Results 8,741-8,760 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Education Centres: Education Centres (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Officials from my Department met recently with interested parties in relation to Baile Bhúirne. Following consideration of the views expressed by the interested parties at that meeting, I expect to be in a position very shortly to make a final decision on the project.

Written Answers — School Evaluations: School Evaluations (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am aware of the publication referred to by the Deputy. I am determined to provide more information, for parents in particular, about our schools, in a way that ensures a fair and comprehensive picture of all the different activities in a school. As I have said on many occasions, I am strongly opposed to the publication of crude league tables based solely on examination or test results....

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The criteria and procedures for the recognition of new primary schools were revised in 2002 based on the recommendations of a report of the Commission on School Accommodation. Applications for the recognition of new schools are assessed by an independent advisory body — the New Schools Advisory Committee. The Committee assesses all applications for recognition against published criteria....

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (23 Nov 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 — EU Directives: EU Directives (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department. However, my Department is reviewing renewable options for energy generation in schools through a number of research projects including, Tory wind turbine project, Interreg solar hot water heating projects and Biomass wood pellet / wood chip boiler and solar projects. My Department would encourage schools to...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Department is in receipt of an application to establish a Gaelcholáiste in the area to which she refers. This application is currently under consideration and a decision will be communicated to the proposer as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An application has been received in my Department from the school referred to by the Deputy under the Summer Works Scheme 2007. My Department is currently assessing all applications received from schools for funding under this programme.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Enrolment at the school in 2005/06 was 229 pupils. The school is currently in rented accommodation and until the Department is in a position to provide permanent accommodation, interim accommodation will remain the responsibility of the Patron as was conditional when granting recognition to the school. Earlier this year, my Department wrote to the school authorities confirming that the...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: School enrolment is a matter for Boards of Management. The parent in question should, therefore, apply for enrolment, in the normal way, to her relevant local schools. Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, provides parents with an appeal process where a Board of Management of a school or a person acting on behalf of the Board refuses enrolment to a student. Where a school refuses to enrol a...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 to 265, inclusive, together. The information regarding the number of children diagnosed with autism is not readily available in my Department. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) which is now operational is currently in the process of compiling a nationwide database of all children with autism. It is expected that this database will be...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I confirm that my Department has received the documentation referred to by the Deputy. I would like to clarify at this point that the documentation in question relates to difficulties with the school rather than with my Department. The position is that my Department has been involved in reviewing a very complex and sensitive complaint in respect of this school. Part of the process of this...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The National Council for Special Education has confirmed that the local special educational needs organiser (SENO) met with the parents of the pupil in question and the school principal on 21 November 2006 in the context of an application for special educational needs supports for the pupil. The parents provided the SENO with the correspondence referred to at the meeting. The SENO has also...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the new Action Plan for Educational Inclusion is designed to ensure that the schools serving the most disadvantaged communities benefit from the maximum level of support available. As a result of the identification and review processes under DEIS, 873 schools have been invited to participate in the new Programme. These comprise 670 primary...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding has recently been received from the school to which the Deputy refers. This application will be assessed and consideration of same will include an assessment as to whether a site is required for the proposed project.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (23 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An application for major capital funding has been received from the school authority to which the Deputy refers. On foot of an assessment of this application, it has been determined that the school requires to be developed into a 24 classroom facility (a 3 stream school) with appropriate ancillary accommodation. This has been agreed with the school authority. The project has also been...

State Examinations. (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, this Government has shown an unrivalled commitment to ensuring that children and young people with special needs get the extra support they need to reach their full potential at school. We have dramatically expanded investment in special education in recent years and improved access to State examinations for young people with special needs. A range of...

State Examinations. (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The figures on the types of accommodation and the numbers availing of them speak for themselves; they show how flexible and responsive the system is for young people with special needs. The leaving certificate, however, is simply a statement of grades attained and subjects examined for all students. A simple annotation at the end of the certificate happens to highlight for individual...

State Examinations. (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Approximately 26,000 certificates have been issued with annotations so it would be highly unlikely the ruling would be backdated, although that would be subject to an appeal. Along with looking at the appeal, because I believe it did not take into consideration the range of accommodations and will have far-reaching consequences, I am also asking the State Examinations Commission to look at...

Special Educational Needs. (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I have expressed a view on a number of occasions that some second-level schools do not appear to be doing as much as they could to welcome students with special needs. I made a particular point of raising this when I attended the annual conferences of the education partners over the course of the year. It is the general position that a school cannot turn away a child solely because he or...

Special Educational Needs. (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy heard me highlighting this at all of the conferences this year and ensuring schools adopted inclusive enrolment policies, which is the best way to go. Much of the evidence we have is anecdotal because the parents are not being refused but are being referred in a positive way to another school. For that reason they do not make a section 29 appeal. I encourage parents to do that,...