Results 9,261-9,280 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Significant improvements have been made in the staffing of our second level schools in recent years. In the 2001/2002 school year, there were approximately 24,477 wholetime equivalent teaching posts allocated to second level schools. For 2006/2007, the corresponding figure is 25,454 wholetime equivalent posts. This increase in staffing has dramatically improved the pupil teacher ratio at...

Written Answers — School Discipline: School Discipline (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1453 and 1648 together. In early 2006, I announced an implementation strategy following publication of "School Matters" the Report of the Task Force on Student Behaviour in Second Level Schools, and that strategy is now well advanced. At the core of the recommendations of the Task Force was the putting in place of a National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS)....

Written Answers — Literacy Levels: Literacy Levels (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Yo Si Puedo is a framework for teaching literacy to populations of adults who have had no previous experience of literacy education. It has been adopted or trialled in 22 countries, mainly in Latin America and Africa which have high levels of poverty and low levels of education indicators; their demographic and socio-cultural backgrounds would be largely similar to each other, but very...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As indicated in reply to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 292 and 294 of 18 October 2006, a request for home tuition hours was not granted in this case. Also, as indicated in Parliamentary Question No. 479 of 14 November 2006, it is open to the school to apply to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO), for additional...

Written Answers — Tionscnaimh Thógála Gaelscoileanna: Tionscnaimh Thógála Gaelscoileanna (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Tá suíomh oiriúnach faighte ag Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí ar son mo Roinne le haghaidh an tionscadail seo. Tá cinneadh déanta cheana féin ar na baill foirne réamh-mheasta fad-téarmacha ar a mbeidh na riachtanais chóiríochta bunaithe agus tá an cinneadh sin curtha in iúl don údarás scoile. Cuirfear an tionscnamh tógála, a bheidh de dhíth chun an scoil nua a sheachadadh, chun...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The decision on eligibility for third level grants is a matter for the relevant local authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is desired. It appears that no such advice or instruction has, to date, been sought in the case of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I have given the go ahead for a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school in Phibblestown, Dublin 15. This new school will be delivered along with new schools in Donabate and Laytown under a design and build contract that is aimed at delivering 3,000 school places for these rapidly developing areas. The inclusion of these three projects in one bundle will further facilitate the achievement of value...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1460 and 1537 together. My Department allocates additional teaching hours to Vocational Educational Committees (VECs) to support the delivery of education programmes in a range of facilities, including special schools. Such allocations are made under the heading Co-Operation Hours with Other Institutions and are made in response to specific applications which...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1461 and 1538 together. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the tender for the building project at the school in question has been approved and it is envisaged that construction will commence in the first week of February.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: If the Deputy supplies the name of the school attended by the family referred to, my Department will investigate the circumstances and advise the family of the outcome.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that the School Planning Section of the Department is in receipt of an application for an extension under the Permanent Accommodation Scheme 2007 from the school to which the Deputy refers. Applications under this scheme are currently being assessed and the list of successful applicants will be announced shortly.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department is in receipt of an application for major capital funding from the management authority of the school to which he refers. This application was assessed in accordance with published prioritisation criteria for major capital works and was assigned a band 2 rating. Progress on the proposed works will be considered in the context of the School...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy applied under the Summer Works Scheme 2007 for the development of a new play area, a set down area and entrance. On the 8 January 2007 I announced details of the schools to receive funding to improve facilities under the Summer Works Scheme 2007. However, due to the volume of applications received it was not possible to allocate funding to all proposed...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is now operational. A specific function of the NCSE, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) is to identify appropriate educational placements for all children with special educational needs. The matter of the enrolment of a pupil in a school is a matter for the Board of Management of...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The new action plan for educational inclusion DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) aims to ensure that the educational needs of children and young people, from pre-school to completion of upper second-level education (3 to 18 years), from disadvantaged communities are prioritised and effectively addressed. Some 873 schools were selected to participate in the new School...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding has 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 (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The proposed refurbishment and extension project for the School referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. The project was approved to proceed to Stage 3 (Developed Sketch Scheme) of Architectural Planning in October 2006. Department officials will be in further contact with the school authorities when the Stage 3 documentation has been received. I am pleased...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: An application has been received in my Department from the school referred to by the Deputy under the Small Schools Scheme 2007. My Department is currently assessing all applications received from schools for funding under this programme. The list of successful applicants will be published as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Cross-Border Projects: Cross-Border Projects (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The North/South Co-operation Unit of my Department is responsible for the development of co-operation and common action in the field of education between both parts of the island of Ireland, in the context of the Good Friday Agreement. The principal function of the unit is to take forward this co-operation through the North/South Ministerial Council, NSMC, and to develop, within that...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1478 to 1516, inclusive, together. Information in relation to class sizes is provided in the annual census of primary schools. The details for the current school year (2006/2007) are currently being compiled by my Department and the information requested is not readily available. As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at...