Results 9,441-9,460 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

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

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, there are now no less than 4,000 extra teachers in our primary schools, compared with 2002. Furthermore, there are nearly 7,000 more primary teachers than there were in 1997. This represents the largest increase in teacher numbers since the expansion of free education. The number of primary teachers in Kildare has increased by 60% under this Government. The...

Written Answers — School Site Ownership: School Site Ownership (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The site in question is not yet in the ownership of the Minister. Its legal transfer, which is near conclusion, is being handled by the Office of the Chief State Solicitor.

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

Mary Hanafin: The permanent School Building project referred to by the Deputy is at early stage of architectural planning. My Department wrote to the Design Team on the project on the 20th September 2006 requesting a stage 1/2 submission (Outline sketch scheme with costings) and this submission is expected in my Department by the end of February this year. When this stage 1/2 submission is received in my...

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

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, the local area development plan for the N4/M4 corridor is the framework document for the Department's long-term educational strategy at both primary and post-primary level for the area concerned. The recommendations in the plan are being considered in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme subject to the published prioritisation criteria...

Written Answers — Home Tuition: Home Tuition (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The home tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting a suitable educational placement. Having reviewed a number of applications for home tuition, details regarding the qualifications of...

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

Mary Hanafin: My Department has in the past operated a number of schemes to tackle educational disadvantage and reduce class sizes in schools in disadvantaged areas. These existing schemes are being integrated into the new action plan for educational inclusion, DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) which I launched in 2005, one aspect of which will be more staffing for the most disadvantaged...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1762 and 1763 together. The Department has acknowledged the need for a site for a permanent building for the school referred to by the Deputy. The site on which the school is currently located is not available, however, a 0.93 acre site adjacent to the school was offered. This is even smaller than the current school site and is not adequate to provide a...

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

Mary Hanafin: The decreasing numbers of males entering the teaching profession is an issue that is of concern to me. I believe that it is important to attract more men into teaching for a number of reasons, not least of which is the positive role models that teachers provide in children's lives and the desirability of having both male and female role models in our schools. I genuinely believe that teaching...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (31 Jan 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department engages external project management expertise as required to work on specific building projects in order to deliver my Department's School Building Programme. At present there are 2 technical managers, 1 senior architect, 1 architect, and 14 architectural assistants in my Department's Planning & Building Unit who have qualifications in the area of project management. My...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (1 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 239 together. The issues referred to by the Deputy have been the subject of an appeal to the Independent School Transport Appeals Board which has made a determination in the matter. In these circumstances I do not propose to intervene.

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (1 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Applications have been received in the Department from the schools referred to by the Deputy under the devolved grants schemes. My Department is currently assessing all applications received from schools for funding under these programmes. The list of successful applicants will be published as soon as possible.

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (1 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The 2007 examination fee for Leaving Certificate candidates is €96. The fee for school-based repeat Leaving Certificate candidates is €251. Special fees for repeat candidates were introduced in 1987 on the basis that it is not unreasonable to expect those who have already benefitted from the normal course of second level education, and who wish to take an extra year, to make a...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: In the light of increases in enrolments in the school, the Department conducted a re-evaluation of the long term projected enrolments for the required project. A revised long term projected enrolment figure of 1000 pupils has recently been agreed with the Vocational Educational Committee. Progress on the proposed building project will be considered in the context of the School Building and...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (1 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am aware that there must be a report from a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist and evidence that a child is receiving treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) to enable the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to examine applications for resource teaching supports. This requirement is to ensure a proper diagnosis of the condition. Any resources that might...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (1 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 233 and 234 together. The NDP 2000-2006 identified the need for major investment in educational infrastructure in new and refurbished buildings, new equipment and information technology to make education more relevant to the needs of a modern economy. The plan did not identify individual building projects to be addressed either on a local or county basis. It...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (1 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the higher education grants scheme, maintenance grants are payable to eligible students pursuing full-time undergraduate courses of not less than two years duration pursued in a university or third-level institution which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds in another EU member state. The position regarding tuition fees is that none of the third...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (1 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 and 254 together. 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). DEIS will bring together and build upon a number of existing interventions in schools with a concentrated level of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (1 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, the local area development plan for the N4/M4 corridor is the framework document for the Department's long-term educational strategy at both primary and post-primary level for the area concerned. The recommendations in the plan are being actioned in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme subject to the published prioritisation criteria for...

Written Answers — Parliamentary Questions: Parliamentary Questions (1 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I replied to 5,188 written and oral Parliamentary Questions (PQs) in 2006. PQs are dealt with by staff in the line section responsible for the particular issue raised in the question. The number and level of staff involved in preparing a particular answer varies depending on a number of factors including the complexity of the issues raised in the question and the volume and accessibility of...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (1 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, the two major investment priorities under the ICT in Schools Programme over the past two years have been the provision of grant aid to schools to develop their computer networks and the establishment of the Schools Broadband Network and associated provision of broadband access to schools. In this context, the school concerned received a networking grant of...