Group was that a graduate stream of entry to medicine be introduced and that all graduates of honours Bachelor degree...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (9 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As I have previously outlined in my response to the Deputy's question of 1st November on this issue, I confirm that I have received a copy of a report from the Single Manager of the school referred to by the Deputy. Pending consideration of the report and any necessary clarification on it, I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to release the report.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department supports a multi-skills approach to the education of children with autism, where a range of teaching methods can be applied specific to the needs of individual pupils. My Department currently has no plans to implement the Son-Rise programme on a pilot basis. The Deputy will be familiar with the variety of current provision in this regard, which includes pre-school classes for...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that revised plans for the National Centre for the Visually Impaired are currently being considered by the Departments of Education and Science and Health and Children. It is important that the plans be given careful consideration from both a health and an education point of view to ensure that they best meet the needs of children and young people with visual impairment into the...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 216 to 240, inclusive, together. Information in relation to classes is provided in the annual census of primary schools. The reference date for the provision by schools of this information is the 30th September of the school year in question and the date for return by the schools is 31 October. Consequently, the details for the current school year (2006/2007)...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 246 to 258, inclusive, together. The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department and would take an inordinate amount of administrative time to compile. As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at primary level in recent years. There are now 4000 more primary teachers than there were in...