Results 8,821-8,840 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Report of the Task Force on Active Citizenship includes a recommendation on the development of a senior cycle programme on citizenship for schools. Since 2005 the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has been involved in an intensive phase of planning and development in key areas of senior cycle. As part of this, the development of a new subject "Politics and Society" is under...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of my Department in relation to sites acquisitions, has secured a site for the provision of a new school. The building programme required to deliver the new school building will be considered in the context of the multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that construction recently commenced on the project in question.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that construction recently commenced on this project and it is envisaged that it will take about 15 months to complete.

Written Answers — Language Support: Language Support (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: In order to meet the language needs of students in our schools whose first language is not English or Irish, additional support is given to their schools which can take the form of financial assistance, additional teaching posts or portions of posts. The level of extra financial or teaching support provided to any school is determined by the numbers of eligible non-English speaking students...

Written Answers — School Examinations: School Examinations (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations, including organising the holding of examinations and determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations. The Commission operates a scheme of accommodations in the certificate examinations which includes...

Written Answers — Integration Policy: Integration Policy (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: In June this year, the Taoiseach appointed a Minister of State with responsibility for the development of Integration policy based in the Department of Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs with links to both the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and my Department. This development will co-ordinate the response of the three Government Departments in relation to the integration of...

Written Answers — Teacher Training: Teacher Training (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The programmes in the Colleges of Education contain a number of elements aimed at enabling student teachers to address the various needs of all pupils in the classroom, including students whose first language is not English. In particular, all students undertake a course to prepare them to teach English in accordance with the revised primary school curriculum. Two modules of this course are...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools and the Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters. The Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. This may result, however, in some pupils not obtaining a place in the...

Written Answers — Performance Management: Performance Management (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As part of the modernisation agenda for teachers under the Social Partnership Agreement Towards 2016 it was agreed to address the issue of difficulties in relation to Teacher performance. It was recognised that while the vast majority of teachers fulfil their teaching function and professional duties adequately and well, there are, as in all professions, a small number of under performing...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that following a recent review meeting held on Wednesday September 26 with officials from my Department, representatives of the School and their Design Team, approval in principle was given to the Stage 2 submission (Outline Sketch Scheme). Progression of all projects to tender and construction will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual...

Written Answers — Renewable Energy: Renewable Energy (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is to the forefront of design with respect to energy efficiency in school buildings. However, the length of the school day and school holiday periods generally impact on the suitability of alternative energy options in school buildings. My Department's design guidelines set the benchmark for low energy design in schools and are clearly focused on energy efficiency and are based...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: A technical inspection was recently carried out at the school to which the Deputy refers. Progress on the building project is being considered in the context of the multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Written Answers — Class Sizes: Class Sizes (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested is not readily available to my Department. I will arrange for the information to be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Youthreach Programme: Youthreach Programme (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: An application was submitted by Wexford VEC for funding towards Youthreach in the town referred to by the Deputy. The application was unsuccessful; however, it will be considered next year in the context of competing priorities.

Written Answers — Departmental Travel: Departmental Travel (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Department of Education and Science's foreign travel policy currently makes no reference to the accrual by Ministers or civil servants of frequent flyer points, including the signing over to the Department or retention of these points. The Department adheres to the general Foreign Travel Policy document, issued by the Department of Finance, which states that "It will be the responsibility...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers, for the establishment of special classes for autism and for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. I have arranged for the details supplied by the Deputy to be forwarded...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that on 25 June, 2007 my Department gave devolved authority for the project in question to advance to Planning Permission stage and to commence preparation of tender documentation.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding towards the provision of an extension has been received from the school authority referred to by the Deputy. An assessment of projected enrolment trends, demographic trends and housing developments in the area is currently underway in order to determine the long term projected staffing figure on which the school's accommodation needs will be based. Once the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (23 Oct 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Property Management Section of the Office of Public Works (OPW), which acts on behalf of my Department in relation to site acquisitions generally, has been requested to source a site for this Gaelscoil. An assessment of projected enrolment trends, demographic trends and housing developments in the area will also be required in order to determine the long term projected staffing figure on...