Results 6,321-6,340 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 196 and 210 together. The Department is currently awaiting receipt of the stage 3 submission from the school's design team in relation to the permanent extension project proposed for the school referred to by the Deputy. Progress on this project will be considered on receipt and examination of this stage 3 report.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 197 to 199, inclusive, 201 to 203, inclusive, and 209 together. I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of applications for large scale capital funding from the schools to which he refers. The projects have been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. Progress on the proposed...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that an application for large scale capital funding for the school to which he refers has been received. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that an application for large scale capital funding for the school to which he refers has been received. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The project at the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage (Stage 2b — Detailed Design and Bill of Quantities) of the architectural planning process. As part of the Programme for Government, a Developing Areas Unit was set up recently in my Department to focus on the school accommodation needs of rapidly developing areas. The main emphasis in 2008 is on providing sufficient...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: A tender report for the school referred to was received in my Department in January. As part of the Programme for Government, a Developing Areas Unit was set up recently in my Department to focus on the school accommodation needs of rapidly developing areas, including Naas. The main emphasis in 2008 is on providing sufficient school places in these developing areas, as well as delivering...

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

Mary Hanafin: The Lyons Estate is owned by University College Dublin and as such the day to day affairs of the estate are managed by the University's Governing Body. As stated in response to Parliamentary Question No. 583, the Governing Body is conducting a full analysis of the University's requirements in relation to its overall campus development. This analysis includes an examination of the suitability...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that construction work began on this project on 31st March last.

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

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding has been received from the Board of Management of the school in question and is being assessed by the School Planning and Building Unit within my Department. As part of the Programme for Government, a Developing Areas Unit was set up recently in my Department to focus on the school accommodation needs of rapidly developing areas, including Naas. The main...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage (stage 4/5) of architectural planning. There have been considerable unavoidable delays with the development of this project particularly in relation to site acquisition and Local Authority planning permission requirements. The further progression of the project through to construction phase will be considered on an on-going basis...

Sexual Discrimination. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I am aware that the teacher unions have expressed concern about discrimination against teachers on the basis of sexual orientation. They made particular mention of the provisions of the Employment Equality Act 1998 where a denominational school may not be regarded as discriminating against a person where action is taken to preserve the religious ethos of the school. These provisions,...

Sexual Discrimination. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Obviously any form of homophobic bullying or bullying in the workplace should not be tolerated by the schools themselves or by any institution. There is legislation to protect people to whom this happens and it should be invoked. The general secretary of the Catholic Primary School Management Association, Monsignor Dan O'Connor, is on record as saying that sexual orientation is only an...

Sexual Discrimination. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: That speaks for itself. I can understand that people in that situation may feel a sense of fear, but the problem has not occurred to the extent that somebody has had to take a case. I hope we will never see this. The legislation does allow for schools to protect their ethos, which is a provision that exists in a number of countries. It does not apply only to schools but also to hospitals...

Sexual Discrimination. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I want to ensure there is no discrimination and no bullying, within the context of the legislation, based on sexual orientation. It is encouraging for teachers to know that none of them has been forced to take a case. A teacher would only take a case if there was a feeling that he or she had been strongly discriminated against. I hope that will encourage other teachers to be more...

School Enrolments. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I have spoken on a number of occasions about the responsibility of all schools to welcome and include children of every background and need. The audit of school enrolment policies conducted at my request considered the enrolment of Traveller children, newcomers and children with special educational needs in almost 2,000 schools at primary and post-primary level. The audit also considered...

School Enrolments. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I do not intend to publish the individual findings about schools for two reasons. First, the results are simply figures and do not give any background information. For example, did parents actually apply to a certain school? If a particular school in an area has a reputation for being good for children with special needs, parents may automatically enrol their children there. We do not...

School Enrolments. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Once it becomes available to the partners it will then be available publicly if people want it. I do not want it to be used to formulate a league table on the basis of schools that accept many pupils with special needs and those that do not.

School Enrolments. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: It is too sensitive an issue. In addition, it is something that must be dealt with at a local rather than a national level. People had the impression that there was a whole sector of schools that did not take particular children, but this is not evident from the audit. Significantly, there does not seem to be any problem at primary level. For the most part, children go to their local...

School Enrolments. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Generally, if we consider three or four schools within a town, it is far more telling. It will tell us that people from a disadvantaged area are going to one school, newcomers are going to another, and children with special needs are going somewhere else. Or, indeed, all three might be going to one of the schools.

School Enrolments. (9 Apr 2008)

Mary Hanafin: First of all, I did not say the schools had specific enrolment policies. What I said was that if one looks at figures for individual schools in a specific area, one can see where there has been a gravitation of special needs pupils towards them. That might mean that the parents of those children, recognising that a school is particularly good or has got a name of being good for these...