Results 11,641-11,660 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: In order to ensure that children whose first language is not English can succeed at school, my Department gives additional support to their schools which can take the form of financial assistance, additional teaching posts or portions of teacher 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 Placement: School Placement (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 456, 459 and 489 together. School enrolment is a matter for Board of Managements. The parent in question should, therefore, apply for enrolment, in the normal way, to the Gaelcholáistí in the area. Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, provides parents with an appeal process where a Board of Management of a school or a person acting on behalf of the Board...

Written Answers — Coláistí Oideachais: Coláistí Oideachais (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Níl sé i gceist agam Coláiste Oideachais Neamhspleách a chur ar bun le múinteoirí a oiliúint chun teagasc i scoileanna Gaeltachta agus lán-Ghaeilge. É sin ráite, is é mo rún daingean a chinntiú go bhfuil an Ghaeilge chuí á múineadh i ngach clár ag na Coláistí Oiliúna chun freastail ar riachtanais na múinteoirí ag obair i ngach scoil, scoileanna Gaeltachta agus...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Schools which have not qualified for inclusion in DEIS, and which are receiving additional resources under pre-existing schemes for addressing disadvantage, can be assured that they will continue to get support in line with their level of disadvantage. I can also assure the Deputy that the school to which he refers will benefit from the lower local contribution rate for capital works. With...

Written Answers — School Relocation: School Relocation (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: To date, the Department in not in receipt of a proposal for the relocation of the school referred to by the Deputy. However, the School Planning Section of the Department has sent an application form for Major Capital Works to the school in question for completion.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The long term accommodation needs of the school referred to by the Deputy has been determined and notified to the school authority. Officials from the School Planning Section have recently been in contact with the school authority to agree on a suitable a date for a technical visit which is to take place in the coming days.

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The average class size at primary level in 1996/97 was 27, while there was one teacher for every 22 children, including support teachers. Details of the average class size and the pupil teacher ratio for the current school year are not yet available. However, in 2005/06 the average primary class size was 24, while there was one teacher for every 17 children, including support teachers. In...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Significant improvements have been made in the staffing of our second level schools in recent years. In the 1996/97 school year, there were approximately 23,200 whole-time equivalent teaching posts allocated to second level schools. For 2006/07, the corresponding figure is 25,424 whole-time equivalent posts. This increase in staffing has dramatically improved the pupil teacher ratio at post...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy may be aware the school to which he refers is included in the list of projects that were recently announced to commence architectural planning for a new 16 classroom school. It is intended that this school will be built using either the standardised design model or the design and build process, which have been successfully introduced by the Department in recent years. This is...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An appeal was made to the Secretary General of my Department under Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998, against the decision of the Board of Management of a school in Co. Donegal to permanently exclude the person in question. The case went to full hearing before an independent appeals committee but the appeal was not upheld. My Department has no authority to compel a school to re-admit a...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Issues: Health and Safety Issues (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: In general, individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care, including traffic management measures within the vested area of the school site. My Department is prepared to consider applications from school authorities for grant-aid towards improving safety arrangements, including car parking, at...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Maintenance Grant Scheme for Students attending Post Leaving Certificate courses is administered by the Vocational Education Committees on behalf of my Department. Under the terms of the Maintenance Grants Scheme for Post Leaving Certificate Courses 2006, grants are available to eligible candidates who are entering approved PLC courses for the first time in the 2006/2007 academic year....

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Following a detailed assessment of the school's long term accommodation needs, a decision was taken to provide a new six classroom school. In order to facilitate this development, the Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of my Department in relation to site acquisition, is at an advanced stage of the acquisition of land adjacent to the existing site. When the site acquisition process...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The school to which the Deputy refers has submitted an application for funding under the Small Schools Scheme 2007. All applications received under this scheme are currently being assessed in the Department and I will publish the list of successful applicants as soon as the assessment process is complete.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The staffing arrangements, including grading levels, for schools in the Comprehensive & Community (C&C) school sector are governed by a collective agreement involving the C&C school managerial authorities, representative trade unions and my Department. The grading of the caretaking post in the school referred to by the Deputy is in accordance with this agreement. Representations in this...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 475, 476 together. Last month I announced a special €6.5m package for primary schools to renew PE equipment. Under the package, schools received €2,000 towards the cost of replacing and upgrading PE equipment in their school. This grant issued together with the annual minor works grant which I have increased by 44%. This funding package is being made as...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An official from my Department has made contact with the school referred to by the Deputy. Confirmation was received that the school has an intercom system linking the principal with the various classrooms in the building. This is standard provision in all new school buildings.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 478, 480 and 481 together. My Department provides funding to primary schools by way of per capita grants, which affords schools considerable flexibility in the use of these resources to cater for the needs of their pupils. Responsibility for arranging insurance cover, including the specific requirements of insurance cover for school property and against public...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I have asked my officials to examine the position of this school and I will advise the Deputy as to the outcome of the examination once complete.

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (5 Dec 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As previously outlined, the Department is currently discussing the issue of the future use of the property in question with the Office of Public Works to determine if it has any potential for development as education infrastructure.