Results 12,221-12,240 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (13 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware of my commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with autism or Asperger's syndrome, receive an education appropriate to their needs. As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers, for the establishment of special classes for autism and for allocating...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: During the period of the last National Development Plan 2000-2006, record levels of investment and the streamlining of delivery systems allowed a major acceleration of the school building programme. Over €2.6 billion was invested in upgrading existing school infrastructure and providing new school accommodation at both first and second-level. This was the largest investment programme in the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (13 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department. However, if the Deputy wishes to request details on a specific school, my officials will provide the required information. The demand for additional accommodation in schools has risen significantly over the last number of years mainly due to the rapid expansion in teacher numbers particularly in the area of...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (13 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Individual school authorities are responsible in the first instance for health and safety issues at schools and it is the responsibility of school management authorities to have a safety statement in place in their schools. Schools are obliged to identify possible hazards, assess the risks to health and safety and to put appropriate safeguards in place to mitigate the potential risk to the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (13 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that the level of resources being made available by my Department to support students with special educational needs nationally has grown significantly in recent years. A significant development is the establishment of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) which has been in operation since 1 January 2005 with over 90 members of staff working exclusively...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The project to which the Deputy refers to is currently at early architectural planning. Officials from my Department are currently in the final stages of appointment of a Design Team for this project. Once the Design Team has been appointed a briefing meeting will be arranged to allow this project commence the process of architectural planning. The progression of large scale building...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: County Kildare Vocational Education Committee as client/contracting authority for the project referred to by the Deputy, is currently progressing plans to re-locate the school and extend capacity to 1000 pupils. I understand that the project is at detailed design stage and has recently received Planning Permission.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at early architectural planning. A stage 3 submission was reviewed by Officials from my Department and clarification requested from the Design Team on a number of items. This clarification has now been received and is currently being examined. The school's Board of Management will be kept advised of developments when the examination is...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The process of appointing a design team to the school building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage. The new school building will consist of 16 mainstream classrooms and appropriate ancillary accommodation. Progression of all major building projects, including this project, will be considered in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 407 and 410 together. The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at early architectural planning. Written approval of the Stage 2 submission was forwarded to the Board of Management of the school in a letter dated 1 November 2007. Once the project for this school is complete it will provide facilities for a total of 16 mainstream classrooms plus...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The recommendations in the N4/M4 Area Development Plan, which was published in May 2005 by the Commission on School Accommodation, forms a vital framework in which future decisions about school planning and provision in the areas referred to by the Deputy will be made. Progress on individual recommendations is being considered in the context of the Multi-Annual School Building and...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (13 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will, I'm sure, be aware that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). Schools that do not currently have NEPS psychologists assigned to them may avail of the SCPA and have an assessment carried...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (13 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 412, 413 and 415 together. At 30 September of the current school year there were an additional 985 teaching posts at primary level. Pupil Teacher Ratio in respect of all primary schools is currently only available at national level and is not disaggregated by school or any other variable. The following is the Pupil Teacher Ratio nationally since September...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (13 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30th September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued annually to all primary schools. Within the terms of the staffing arrangements for primary schools there is provision for...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (13 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The general process of assessing and planning for the need for additional provision at primary or post-primary level in any given area entails consideration of all relevant factors, including enrolment and demographic trends, housing and other developments and the capacity of existing schools to meet the demand for places. Local Authorities are obliged by statute to refer draft local area...

Written Answers — School Services Staff: School Services Staff (14 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: In 2006 I introduced, with the concurrence of the Minister for Finance, pension arrangements for caretaking staff employed under the 1979 Employment Scheme in Primary Schools. These arrangements provide that membership of the superannuation scheme will be effective from 1 September 2001 in the case of eligible caretakers in service at that time. The pension scheme will be a contributory,...

Written Answers — Home Tuition: Home Tuition (14 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The July Education Programme is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism and severe and profound learning disability who choose to extend their education services through the month of July. Home based tuition is offered as an alternative for eligible pupils who cannot avail of school based programmes. The...

Written Answers — Summer Works Scheme: Summer Works Scheme (14 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The closing date for the Summer Works Scheme 2008 was the 28th of September last. Decisions on the Scheme will be taken later in the year.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I understand that the tender documentation for the project referred to by the Deputy is nearing completion. Progression of all projects to tender and construction will be considered in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (14 Nov 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Under the provisions of the Education Act, 1998, the board of management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. In general, the Board has the responsibility to ensure that the school operates efficiently and effectively and also has responsibilities in relation to the action of its employees. My Department supports the principle that complaints regarding schools should be...