Results 13,701-13,720 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

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 statutory 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...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (20 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that the information requested in respect of special education teachers and special needs assistants for primary schools in the Clondalkin area is not readily available. However, I wish to advise the Deputy that the level of resources being made available by my Department to support students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream education nationally,...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (20 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The schools to which the Deputy refers made certain requests of my Department for capital works in the context of an amalgamation negotiation. They have not, otherwise, completed a formal application under any section/scheme of the Department's Capital Programme. The amalgamation is not being pursued and, while this does not preclude the schools from applying for capital funding, they must...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Schools have an important role to play both in teaching students about road safety issues and in helping them to develop the attitudes necessary to promote safe behaviour on the roads. As such, Road Safety is addressed at several levels throughout a child's school-going years. The Social Personal and Health Education programme, which is mandatory in primary schools and at junior cycle...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The general position in relation to exemptions is that 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. Under the terms of the Circular delegated authority to grant exemptions from Irish, within the conditions laid down, has...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 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.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 164 together. Delivery of all building projects, including the school in question will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. I will arrange to have the detailed information sought by the Deputy forwarded directly to him.

Written Answers — Teacher Exchange Programmes: Teacher Exchange Programmes (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Ireland-France Cultural Agreement, which was signed in 1967, provides a framework for the exchange of teachers, students, research workers, lecturers, assistants, scholars and cultural experts as well as representatives of university or extra-university cultural groups. My Department administers a number of schemes under this Agreement including the Foreign Language Assistant Scheme, the...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: In general, individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care, including traffic management measures. The issue of road safety measures outside the vested site areas of schools, such as road signage, traffic calming measures etc., is a matter that should be raised in the first instance with the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The building project in relation to the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. All applications for large scale capital funding are assessed against published prioritisation criteria and assigned a band rating. Further progress on individual projects will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: An application has been received from the school authority for capital funding towards the provision of an extension to provide ancillary accommodation at the school referred to by the Deputy. All applications for large scale capital funding are assessed against published prioritisation criteria and assigned a band rating. Progress on individual projects, including this project, will be...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 169, 170, 173 and 174, together. In February 2007 I announced my intention to introduce a new model of primary school patronage on a pilot basis. I indicated that this new model would not replace existing patron models but would provide an additional patronage option, particularly in growing areas. Following further consideration in my Department and...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 172 together. As the Deputy will be aware, a Developing Areas Unit has been established in the Department of Education and Science to focus on the school accommodation needs of rapidly developing areas including those specifically referred to. The particular emphasis in 2008 is on providing sufficient school places in developing areas, while also...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The appointment of a Design Team for the project referred to by the Deputy has not yet been completed. The commencement and 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.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be 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 resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. I have arranged for the details requested by the Deputy to be...

Written Answers — Legal Proceedings: Legal Proceedings (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Matters relating to the person in question's employment as a teacher are the subject of ongoing legal proceedings, now before the Supreme Court. In the circumstances, it would be inappropriate for me to comment in any way on these matters.

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy's question relates to the National Childcare Investment Programme which is managed by the Childcare Directorate of the Department of Health and Children as part of the Office of the Minister for Children. Accordingly the Deputy should direct his question to the Minister for Health and Children.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 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, including the project in question, will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme consistent with that band rating.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 180, 182 and 185 together. 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. The particular emphasis in 2008 is on providing sufficient school places in developing areas, while...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that in those instances to-date in 2008 where arrangements are in place to finalise contracts following the expiry of the 90 day acceptance period no extra costs have been incurred. No projects have been re-advertised so far in 2008.