Results 14,341-14,360 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

School Accommodation. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I thank the Deputy for his kind comments. I thought he was quite a good Minister for Finance. Those who manage my Department, the Secretary General and the senior management group, are highly efficient, highly committed, dedicated people, who give all their time to managing a budget of €9.3 billion. They oversee a system of 4,000 schools, seven universities, up to 20 higher education...

School Accommodation. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: We have written to 900 schools that have received sanction from us and we have received replies from most of them. As soon as the information is available I will give it to the Deputy. There are schools which are set up that do not get immediate permanent recognition. We will not put those in a permanent building if they do not have permanent recognition. There are schools that need...

School Accommodation. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I will stand over and compliment the senior management group of my Department on the work they do in managing a system in the manner in which it exists, which serves the children of this country very well.

Schools Building Projects. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: As part of the multi-annual school building programme, the Government has invested heavily in the modernisation of school facilities throughout the country including science facilities in post-primary schools. Provision of science facilities is an intrinsic part of many school building projects at post-primary level. Typically this investment involves the provision of modern science...

Schools Building Projects. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The only way schools would have applied for science lab upgrading was under the criteria for the summer works for this year. Given that we decided not to proceed with those, we have not analysed them and I cannot give the Deputy that figure. In 2006 and 2007 I gave funding for science labs. We do not have a budget heading for science labs but obviously in respect of extensions,...

Schools Building Projects. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Applications were not sought from schools for the upgrading of science laboratories so the only way we would have that information is if it was included in the summer works scheme. The applications received can be considered for next year's summer works scheme. They will be examined at the end of this year and the beginning of next year.

Schools Building Projects. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: We will not seek——

Schools Building Projects. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Yes, but in respect of the existing applications, schools will not be asked to double up.

Schools Building Projects. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: We will not be examining the applications so I cannot give the Deputy the information because we do not have a fund for science labs this year, nor are we seeking information on or requests for science labs.

Schools Building Projects. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Although it is included in the science strategy as a matter that should be considered, it is not my intention as a current priority to introduce lab assistants because of the cost and the knock-on effect. We estimate that €24 million is the cost of laboratory assistants this year. There is nothing surer than that all other practical subjects would also seek an assistant, which could come...

Schools Building Projects. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Schools do not have different timetables, they all start between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. I am sure the Deputy knows these are the timings of our schools. There is no way a laboratory assistant could work between a number of schools given that they have classes on the same days.

Schools Building Projects. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: It is not a priority and will not happen in the immediate term. We will examine it under the science strategy over the next few years. We will continue with our commitment to upgrade the school facilities as we have been doing for the past few years.

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has at present logged some 5 applications for amalgamation from boys and girls schools in the same locality. There are various reasons why a school should seek an amalgamation. They can include demography, meaning either a decline or increase in enrolments, the desire for co-education, financial reasons, condition of school buildings, parental/teacher demand etc. However, a...

Written Answers — Student Accommodation: Student Accommodation (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I am aware that USI have called for the establishment of a taskforce on student accommodation. When USI first made this call last year, my Department explained to them that it would be primarily a matter for the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government which has responsibility for housing policy. While I would obviously be concerned if accommodation difficulties are...

Written Answers — Schools Marketing Initiatives: Schools Marketing Initiatives (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I would like to assure the Deputy that I am aware of the concerns raised by the IPPN and the INTO on commercial marketing in schools. I understand that such marketing can take a variety of forms — from educational materials made available to schools by newspapers to companies offering schemes whereby products are given to the school on the basis of tokens collected by parents. I am of...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Schools Broadband Access Programme involves the provision of broadband connectivity to recognised primary and post-primary schools. This project is being undertaken in partnership with industry in the context of a Government — IBEC/TIF (Telecommunications and Internet Federation) Agreement to provide local broadband connectivity to schools. The Agreement provides for the establishment...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Paragraph 7.9 of Part VI of Towards 2016 contains a commitment to establish a targeted fund to alleviate fees in Higher Education Authority (HEA) supported public institutions for part-time courses at third level for those at work who have not previously pursued a third level qualification. A €10m fund, drawn from the National Training Fund, is available with the aim of meeting the above...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The fundamental public policy issue in this case concerns upholding the rights of all children to access the full curriculum from the earliest possible stage. The revised primary curriculum was launched in 1999 after extensive consultation with the partners in education. Page 27 in the Introduction to the Curriculum states "It is a particular feature of Irish primary education that children,...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The percentage of children in primary school classes of 30 pupils or more is as follows: 2003/04: 24.78% 2004/05: 24.91% 2005/06: 25.14% 2006/07: 24.01% The percentage of children in primary school classes of less than 20 pupils is as follows: 2003/04: 15.44% 2004/05: 15.14% 2005/06: 14.18% 2006/07: 13.73% The statistics for the school year 2007/08 are not yet available. There is evidence of...

Written Answers — School Services Staff: School Services Staff (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I am not aware of any collapse, as described by the Deputy, of a process agreed under Towards 2016 to address payments of school secretaries and caretakers. In general the arrangements for supporting secretarial and caretaking services in schools mirror those for providing support funding to the schools concerned. Primary and secondary schools are funded through capitation grants and likewise...