Results 9,561-9,580 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 338 and 339 together. The Property Management Section of the Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of the Department in relation to site acquisitions generally, has been asked to source a site for the school to which the Deputy refers. A number of site options have emerged and the Department is awaiting a report from the OPW which will identify a...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 340 and 341 together. The Department has acknowledged the need for a site for a permanent building for the school to which the Deputy refers. The site on which the school is currently located is not available, however, a 0.93 acre site adjacent to the school was offered by the owner. This is even smaller than the current school site and is not adequate to...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: It is the Department's intention to construct a new 24 classroom primary school to cater for the long terms needs of the Newcastle area. The acquisition of a site for this purpose is being actively pursued. In Rathcoole the Department plans to increase post primary capacity to 1,000 pupil places. In Saggart, the Department has acknowledged the need to re-locate the existing school to a...

Written Answers — Educational Infrastructure: Educational Infrastructure (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Department has not been contacted by the company to which the Deputy refers. A development of the size in question is likely to be the subject of an Area Development Plan and the local authority is obliged by Statute to forward such plans to the Department for comment in the context of educational requirements for the area.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The position is that under the Higher Education Grants Scheme, which is administered by the Local Authorities on behalf of the Department, generally speaking, students who are entering approved courses for the first time are eligible for grants (maintenance and tuition fees) where they satisfy the relevant conditions as to age, residence, means, nationality and previous academic attainment....

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: A Consultant's report is necessary for the Schemes to which the Deputy refers: For a professional diagnosis of the full nature and extent of the proposed project. To verify the absolute necessity of the project. To provide a range of cost effective solutions. To enable the prioritisation of projects on the basis of professional objective information. Furthermore, the Consultant used must be...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (7 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I would refer to my reply to Question 3962 of 6 February 2007. My Department provides annual grants to VECs for the Further and Adult Education programmes they offer. The grants relate to the calendar year. The scope of any programme is governed by the budget provided. The City of Waterford VEC has applied to the Department to offset a deficit on its Community Education Programme, which is...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (8 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: In order to ensure that children whose first language is not English can succeed at school, my Department gives additional support to their schools which can take the form of financial assistance, additional teaching posts or portions of teacher posts. The level of extra financial or teaching support provided to any school is determined by the numbers of eligible non-English speaking...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The school to which the Deputy refers has not actually yet acquired a site although it is understood that a potential site has been identified. Progress on the building project itself will be considered in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme when the site has been acquired.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: There are two national schools in the area to which the Deputy refers. I recently gave approval for the appointment of a Design Team for a major extension project at one of the schools to meet future needs. It is open to either of the schools to apply for temporary accommodation to meet short term needs. The relevant application forms are available on the Department's website...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (8 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 243 together. The school to which the Deputies refer has applied to the Department for temporary accommodation to cater for an increased demand for pupil places in 2007/08. This application is being assessed and the school authority will be advised of the outcome shortly.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The school to which the Deputy refers has not applied to the Department for either extra classroom accommodation or for an improved staffroom. It has applied for a GP room. This application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and has been assigned a Band 3 rating. Progress on the project is being considered in the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The school to which the Deputy refers is a senior school, which is linked to a junior school in Balbriggan. Due to the interdependency of both schools, any development at one will have an impact on the other. The Department is in communication with the Patron body regarding the future development of both schools. The school in question has applied for temporary classrooms to cater for...

Written Answers — Educational Resources: Educational Resources (8 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) has not directly undertaken a formal evaluation into the use and effectiveness of interactive whiteboards as a teaching and learning tool. However, there are a number of projects which involve the use of interactive whiteboards, for example the NCTE is involved in a project which explores the use of different technologies, including...

Written Answers — Schools Building Programme: Schools Building Programme (8 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware the recent Census preliminary figures confirm the Fingal area of Dublin as the fastest growing area in the country. The Department is of the view that between primary and post primary level, some 20 new schools will be required there over the coming years. The challenge is to provide these schools in line with or ahead of demand for pupil places. The Department...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (8 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As part of the primary school curriculum Irish is a compulsory subject. Exemption from the study of Irish may, however, be granted to primary pupils under certain circumstances as outlined in Department Circular 12/96. A condition for the granting of an exemption to a pupil with a specific or general learning difficulty is that evidence of such a disability must be furnished by a qualified...

Written Answers — Teacher Training: Teacher Training (8 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The position is that teaching practice is an integral part of the curriculum for the training of both primary and post-primary teachers and, as such, my Department does not provide special financial assistance for students towards costs associated with teaching practice. The Deputy will be aware that teacher education programmes provided in approved third level institutions are also approved...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (8 Feb 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 — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (8 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The admission requirements to higher education courses are a matter for decision by the college authorities. In general, Irish is not essential except for entry to NUI colleges. The NUI matriculation requirements generally require students born in the Republic of Ireland to have passed Irish in the Leaving Certificate or GCE/GSE examinations. However, there is provision for exemption from...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, I have given the go-ahead for the delivery of a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school in Phibblestown area of Dublin 15. This new school will be delivered along with new schools in Donabate and Laytown under a design and build contract and the Department is working with the relevant parties on the delivery of these projects within the earliest possible timeframe....