Results 13,681-13,700 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: All applications for large scale capital funding are assessed against published prioritisation criteria and assigned a band rating. Progress on individual projects, including the project referred to by the Deputy, will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme consistent with that band rating.
- Written Answers — School Management: School Management (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Officials from the Forward Planning Area of my Department will be in contact with the school authorities shortly to arrange a meeting as part of the future development of post primary education in Enniscorthy.
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, on 1st February 2008 I announced details of the large scale building projects that I have approved to commence construction. I intend to make a further announcement after Easter to allow a further batch of schools to commence construction and to update progress on the new schools planned for September 2008 delivery in developing areas.
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, all applications for large scale capital funding are assessed against published prioritisation criteria and assigned a band rating. Progress on individual projects is then considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme consistent with that band rating.
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 264 and 265 together. The Deputy will be aware of my commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with autism, receive an education appropriate to their needs. In relation to specific provision for children with autism, my Department considers that as each child with autism is unique, they should have access to a range of different approaches to...
- Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 266 and 269 together. As the Deputy will be aware 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...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: 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 special needs, the growth in the school-going population in rapidly developing areas, including the impact of immigration, and the demands to cater for diversity through the recognition of new Gaelscoileanna...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at primary level in recent years. There are now in the region of 6,000 more primary teachers than there were in 2002. By the 2006/07 school year, we had reduced the average class size in our primary schools to 24, while the pupil teacher ratio was 16.4:1, including resource teachers etc. In that year, schools were...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at primary level in recent years. There are now in the region of 6,000 more primary teachers than there were in 2002. By the 2006/07 school year, we had reduced the average class size in our primary schools to 24, while the pupil teacher ratio was 16.4:1, including resource teachers etc. In that year, schools were...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Under the National Development Plan there is â¬4.5 billion assigned to the capital requirements of the Primary and Post-Primary sectors. Just under â¬600 million will be spent this year on school buildings. The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase is considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's...
- Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Approximately 1,100 extra primary and post-primary teachers have been put in place this school year. We are also planning for about 1,200 more for the 2008/09 year. As I have said on many occasions in the past, high quality teachers are by far the most important ingredient in our education system. The record increases in teacher numbers in recent years have been absolutely unprecedented....
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I assure the Deputy that every effort is made by the Department to keep expenditure on prefabricated accommodation as low as possible. Where accommodation is needed at very short notice, however, a temporary solution can be the only option. Such accommodation may also be used where the need is short-term, such as when a school requires a temporary building while it is awaiting the completion...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The project to which the Deputy refers is at early architectural planning. Officials from my Department have requested a Stage 2(a) submission; Developed Sketch Design, on receipt of a date for receipt of this submission a date for a review meeting will be arranged. The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to tender and construction, including...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 275 and 276 together. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that officials from my Department recently approved the Stage 1 submission (i.e. Site Suitability, Site Report and Initial Sketch Scheme) and gave authorisation to progress to the next stage of architectural planning, which is Stage 2 (Developed Sketch Scheme). My Department has requested a date for...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The project to which the Deputy refers to is at early architectural planning. Officials from my Department have requested a Stage 2(a) submission; Developed Sketch Design, and on receipt of a date for receipt of this submission a date for a review meeting will be arranged. The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to tender and construction,...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 278 to 286, inclusive, and 288 together. I can confirm to the Deputy that the schools to which he refers have applied for large scale capital funding. The applications have been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. Progress on individual projects will be considered in the context of my...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase is considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme in which the main focus is to deliver school places within rapidly developing areas. The progression of all school building projects will be considered in this...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Officials from my Department are currently awaiting a date for receipt of the Stage 3 submission (i.e. Developed Sketch Scheme) from the school's Design Team. On receipt of this date a review meeting will be organised between the Board of Management, it's Design Team and the Department to assess the submission.
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Last year my Department identified the rapidly developing areas which would require significant extra accommodation for 2008. The Developing Areas Unit of the Department is now advancing the delivery of 30 new primary schools which are planned to be in place for September 2008 to meet the needs of these areas. In the meantime, the Forward Planning Section of the Department is identifying...
- Written Answers — Education Welfare Service: Education Welfare Service (20 Feb 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 established the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) as the single national body with responsibility for school attendance. The Act provides a comprehensive framework promoting regular school attendance and tackling the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. The general functions of the Board are to ensure that each child attends a recognised...