Results 13,841-13,860 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The proposed project is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. Under the lifetime of the National Development Plan 2007-2013 €4.5 billion will be invested in school's infrastructure. This is an unprecedented level of capital investment which reflects the commitment of the Government to continue its programme of sustained investment in primary and post primary schools. This...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (28 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The issues raised in the correspondence are being considered by my Department and my officials will be in contact with the individual referred to by the Deputy regarding this matter.

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (28 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I would like to make clear that my Department is not preventing the operation of immersion models of education. My Department provides a range of supports to encourage the establishment of all-Irish schools and to encourage instruction and communication through Irish. The right of parents and children to choose education through the medium of Irish is fully respected, but this does not...

Written Answers — Educational Programmes: Educational Programmes (28 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: My Department supports the view that good nutrition is central to a child's educational development. Evidence from existing studies shows that there is a significant positive relationship between improved dietary status and school performance. A knowledge of what constitutes a nutritionally balanced diet is acknowledged as being of importance for students. To support this, nutrition...

Written Answers — Third Level Courses: Third Level Courses (28 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The responsibility for curriculum development is a matter for the higher education institutions, having regard to internal and external quality assurance systems, and institutional strategy. I would fully expect that institutions in so developing such curricula would have regard to maintaining the highest possible standard in the science and practice of human nutrition and dietetics.

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (28 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 — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (28 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: In relation to improved facilities for children with autism, Asperger's syndrome and children with similar needs, the Deputy will be aware of my commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with autism receive an education appropriate to their needs, preferably through the primary and post primary school network. There are now in excess of 275 autism-specific classes sanctioned...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (28 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Higher Education Grants Schemes operate under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. Under the Higher Education Grants Scheme an approved course is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of at least two years duration or a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one year duration pursued in an approved institution. An approved institution is...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The application from the school to which the Deputy refers has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and has been assigned a Band 2 rating.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (28 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 163 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the matter of the enrolment of a pupil in the centre in question is a matter for the Board of Management of the centre. I understand from enquiries that I have made, that the child in question is currently attending the ASD unit attached to the school referred to by the Deputy. While my Department does...

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (28 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will issue directly to the Deputy by my Department shortly.

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (28 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is included in the following data. 2002-2003 Full-time Part-time Dublin Institute of Technology 10,240 5,634 Athlone Institute of Technology 3,466 365 Institute of Technology, Carlow 2,476 534 Cork Institute of Technology 6,068 3,187 Dundalk Institute of Technology 2,624 395 Galway — Mayo Institute of Technology 4,563 1,090 Letterkenny...

Written Answers — Drug Awareness Programmes: Drug Awareness Programmes (4 Mar 2008)

Mary Hanafin: My Department, through substance abuse prevention education in primary and postprimary schools, is committing considerable resources in support of the overall aim of the Government's policy in relation to drugs, which is to provide an effective, integrated response to the problems posed by drug misuse. Drug prevention education is implemented as part of the Social, Personal and Health...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (4 Mar 2008)

Mary Hanafin: It is assumed that the site to which the Deputy refers is the one where the school is currently located. That being the case, the site in question is not the planned long term home for the school. Its location there is a temporary arrangement. The Department is aware of the need to provide permanent accommodation for the school and it is in on-going discussions with the local authority and...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (4 Mar 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the situation in relation to the site issue at Gaelscoil Phortlaoise has been resolved and the school authorities notified.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Mar 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The appointment of a Design Team for the project referred to by the deputy has not yet been completed. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's multi annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Mar 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at stage 3 (i.e. Developed Sketch Scheme) of the architectural planning process. This stage has been received and reviewed in my Department. Additional information is being sought from school's Design Team. As soon as this information has been received a review meeting will be organised between the Board of Management, its...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (4 Mar 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 400 and 401 together. Final data are not yet available on the number of pupils leaving or entering schools for the 2007/2008 school-year. Data on the numbers of pupils leaving National Schools and entering aided Second Level schools in 2005 and 2006 are contained in the following table. Enhancing attendance, progression, retention and attainment are central...

Written Answers — School Vending Machines: School Vending Machines (4 Mar 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Schools are privately managed institutions which, although funded by the State, enjoy a large degree of autonomy. It is, therefore, primarily a matter for each school to devise guidelines around the types of food that is available on the school premises and such policies should be driven by the needs and welfare of the pupils. I know that many schools have developed healthy eating policies...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (4 Mar 2008)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, there have been significant developments in special education since 1998 involving enhanced levels of provision as well as new structural and legislative frameworks for the delivery of services to pupils with Special Educational Needs. The requisite qualifications for filling Learning Support/Resource Teaching posts and Resource Teaching posts are outlined in...