Results 12,841-12,860 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that an application for home tuition for the pupil referred to by the Deputy is currently being considered. I expect that a decision will issue shortly to the parents concerned.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: It is assumed that the Deputy is referring to unqualified personnel. The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill vacancies in an individual primary school is a matter for the Board of Management of the school concerned. It is the policy of my Department that unqualified personnel should only be employed in exceptional circumstances and when all avenues for recruiting qualified...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has agreed to the retention of special needs assistant support for the child in question until the end of October, 2006. The matter will be considered in the interim and a decision will be conveyed to the school authorities as quickly as possible.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is planning the development of a new post primary school in Phibblestown to serve the growing population of the Dublin 15 area. It is intended to progress the provision of the school as a Design Build Project. My Department advertised in the Official Journal of the European Union for design build teams and the short-listing of these teams is...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: In May 2006, I authorised the PE Hall project for Castleknock Community College to progress through architectural planning and on to tender and construction as soon as all stages of the planning process are complete. The building project for the project in question is at an early stage of architectural planning. My Department recently received the Design Team's response to queries raised by...

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Second-level pupils who are absent from school for a significant period of time for medical reasons may be sanctioned home tuition. I can confirm that the issues raised by the Deputy in relation to the hourly rates that currently apply in respect of home tuition grants are currently being considered by my officials. When these deliberations have been finalised, a decision will be taken in...

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The submission from Waterford Institute of Technology seeking university status remains under consideration by my Department. There is a very detailed statutory review process required prior to the designation of any new university and there are significant wider issues that need to be considered in progressing that. Wider developments in the overall higher education sector are relevant in...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1311 and 1312 together. The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department. However, if the Deputy wishes to request details on a specific school, my officials will provide the required information. The demand for additional accommodation in schools has risen significantly over the last number of years mainly due to the rapid...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The School Planning Section of the Department is in receipt of an application for major capital works from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. The school's application was originally considered under the devolved grant scheme. However the scope of the work needed exceeded the limits of this scheme and in order to meet the needs of the school the application...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: It is not necessary for my Department's architect to view plans for the development of the school in question. As both the design and construction of the school, as proposed, are being handled directly by the school authority and a private construction firm, without the direct involvement of my Department, it is ultimately a matter for the Board of Management to ensure that they are...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform you that the pupil is attending the school of preference referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Education Grants: Education Grants (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department contacted Kildare County Council, the awarding body in this case, and was advised that a cheque issued in June to the College in question for the payment of the field trip. The student referred to by the Deputy should contact her College.

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The School Planning Section of the Department has received correspondence from the person in question in relation to school enrolments in the area concerned. The person concerned has also recently made application for recognition of a new school to the New School Advisory Committee. All current applications for recognition of new schools are under consideration and as soon as a decision has...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A decision was taken by the Trustees of the school to which the Deputy refers that it will close in June 2007. Officials in the School Planning Section of my Department are currently reviewing the medium to long term educational infrastructural requirements in the area where the school is located. When this review is completed a decision will be taken as to whether or not the leasehold...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1327 to 1329, inclusive, together. In order to address the short term accommodation needs of the school referred to by the Deputy, my Department gave approval to the school authority to rent a portakabin for use as a mainstream classroom earlier this year. My Department is also in receipt of an application for capital funding towards the provision of a...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at both primary and post-primary level in recent years. At the beginning of the current school year there are no less than 4,000 extra teachers in our primary schools, 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...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the new action plan for educational inclusion will focus on addressing the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities, from pre-school through second-level education (3 to 18 years). The action plan provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated School...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has been operational since 1st January 2005, and is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs supports through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs). I can confirm that an application for 5 hours resource teaching support for the pupil in question was considered by the...

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I regret the delay in responding to the Deputy's correspondence and I can confirm that a response will issue very shortly. The Deputy will be aware that forty hours tuition under the July Provision Scheme was approved for the child in question for 2006.

Written Answers — Census of Population: Census of Population (27 Sep 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department makes extensive use of data from the Census of Population for a variety of purposes including long-term projections of enrolment at national and local level. The Preliminary Census results for 2006 are also of use in identifying, early on, broad trends in total population by country and local area. However, the final results to be published from 2007 onwards will provide more...