Results 11,781-11,800 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: There are currently 5 post-primary and 11 primary schools in the general Lucan area. The position regarding major school building projects in the area is as follows: St Marys Primary School, Woodview — The proposed extension project for this school is to provide additional accommodation to cater for 24 classrooms plus ancillary accommodation. The project is at an early stage of...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the total amount of money spent on buying and leasing prefabs in the 2005 to 2006 school year is not available in the format requested by the Deputy. Records are maintained on a financial year basis as distinct from a school year as sought by the Deputy. Details in relation to the cost of providing temporary accommodation (including the...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Residential Institutions Redress Board was established under statute in 2002 to provide financial redress to victims of child abuse in residential institutions in order to assist them in their recovery and enhance the quality of the remainder of their lives. The Board received 14,541 applications by the 15th of December, 2005, the closing date for receipt of applications. My Department...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, there are now no less than 4,000 extra teachers in our primary schools, compared with 2002. Furthermore, there are nearly 7,000 more primary teachers than there were in 1997. This represents the largest increase in teacher numbers since the expansion of free education. The average class size in our primary schools is 24 and there is now one teacher for 17 pupils...

Written Answers — Inservice Training: Inservice Training (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 149 together. I wish to inform the Deputy that the Higher Diploma programmes for post-primary teacher training provide the necessary skills to mitigate and resolve conflict as it occurs in the classroom and school setting. Conflict resolution is integral to all aspects of the education programme which aims to support teachers as developers and...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I have no plans to introduce information and communications technology (ICT) as a discrete subject for the junior certificate. Recent thinking on ICT in schools is that the best way to learn ICT skills is to apply them in a meaningful context. Based on this, the focus in Ireland is on developing and promoting the use of ICT as a tool for teaching and learning across the curriculum.

Written Answers — Radon Gas Levels: Radon Gas Levels (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department commenced a Radon Remediation Programme in 1998 when it commissioned the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) to conduct a survey of radon levels in all primary and post primary schools. The programme initially involved surveying radon levels in schools and subsequently carrying out mitigation works where appropriate. The programme is 100% funded by my Department...

Written Answers — Multi-Denominational Schools: Multi-Denominational Schools (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A special once-off grant of €40,000 was paid to Educate Together in 2005 bringing their total grant in that year to over €81,000. In 2006 the funding provided to Educate Together was increased almost threefold to €120,000. In making their case for funding to me Educate Together also raised the issue for support for newly establishing schools. To support such schools I introduced a new...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A range of components in the Leaving Certificate examinations already take place prior to June. For example, coursework in Home Economics Scientific and Social is required to be completed by November. The Engineering project is required to be completed in March, and the oral examinations are completed in April, in addition to the LCVP Link Modules portfolio, the practical coursework elements...

Written Answers — School Insurance: School Insurance (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Responsibility for arranging insurance cover, including the specific requirements of insurance cover for school property and against public liability is a matter for the managerial authorities of primary and post-primary schools and would fall to be met from the capitation funding which schools receive from my Department. My Department provides funding to schools by way of per capita grants,...

Written Answers — Whole School Evaluations: Whole School Evaluations (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Planning for whole-school evaluations (WSE) in 2007 in primary schools, post-primary schools and centres for education is underway at present, and will be finalised within a few weeks. It is expected that over 300 WSEs will be conducted during 2007. This will include approximately 230 WSEs at primary level, 60 WSEs in post-primary schools and 15 WSEs in other centres for education.

Written Answers — Legal Actions: Legal Actions (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: There are approximately 270 cases before the Courts which involve the Department as a Defendant or Respondent. They include litigation relating to Primary Schools, Community and Comprehensive Schools, Children Detention Schools, Special Needs, school non-attendance, school transport, litigation arising from industrial relations actions, contractual disputes and a diverse range of matters....

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The compulsory school starting age in a National School is 6 years of age and Rule 64 (1) of the Rules for National Schools provides that a child must be at least 4 years of age before she/he may be enrolled in a National School. Enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools and my Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 404 and 441 together. To qualify for the top-up grant in the academic year 2006/2007 all candidates must satisfy the following conditions: 1. Qualify for the ordinary maintenance grant in respect of the academic year 2006/07; 2. Total reckonable income limit in the tax year to 31 December 2005 must not exceed €16,748 (net of standard exclusions, as set out...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that, in accordance with the commitment in the Agreed Programme for Government, I plan to introduce a single unified scheme of maintenance grants for students in higher education. This will, I believe, provide for a more coherent administration system which will facilitate consistency of application, improved client accessibility and ensure the timely delivery of...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the deputy will be aware all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the NEPS or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are available on my Department's website. Schools that do not currently have NEPS psychologists assigned to them may avail of the SCPA, whereby the school can...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department fully considered all aspects of the Comptroller and Auditor General's report and has taken on board the key lessons learned from the pilot PPP Programme. In this regard, a full life-cycle analysis of the costs of providing the project outputs through conventional means was conducted. The result of this analysis was a Public Sector Benchmark for the project. The Public Sector...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Information in relation to class sizes is provided in the annual census of primary schools. The reference date for the provision by schools of this information is the 30th September of the school year in question and the date for return by the schools is 31 October. Consequently, the details for the current school year (2006/2007) are not yet available. As the Deputy will be aware, there...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 410 and 420 together. The school referred to by the Deputy has an application with the Department for major capital grant aid for a PE Hall. This project has been assessed in accordance with the published criteria for large scale building projects and has been assigned a Band 4 rating. Progress on the proposed project is being considered in the context of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A technical site visit of the proposed school premises for the school to which the Deputy refers was recently carried out by the Department. A preliminary report has been compiled by the Department's technical staff which deals with the suitability of the proposed school premises and also outlines the strategy for developing the final brief for accommodating the schools which are to be...