Results 13,961-13,980 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding towards the provision of an extension to provide ancillary accommodation has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. The project has been assessed in accordance with the prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. The project is being considered in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme 2006-2010.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Major improvements in school staffing have been made in recent years with the hiring of more than 5,000 additional primary teachers. This represents the largest increase in teacher numbers since the expansion of free education. Today there is one teacher for every 17 children, the lowest pupil teacher ratio in the history of the State. Aside from decreasing average class size, the...

Written Answers — School Patronage: School Patronage (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Section 8 of the Education Act 1998 set out the basis for the patronage of schools. It is already the case that I, as Minister for Education and Science, am patron of Model Schools in the primary sector. In the post-primary sector, the Minister for Education and Science, and the State, through the Vocational Education Committees, is involved in the patronage of schools in the voluntary,...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 475 and 476 together. The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in the format in which it has been sought. If the Deputy is interested in obtaining details of temporary accommodation at any specific school, I will be glad to assist him on receipt of the name and address of the school. With regard to the area as a whole, I am conscious...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is continually monitoring the situation regarding demand for primary and post primary schools in the Dublin 15 area as a whole, including Castleknock. Officials from School Planning Section of my Department are in regular contact with the Planning Department of Fingal County Council and receive regular updates on housing completions, planning applications, potential infill etc....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A site has been reserved for future primary school provision in the Phoenix Park area. The matter of proceeding with the site acquisition process for this site is still under consideration in the School Planning Section of my Department. Therefore no negotiations have taken place to date regarding the purchase of this site.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (16 May 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. I...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: In analysing the need for future educational provision in the Hansfield SDZ, my Department based the level of future demand on an average occupancy rate of three per household and the average national figures for school attendance as a percentage of total population. It was also assumed that demand for educational provision emerging in the area would be met within the Hansfield area as...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The purchase of a site to provide a permanent accommodation solution for Tyrellstown Educate Together National School is under consideration in the School Planning Section of my Department.

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Applications for the provision of PE or sports facilities in schools are considered in the context of all other applications on hand for capital investment e.g. applications for new schools; refurbishment projects; extensions; new sites; remediation programmes. All applications are considered in the context of available resources and the published criteria for prioritising school building...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 May 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 and its progress will be considered in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme from 2006 onwards.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I recently announced the appointment of Mr. John Fitzgerald, City Manager, Dublin City Council as Chairman of the Grangegorman Development Agency and I am now actively considering the other appointments to the Agency. The Deputy will be interested to know that Section 22 of the Grangegorman Development Agency Act 2005 provides for the establishment, by the Agency, of a consultative group that...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I have received correspondence on this matter from the person referred to by the Deputy. The question of introducing a road safety and driver education syllabus into schools has been examined by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) on foot of a report from a task group set up in 2000 and which included representatives of the Department of Education and Science, the...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: In 2005 my Department dealt with 270 appeals under section 29 of the Education Act. These appeals cover both primary and post-primary schools and relate to refusals to enrol, permanent exclusions and suspensions of over 20 days cumulative in a school year. There were 253 appeals in 2004 and 164 appeals in 2003. The breakdown on a county basis is not readily available but will be compiled and...

Written Answers — Site Transfers: Site Transfers (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware contracts for the transfer of the site for the project in question have been signed. In order for this transaction 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. Accordingly, confirmation from the vendor's solicitor of the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Discussions are continuing between officials in my Department, the Department of Finance and the unions concerned with a view to finalising an incremental credit scheme for Special Needs Assistants in the near future. The details of the agreement, when reached, will be issued to all schools by means of a circular letter. Any existing and future claims for incremental credit on behalf of...

Written Answers — Bullying in Schools: Bullying in Schools (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Schools are not required to provide the information in the format requested by the Deputy. In January 2005, the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) issued guidelines to the management authorities of all primary and post primary schools on reporting student absences and expulsions. These guidelines advise that a school must report to the NEWB where a decision has been taken to expel a...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A total of four ordinary national schools and one special school have not returned their Annual Return forms yet. These schools are located in Louth, Cork, Mayo, Sligo and Dublin South. A further two ordinary national schools have not responded to queries made regarding errors in their returns. These are located in Dublin City and Wexford. I can assure the Deputy that officials within my...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Regional Technical Colleges Act 1992 sets out a statutory procedure to be followed by Institutes of Technology when seeking new course approvals. In accordance with the statutory procedure and established practice new courses can only be considered in the context of the Annual Programme and Budget submission for the year in which it is proposed to commence the courses. I understand that...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The number of posts to decentralise with my Department to Mullingar is 281.09 whole time equivalents. This is based on the current level of staffing in those areas of my Department to decentralise to Mullingar. I am providing a table showing the most up to date information on the numbers/grades proposed for decentralisation, along with the current and anticipated levels of participation. The...