Results 10,741-10,760 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools and the Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters. The Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. This may result, however, in some pupils not obtaining a place in the...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: A decision was taken by the Trustees of the school to which the Deputy refers that it will close in June 2007. This decision was taken because, in line with demographic changes in the area, the school has experienced a steady decline in enrolments in recent years. Current enrolments in feeder primary schools indicate that this decline will continue. In fact, a general decline in enrolments...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Department recently published an Area Development Plan in draft format which sets out the educational infrastructural requirements of the North Dublin, East Meath and South Louth area into the future. This draft Plan, which is available on the Department's website, www.education.ie, includes the area to which the Deputy refers. The Commission on School accommodation has commenced a public...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Department recently published an Area Development Plan in draft format which sets out the educational infrastructural requirements of the North Dublin, East Meath and South Louth area into the future. In this draft Plan, which is available on the Department's website, www.education.ie, the Department has set out its recommendations for the Skerries area. The Department has stated that a...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Department recently completed the purchase of the site on which the school in question is currently located in temporary accommodation. The completion of this transaction will enable the building project for a new school building to progress. Officials in the School Building Section of the Department will be moving to appoint a design team for the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: It is assumed that the Deputy is referring to discussions in relation to a site for a permanent building for the school in question. As the school only has temporary recognition, it is not entitled to capital funding and discussions in relation to site acquisition do not arise. When permanent recognition is awarded, the question of a site for a permanent building for the school will be addressed.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Department recently published an Area Development Plan in draft format which sets out the educational infrastructural requirements of the North Dublin, East Meath and South Louth area into the future. In this draft Plan, which is available on the Department's website, www.education.ie, the Department recommends the provision of a 1,000 pupil post primary school for the Lusk area. The...

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 485 and 486 together. Discussions are ongoing among the parties concerned to agree the structure of the amalgamation of the schools to which the Deputy refers. A technical inspection of the buildings concerned was recently carried out to determine the scope of works required to facilitate the amalgamation and to accommodate another school in one of the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Department is currently in negotiation around the possibility of acquiring the building to which the Deputy refers. This process is complex involving as it does suitability assessment, valuations, price negotiations and attendant legal formalities. The Department is keenly aware that the issues concerned are commercially sensitive and that it is not a foregone conclusion that the building...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 488 and 489 together. The Department is currently in negotiation around the possibility of acquiring the building to which the Deputy refers. This process is complex involving as it does suitability assessment, valuations, price negotiations and attendant legal formalities. The Department is keenly aware that the issues concerned are commercially sensitive and...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department intends to permanently accommodate the school referred to by the Deputy in a building which it expects to be vacated post an amalgamation of three schools in the immediate area. Discussions are ongoing among the parties concerned to agree the structure of the amalgamation. A technical inspection of the buildings concerned was recently carried out to determine the scope of works...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (5 Apr 2007)

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). DEIS will bring together and build upon a number of existing interventions in schools with a concentrated level of disadvantage. The process of identifying schools for...

Written Answers — School Discipline: School Discipline (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Each Board of Management is responsible for formulating, in consultation with parents, a fair and efficient code of behaviour. Among other things, the current guidelines provide that Codes of Behaviour should be considered in the context of the school being a community in which mutual respect, co-operation and natural justice are integral features. The Guidelines stress that poor behaviour...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 493 and 494 together. Enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools and the Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters. The Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. This may result,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: This project referred to by the Deputy was listed on the 2005 School Building Programme to go to tender and construction for a new 10 classroom school building, when the architectural planning was completed. As this is a special school the brief for the project has evolved over time with input from the school, my Department's Technical staff and Inspectorate. My Department is anxious that the...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The judgment in question was delivered on the 29th of March 2007. My Department is currently considering the judgment and any implications it may have.

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Higher education in Ireland has come through a period of major expansion. Overall investment in the sector on a per annum basis has more than doubled since this Government took Office in 1997. In 1997, the amount of funding provided to the Higher Education level sector was approx. €850 million. The funding being provided in 2007 represents an increase of over €1 billion or 124% on the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: In accordance with the Education Act, schools are managed by the Patron and the Patron is responsible for the direct governance of a school. The Patron nominates a Board of a Management to manage a school on its behalf. Section 24 (1) of the Education Act 1998 provides that the Board of Management "may appoint such and so many persons as teachers and other staff of a school as the board...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding has been received from the school to which the Deputy refers. This application will be assessed with reference to factors such as current and projected enrolments at the school, the likely impact of ongoing and proposed housing developments and existing provision in the general area. When this assessment is complete, a decision will be taken on how best to...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Apr 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Department is actively engaged in sourcing a suitable site to facilitate the construction of a new school building for the school referred to by the Deputy and to that end is in ongoing discussions with the GMIT in relation to the availability of lands for the provision of a 16 classroom primary school. The Deputy can be assured that the permanent accommodation needs of the school in...