Results 12,141-12,160 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The acquisition of a site is the first key step in the delivery of new school projects. The Department has streamlined the design phase for such buildings and uses various innovative methods such as Generic Repeat Designs or Design and Build contracts as mechanisms to enable new schools to progress to planning permission and construction within the shortest possible timeframe. It is intended...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As I indicated when publishing the various strands of the Department's Capital Programme for 2006, I intend to move through the School Building and Modernisation Programme in a planned way over the next five years. This is possible with the availability of a €3.9 billion multi-annual capital funding envelope (primary, post-primary and third level) over that period to underpin a continuous...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at primary level in recent years. There are now 4000 more primary teachers than there were in 2002. The average class size in our primary schools is 24 and there is now one teacher for 17 pupils at primary level, including resource teachers etc. Children with special needs and those from disadvantaged areas are...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As I indicated when publishing the various strands of the Departments Capital Programme for 2006, I intend to move through the School Building and Modernisation Programme in a planned way over the next five years. This is possible with the availability of a €3.9 billion multi-annual capital funding envelope (primary, post-primary and third level) over that period to underpin a continuous...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, recently submitted its Implementation Report which sets out its views and recommendations on a plan for the implementation of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 and I have asked my Department to examine it. While the report focuses on the implementation of the Education for Persons with Special Education Needs...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (8 Nov 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. Clause 6.3.6 of my Department's Maintenance Grant Scheme for students attending Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses provides as follows; "Grants may not be paid in respect of a second period of attendance at the same level...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department is in receipt of an application from the school to which he refers under the Permanent Accommodation Scheme 2007. All applications under this scheme are currently being assessed and a list of successful schools will be published when this procedure has been completed.

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy may be aware, the decision to close the school to which he refers was taken by the school's Trustees and it was decided that the closure of the school would take place on a phased basis, culminating with full closure in June 2007. Thanks in part to the cooperation of another school in the immediate area, the necessary arrangements have been made to ensure that all pupils in the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is currently in the process of progressing a number of applications for extensions, refurbishments and/or new school buildings to accommodate school children in the area referred to by the Deputy. Progress on these projects will be considered in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme 2006-2010.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The accommodation needs of the school referred to by the Deputy are under consideration by my Department. In order to ensure that the appropriate level of accommodation is provided, officials in the School Planning Section are currently assessing the long-term projected staffing figure on which the accommodation needs will be based. Progress on the project will be considered in the context of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 286 to 310, inclusive, together. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department is delivering a record school building programme which is transforming the standard of school accommodation throughout the country. Details of the rolling series of my announcements on the programme are available on my Department's website. Between 2000 and 2005 my...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 311 to 317, inclusive, together. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department is delivering a record school building programme which is transforming the standard of school accommodation throughout the country. Details of the rolling series of my announcements on the programme are available on my Department's website. Between 2000 and 2005 my...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The acquisition of a site with clear title is the first key step in the delivery of new school projects. The Deputy will appreciate the inappropriateness of developing out plans for new schools on lands in any other circumstances. The Department is working to resolve the title issues which have arisen on the site in question through the Chief State Solicitors office.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (8 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: At primary level, all mainstream class teaching posts allocated under the Primary Staffing Schedule which issues on an annual basis, are regarded as permanent posts. Learning Support/Resource teacher posts and Resource teacher posts at primary level may be made permanent in accordance with the criteria outlined in my Department's Circular 0036/2006 which is available on the Department website...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding for additional accommodation has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. The school have applied for consideration under the Small Schools Scheme 2007 and this application is being assessed by my officials. Details of the successful applications will be published as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware there has been enormous progress made over the past number of years in relation to increasing the number of teachers in our schools who are specifically dedicated to providing education for children with special educational needs. At primary level there are now more than 5,000 teachers working directly with children with special needs, including those requiring learning...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (7 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service, established in 1999, allows for all primary and post primary schools to have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) whereby the school can have an assessment...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (7 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Under my Department's Higher Education Grant Scheme and VEC Scholarship Scheme, maintenance grants are available to eligible students pursuing approved undergraduate courses in Northern Ireland and also in E.U. Member States. In general, approved courses are those pursued in a third level institution, which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds. Students attending...

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (7 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department facilitates apprenticeship training through the provision of places in Institutes of Technology. Where additional capacity is sought by FÁS the Institutes of Technology are invited to make proposals for individual trades. My Department has received a joint proposal from GMIT and the college referred to by the Deputy to run two blocks of Phase 4 each or Phase 6 each per term in...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As you are aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the 75 local special educational needs organisers, known as SENOs, is responsible for processing applications from schools for special needs supports. These supports include resource teaching hours and SNA support for pupils with low-incidence special needs and assistive technology or equipment for pupils in either...