Results 12,381-12,400 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As I told the Deputy last week, the organisations to decentralise to Edenderry are the Further Education & Training Awards Council (FETAC), the Higher Education & Training Awards Council (HETAC) and the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI). These organisations are State agencies under the aegis of my Department. The overall number of posts involved is in the region of 90. All...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An application for a new PE Hall at the school to which the Deputy refers has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. The project has been assigned a Band 4 rating. Progress on the proposed works will be considered in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme from 2007 onwards.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The proposed extension and refurbishment project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning and is one of the 43 schools that I announced in March 2005 to start the architectural planning process. In September of this year, my Department wrote to the School Authorities seeking a revised stage 3 submission (detailed design with costings) from the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the School referred to by the Deputy was listed among the 43 schools that I announced to start the architectural planning process in March of 2005. Substantial work on the early stages of the design process have already been completed. My Department's officials have already had a preliminary meeting with the Local Authority Planners of Kilkenny Co. Council in order to...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy is aware that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological services either directly from assigned psychologists based in the National Educational Psychological Service or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments, details of which are available on my Department's website and which is administered by NEPS. There has been some movement of...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at primary in recent years. At the beginning of the current school year there are no less than 4,000 primary teachers now, compared with 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. As the Deputy will be aware the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The application referred to by the Deputy is currently being considered by my Department and a response will issue as soon as this process has been completed.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A key area covered in the report of the Action Group on Access to Third Level Education — which was asked to advise on the development of a co-ordinated framework to promote access by disadvantaged students — is the Special Rates of Maintenance Grant (also known as the Top-Up Grant). Eligibility is determined by reference to an income threshold and receipt of a long-term social welfare...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Officials in my Department have been in contact with County Kilkenny Vocational Education Committee concerning the student referred to by the Deputy. I understand the candidate was awarded the full non-adjacent rate of the grant. However, the candidate did not qualify for the Special Rate of Maintenance grant for the 2006/07 academic year as the income does not include one of the approved...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The allocation of teaching hours is a matter for the Post Primary Teacher Allocation section within my Department. The allocation to VECs of Co-Operation hours with Other Institutions has been completed for 2006/2007. My Department is currently undertaking a review of the allocation of teaching hours to VECs under the Co-Operation Hours with Other Institutions. VECs will be invited to...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Second level pupils with dyslexia are normally integrated into ordinary classes. In such situations they may receive additional tutorial support from the remedial/learning support teacher, guidance counsellor and subject teachers. There are currently a total of 534 whole-time equivalent remedial/learning support teachers and 684 whole-time equivalent guidance teachers in place at second...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 579 and 580 together. My Department's planning guidelines for new schools include, where appropriate for PE Halls, general purpose rooms and outdoor hard play areas such as basketball courts. Such provision is typically included in the accommodation brief for large-scale school building projects. Between 2000 and 2005 a total of 355 large-scale projects were...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department allocates additional teaching hours to VECs to support the delivery of education programmes in a range of facilities. Such allocations are made under the heading Co-Operation Hours with Other Institutions and are made in response to specific applications which are submitted by the VECs in advance of the commencement of the school year to which they relate. The Co-operation...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The initial application from the school sought to have its accommodation needs met by way of a devolved grant under the Additional Classroom Accommodation scheme 2006. While acknowledging that the school had an immediate deficit of mainstream accommodation which was addressed by way of approval to rent a mainstream classroom, my officials' preliminary appraisal of the school's long-term...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The application from the school in question is very recent. A preliminary examination of the application suggests that the project attracts a Band 2 rating. However, in common with all applications for large scale capital investment, a rigorous assessment will be carried out on the schools long term needs. The result of the examination will determine the ultimate Band rating which will...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the School referred to by the Deputy was listed among the 43 schools that I announced to start the architectural planning process in March of 2005. Substantial work on the early stages of the design process have already been completed. My Department's officials have already had a preliminary meeting with the Local Authority Planners of Kilkenny Co. Council in order...

Written Answers — Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Early Start pre-school project operates in 40 primary schools in designated areas of urban disadvantage in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Drogheda and Dundalk. Targeted early childhood education provision is a key element of the School Support Programme (SSP) under the new action plan for educational inclusion DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools). As a result...

Written Answers — Literacy Levels: Literacy Levels (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department's budget allocation for the Reading Recovery programme for the current year is €600,000.

Written Answers — School Services Staff: School Services Staff (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department provides funding towards the cost of secretarial and caretaking services in primary schools under two separate schemes. One scheme is the 1978/79 scheme for the employment of full-time secretaries and caretakers in primary schools, under which my Department meets the full cost of salary. This scheme is being phased out as posts become vacant and no new posts are being created....

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (24 Oct 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be pleased to know that a census of school ICT facilities carried out in May and June of last year by the National Centre for Technology in Education found that the ratio of computers to students has improved significantly in recent years. As the Deputy will be aware, major investment has also been provided for developing school networks and bringing broadband to our schools...