Results 12,941-12,960 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

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

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding towards the provision of an extension at the school has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. An assessment of projected enrolment trends, demographic trends and housing developments in the area was carried out in order to inform the determination of the long term projected staffing on which the school's accommodation needs will be based....

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

Mary Hanafin: 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 expansion in teacher numbers particularly in the area of...

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

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the process of appointing a design team to the proposed building project at the school in question is now complete. Following on from the competitive procurement process, the Vocational Education Committee (VEC) referred their consultancy recommendations to my Department on 11 September last. A response, ratifying those recommendations issued to the...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (27 Sep 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. Children of compulsory school-going age must have a place in a National School and overall there are more than enough places available. Enrolment in individual...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has not approved home tuition grants for the 2006/2007 school year at this point. Applications for this grant are processed nearer the beginning of the new school year.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department. Information is recorded on a project by project basis. The Deputy can be assured that My Department fully recognises the key role of physical exercise within the school environment and continues to respond to the need to improve PE facilities for all pupils attending primary and post-primary schools. The provision...

Written Answers — Centre for the Visually Impaired: Centre for the Visually Impaired (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Revised plans for the National Centre for the Visually Impaired are currently being considered by the Departments of Education and Science and Health and Children. The two departments are working together to agree a plan for the centre that has the right elements from an educational and a health point of view and that best meets the needs of children and young people with visual impairment...

Written Answers — Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The draft quality framework for early childhood education prepared by the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education was launched on 30 May last by my colleague, the Minister for Children. My Department is currently exploring options for the testing and evaluation of the framework in a range of early childhood settings.

Written Answers — English Language Teaching: English Language Teaching (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 635 and 693 together. The Advisory Council for English Language Schools (ACELS) operates under the aegis of my Department to control quality standards in English Language Schools, including English language summer schools, through an inspection/recognition scheme. ACELS administers the scheme which leads to school recognition by my Department. Recognition of...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I expect that the available information will be issued to the Deputy this week.

Written Answers — School Names: School Names (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: It is open to the authority of any school to apply to my Department to allow a name change. It may make such an application to School Planning Section in my Department's offices in Tullamore.

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Home/School/Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL) is a major mainstream preventative strategy targeted at pupils at risk of not reaching their potential in the educational system because of background characteristics which tend to affect adversely pupil attainment and school retention. The scheme is concerned with establishing partnership and collaboration between parents and teachers in the...

Written Answers — : (6 Jul 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. There are 56 teachers and 56 childcare workers employed and a total of 1680 places in Early Start centres. The total expenditure in 2005 on the project was €4.96m. Targeted early childhood education provision is a key...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The primary source of information on retention available within my Department is the Post-Primary Pupil Database. Cohort analysis of the pupil records on this database allows for monitoring of retention through the publicly-aided second-level school system. To date, two retention reports have been published covering four cohorts of students — those who entered second-level education between...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, in its advice submitted to me in April 2005, recommends that the practice of standardised testing which is currently well established in primary schools should be built upon and that all pupils should be tested in literacy and numeracy at the end of first or beginning of second class and at the end of fourth or beginning of fifth class. I...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is now operational. A specific function of the NCSE, through its network of local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is to identify appropriate educational placements for all children with special educational needs. The SENO is a focal point of contact for parents and schools. My officials have liaised with...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Details of the career break scheme are set out in my Department circular letters 22/99 for Post-Primary teachers and 10/03 for primary teachers. Contract of indefinite duration teachers shall have access to the career break scheme on the same basis as permanent teachers within their sector. As is the case with permanent teachers, applicants for the scheme will have their applications assessed...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 644 and 670 together. My Department is not in receipt of any correspondence from the association to which the Deputy refers. However, my Department has made a submission to the local authority on estimated school requirements arising from its local area plan for the proposed new town centre in Tallaght.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The demand for additional accommodation in schools has risen significantly over the last number of years mainly due to the rapid expansion in teacher numbers particularly in the area of special needs, the growth in the school-going population in rapidly developing areas including the impact of inward migration and the demands to cater for diversity through the recognition of new...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Ensuring that all children get the support that they need to do well at school is a major priority for this Government. 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 temporary teacher posts or portions of teacher posts. The level of...