Results 8,561-8,580 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: My Department has agreed the terms of the recently published scheme for the award of incremental credit to Special Needs Assistants. The scheme was agreed following discussions between my Department, the Department of Finance and the Unions concerned. The purpose of the scheme is to reflect in the remuneration of a Special Needs Assistant the value of previous experience relevant to the...
- Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: Within the terms of the current staffing arrangements for primary schools there is provision for additional posts, referred to as developing school posts, to be assigned to schools on the basis of projected enrolments for the next school year. A developing school is defined as a school where the enrolment on 30 September of one year is projected to exceed the enrolment on 30 September of the...
- Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (9 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: My Department does not have a specific funding provision in respect of the operating costs of music programmes in primary schools. However, arts education, which incorporates music, is one of the seven curriculum areas that comprise the primary curriculum, (revised in 1999). Primary Teachers, as a result of their teacher training, are qualified to teach music and other areas of the...
- Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (9 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The proposed PE Hall project for the school referred to by the deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. This project was one that I announced in May of this year to go to tender and construction. The Design Team's response to my official's queries on the Stage 1 submission (site suitability, briefing and site report) has been recently received in my Department. A planning and...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy states, there are three schools on the site in question. Two of these schools, however, are using the site on a temporary basis only and, as the Deputy will be aware, it is planned to ultimately permanently locate them on a site at Ongar. The site itself at Littlepace will accommodate two 16-classroom schools with a shared community facility. One of the school buildings has...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: My Department purchased a 3.8 acre site from Menolly Properties Ltd at a cost of â¬2.45m for the school in question. The existing primary school building was provided at a cost of â¬3.6m. The extension to the school is expected to cost â¬4.8m. There are three schools on the site in question, Mary Mother of Hope N.S., St. Benedict's NS and Castaheany Educate Together NS. The latter two of...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The provision of a 1,000 student post-primary school in Donabate is a project of the highest priority for this Government. Some weeks back I gave an undertaking that as soon as the legal process for the transfer of the site to the Department's ownership had been agreed with Fingal County Council, the project could be moved to the next stage. That has now been agreed and I am glad to have been...
- Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: 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 2002. The average class size in our primary schools is 24 and there is...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: Special need assistant (SNA) support is provided specifically to address the care needs of pupils with special educational needs. The nature and level of support provided is based on the assessed needs of the individual child having regard to the criteria set out in my Department's circulars. The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the local...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The School Planning Section of my Department is in receipt of an application for the Small Schools Scheme 2007 from the school referred to by the Deputy. The closing date for this devolved scheme was 27 October 2006. The application will be assessed by my officials and publication of the list of successful applicants for the scheme will be published as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (9 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: My Department funds four maintenance grant schemes for third level and further education students which are administered by the Local Authorities and the Vocational Education Committees. Generally speaking, students who are entering approved courses at undergraduate or postgraduate level for the first time are eligible for maintenance grants where they satisfy the relevant conditions as to...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The School Planning Section of my Department is in receipt of an application for the Small Schools Scheme 2007 from the school referred to by the Deputy. The closing date for this devolved scheme was 27 October 2006. The application will be assessed by my officials and publication of the list of successful applicants for the scheme will be published as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (9 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 267 and 268 together. The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department and would require an inordinate amount of staff time to assemble. The Deputy will appreciate that my Department provides aid to all recognised schools under a variety of headings, eg., teachers salaries, transition year support grant, secretarial and caretaking...
- Written Answers — Second Level Schools: Second Level Schools (9 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 269 to 271, inclusive, together. Details of the number of schools and pupil enrolments in each sector, as requested by the Deputy, are set out in the table. The Deputy should note that the pupil numbers include those availing of Post Leaving Certificate courses. My Department publishes data on the number of schools in each of the sector together with overall...
- Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (9 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 272 to 274, inclusive, together. Details of non-pay funding, as requested by the Deputy, are set out in the table. The funding arrangements made by my Department for voluntary secondary, comprehensive & community and VEC schools and colleges reflect the different management and ownership arrangements that apply to schools at second level. Voluntary secondary...
- Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (14 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the staffing schedule for primary schools is structured to ensure that all primary schools will operate to an average mainstream class size of 28 pupils. Posts allocated on the basis of this schedule are specifically for mainstream classes and should be deployed accordingly. School authorities are requested to ensure that the number of pupils in any class is kept...
- Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (14 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The latest report by the Decentralisation Implementation Group (DIG) dated September 2006 gives an indicative date of Quarter 1 2009 for the provision of permanent accommodation in Mullingar. The decentralisation of the 300 posts in my Department from Dublin to Mullingar as set out in the Government's Programme of Decentralisation will take place when this accommodation is ready for...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: My Department is of the view that children with autism, in common with all children should have access to appropriate provision delivered by suitably qualified teachers within the school system where children can mix with their wider peer group and have maximum opportunities for integration. The preferred approach to the provision of appropriate education for children with autism, is through...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The number of Special Need Assistants employed in Special Schools in Co Wexford is 45.
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Nov 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...