Results 13,161-13,180 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Physical Sciences: Physical Sciences (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: There were some 39 recommendations in the Report of the Task Force on the Physical Sciences, with costed proposals totalling an additional €244 million, of which €66.3 million would be a recurring annual cost. Of the 39 recommendations, 4 are not for the education sector. Of the remainder, progress has been made on implementing 25 of the recommendations and my Department continues to...

Written Answers — Stay Safe Programme: Stay Safe Programme (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department in conjunction with the 'Stay Safe' programme personnel in the Department of Health and Children is currently conducting a questionnaire survey in all primary schools in the country to find out the most up-to-date and accurate position in relation to the implementation of the 'Stay safe' programme in primary schools. When all the questionnaires are returned and the data...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Jul 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. Next September there will no less than 4000 extra teachers in our primary schools, compared with 2002. Not only is the average class size in our primary schools down to 24, but there is now one teacher for 17 pupils at primary level, including resource teachers...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: In excess of €136m of the total budget of €506m allocated to the primary and post-primary school building programme has been expended to date in 2006. A further €370m remains to be expended by the end of 2006.

Written Answers — Property Transfers: Property Transfers (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Contracts for the transfer of the site in question have been signed. However, for this transfer to formally close, the agreement of the Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests is required. It is the responsibility of the vendor to refer the transfer contracts to the Commissioners. Confirmation from the vendor's solicitors of the agreement of the Commissioners is still awaited. The...

Written Answers — Commercial Research: Commercial Research (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 630 and 631 together. My Department has not received a written complaint in relation to the issue referred to by the Deputy. However, as the Deputy will be aware, under Section 15 of the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school and is therefore responsible for making decisions as to the types of...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding towards the provision of an extension has been received from the school and has been assessed and the long term projected staffing, on which the accommodation needs will be based, has been determined and notified to the school authority. In order to determine how best to provide for the school's accommodation needs into the future, it will be necessary to...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 633 and 730 together. The School Planning Section of my Department is in receipt of an application to establish an ABA school for autistic children in the Waterford area and it has been assisting the management of the school in obtaining suitable premises for establishment of this facility. Subsequent to a technical inspection of proposed premises, an initial...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy declined an offer of funding made under the Small Schools Scheme 2006 to provide appropriate accommodation for a four teacher school on the basis that it could not deliver the required accommodation within the grant approved. The school authority also raised the need to review its long term projected staffing for which accommodation is required as it had...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 637 to 639, inclusive, together. My Department's records confirm that the teacher referred to by the Deputy is a permanent member of the school staff. The school in question is the base school for a temporary resource teacher for traveller post shared with another school. I understand that the teacher to whom the Deputy refers is currently assigned to this...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department's policy in relation to the education of traveller children is that they should be taught in an integrated setting. In order to assist with the integration of traveller children, a resource teacher for traveller post (RTT) may be allocated to a primary school to cater for the educational needs of traveller children of primary school-going age. A...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 641 and 642 together. As the Deputy is aware the National Council for Special Education is now operational. There are over 70 Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) employed by the Council since September 2004, who have been deployed on a nationwide basis, with at least one SENO being deployed in each county and who are a local point of contact for parents...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department fund three means tested maintenance grant schemes for third level education students in respect of attendance on approved courses in approved third level institutions and one grant scheme in respect of Post Leaving Certificate courses: (a) The Higher Education Grants Scheme (b) The Vocational Education Committees' Scholarship Scheme (c) The Third Level Maintenance Grants Scheme...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I understand that the local special educational needs organiser (SENO) has been in contact with the parents of the child in question regarding the matter referred to by the Deputy. The parents were advised that it is open to them to approach a school with a view to having their child enrolled. The SENO will then lend further assistance to the parents and school once a school has been selected.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware of my commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with autism receive an education appropriate to their needs, preferably through the primary and post primary school network. My Department supports an eclectic approach to the education of children with autism where a range of teaching methods can be applied specific to the needs of individual pupils....

Written Answers — Primary Teacher Training: Primary Teacher Training (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The decreasing numbers of males entering the teaching profession is an issue that is of concern to me. I believe that it is important to attract more men into teaching for a number of reasons, not least of which is the positive role models that teachers provide in children's lives and the desirability of having both male and female role models in our schools. I genuinely believe that teaching...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has examined the long term accommodation needs of the Newcastle area of County Dublin and has determined that additional provision will be required to meet demand emanating from current and planned housing developments in the area. The matter of how best this additional accommodation should be provided having regard to existing accommodation and the alternative options available...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I understand the school referred to by the Deputy is Scoil Mhuire, Clarinbridge, County Galway. An application for capital funding towards the provision of additional classroom and ancillary accommodation has been received in my Department. My officials are nearing completion of an examination of the overall accommodation needs of the school in light of projected enrolments for the coming...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Prior to 2005/06 there was only one primary school in the area to which the Deputy refers which was a fully vertical co-educational facility meaning it catered for pupils from Junior Infants to 6th class. To ensure an adequacy of primary provision in what I accept is a rapidly developing area, my Department sanctioned the recognition of a 2nd primary school for the area to commence operation...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the action plan for educational inclusion, provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated School Support Programme (SSP). The School Support Programme will bring together, and build upon, a number of existing interventions in schools with a concentrated level of disadvantage. The process of...