Results 8,001-8,020 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The process of assessing the need for new or additional educational facilities at primary or post-primary level in any given area entails consideration of all relevant factors, including enrolment and demographic trends, housing developments and the capacity of existing schools to meet the demand for places. Liaison with existing schools is also an important part of the process. In this...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is not available in the Department. However, every effort is made to keep the expenditure on the rental of temporary accommodation, including prefabs low. It should be noted that less than 5% of the almost € 495 million that was invested in school buildings last year, went on the rental of temporary accommodation. Where accommodation is needed at...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: New or additional second level all Irish schools can be established in either of two ways — either under the Department's normal planning processes or by way of an application by a sponsor/Patron. With regard to the former, it is the function of School Planning Section to assess the educational infrastructural needs of an area at both primary and post primary level and to plan, in that...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: During the period of the last National Development Plan 2000-2006, record levels of investment and the streamlining of delivery systems allowed a major acceleration of the school building programme with over €2.6 billion invested in upgrading existing school infrastructure and providing new school accommodation at both first and second-level. This delivered over 7,800 building projects...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will, I'm sure, be aware that 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 of the SCPA and have an assessment carried...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (11 Dec 2007)

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....

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The building referred to by the Deputy is in the ownership of Kildare County Council. This property was in the ownership of my Department, but was transferred to Kildare County Council earlier this year. The transaction involved an exchange of lands between my Department and Kildare County Council to facilitate the construction of Gaelscoil Uí Riada. As part of the transaction it was...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The tender report for the school referred to by the Deputy is under examination in my Department at present. The School's Board of Management will be kept advised of developments when the examination is complete. Progression of all projects 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 (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The tender report for the school referred to by the Deputy is under examination in my Department at present. The school's Board of Management will be kept advised of developments when the examination is complete. Progression of all projects 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 (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The tender report for the school referred to by the Deputy is under examination in my Department at present. The school's Board of Management will be kept advised of developments when the examination is complete.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, all applications for large scale capital funding are assessed against published prioritisation criteria. Progress on individual projects, such as the one in question, will be considered in the context of the multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Progression of all projects to tender and construction, including the project in question, will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. I intend to announce in January the first tranche of projects that will be proceeding to construction with further announcements throughout the year as the school building programme is rolled out.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, all applications for large scale capital funding are assessed against published prioritisation criteria. Progress on individual projects, such as the one in question, will be considered in the context of the multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The tender documentation for the project referred to by the Deputy is nearing completion. Progression of all projects to tender and construction, including this project, will be considered in the context of my Department's Multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. I intend to announce in January the first tranche of projects that will be proceeding to construction with...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 795 and 796 together. There are 75 cases involving children with special educational needs currently ongoing in which my Department is a named party. The Deputy will be aware of my position on the issues of litigation in special educational needs and can be assured that neither I nor my Department take lightly any decision to defend cases concerning children...

Written Answers — School Planning: School Planning (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government includes a commitment to establish a Developing Areas Unit in my Department dedicated solely to progressing school planning in rapidly developing areas. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that this Unit has been established. The unit will be solely dedicated to progressing school planning in rapidly developing areas building on...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Two patron bodies have submitted notifications of intention to apply for recognition of a primary school in the area referred to by the Deputy. The deadline for receipt of applications is 31 January, 2008. The New Schools Advisory Committee (NSAC), an independent advisory committee has been charged with the task of assessing these applications to open new primary schools and make...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy may be aware, three teaching vacancies out of a total teaching complement of four teaching posts have arisen in the school in question for the 2007/2008 school year, namely the posts of principal and two teachers. Due to this exceptional number of vacancies, the school was unable to re-open in September 2007. I am informed that the recruitment process is in hand and the Board...

Water Services. (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Schools receive funding by way of per capita grants to meet their day-to-day running costs and enable them to pay for services such as light, heat, water and waste disposal. The value of the capitation grants have improved significantly over the past few years and are set to increase again by €15 per pupil in 2008. As the Deputy will be aware, the water framework directive requires that...

Water Services. (11 Dec 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government launched a Conserve Water in Schools resource pack last month in association with Dublin City Council. The materials, which are available for download on the council's website, www.dublincity.ie, show children how they can get involved in conserving water and put a stop to water wastage. The campaign is also aimed at school...