Results 7,041-7,060 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The school authority in question has submitted an application to my Department for a new school building. Applications for large scale capital funding are assessed and banded in accordance with published prioritisation criteria. These criteria were agreed following consultation with the Education Partners and the progression of individual projects is considered in the context of my...

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

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy has made an application to my Department for temporary accommodation. The application is currently being processed and a decision will be communicated to the school authorities as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (20 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The following table contains the numbers of Freedom of Information requests that have been received by my Department each year since 1997. Freedom of Information Requests Year Personal Non-Personal Mixed Total 2007 370 93 6 469 2006 978 124 6 1,108 2005 3,609 104 3 3,716 2004 1,697 142 4 1,843 2003 2001 30 0 2,031 2002 1,049 158 11 1,218 2001 1,268 272 5 1,545 2000 912 298 3 1,213...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I announced recently a list of schools which are due to go to construction in 2008. My Department will be in contact with the school authorities over the next number of days to advise on the most appropriate preparation schedule applicable on each project. The school to which the Deputy refers is not included in that announcement. However, I intend to make further announcements regarding...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for large scale capital funding from the school to which he refers. The project has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band rating. Further progress on the proposed works will be considered in the context of my Department's...

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

Mary Hanafin: My Department has carried out a technical assessment of the existing school buildings and sites to determine their suitability to host the proposed amalgamation. This assessment has ruled out the use of the existing buildings and sites for the purposes of accommodating the amalgamated school. The Parish has offered to make a greenfield site available for an amalgamated school. My...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (20 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 254 and 255 together. The SENOs are deployed by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) throughout the State to provide a nationwide service. Each SENO works in an assigned local area with parents, schools, teachers, psychologists, health professionals and other staff who are involved in the provision of services in that area for children with...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (20 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: In April 2007, I formally established the Special Education Appeals Board (SEAB) under section 36 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 to hear and determine appeals pursuant to a number of sections of the Act. The Board comprises a Chairperson and two ordinary members, each of whom have a special interest in, or knowledge of, education and in particular the...

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 257 to 259, inclusive, together. The Deputy will be aware that my Department considers Gorey as a rapidly developing area and in this context a site has been identified. Subject to planning permission and finalisation of legalities surrounding site ownership, two eight classroom schools will be provided for September 2008 and the expansion of the schools to...

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 €4.5 billion assigned to the capital requirements of the Primary and Post-Primary sectors. Just under €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....