Results 14,621-14,640 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (23 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The process of reviewing the thresholds for eligibility and the grant levels for the 2006-07 academic year is currently ongoing. Decisions on the 2006 schemes will be announced as soon as this process is completed. The applications forms and accompanying notes for the 2006-07 will issue in the coming weeks. The application forms and accompanying notes for the 2005-06 academic year, in respect...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (23 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department had a number of meetings with the Department of Health and Children in regard to the establishment of a school of podiatry and a number of issues remain to be considered. Pending the finalisation of these discussions, it is not possible to advise when a call for proposals can proceed.

Written Answers — Languages Programme: Languages Programme (23 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The review of all-Irish provision at primary level in the Ballymun area is well under way. The providers of all-Irish education at primary level in the area will be advised of the outcome as soon as the review is completed.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (23 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has recently developed a new general allocation system of teaching support for pupils with higher incidence special educational needs, SEN, such as borderline mild and mild general learning disability and dyslexia, and those with learning support needs. The general allocation for the school referred to by the Deputy equates to 7.5 hours part-time hours per week. I am informed...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (23 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has received correspondence from the school referred to by the Deputy in regard to the appointment of a third mainstream class teacher under developing school criteria. The staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (23 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The school in question first applied for an extension and refurbishment in 2000. Its building project has been progressing through architectural planning. This school was one of 135 schools invited to participate in the small schools scheme, a devolved scheme for primary school building works that enables the school authorities to extend and refurbish their schools. Devolving funding to...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (23 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: DEIS, delivering equality of opportunity in schools, the new action plan for educational inclusion, provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated school support programme, SSP. The process of identifying primary and second level schools for participation in the new school support programme has been completed. As a result of the identification...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (23 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The data sought by the Deputy is provided in the following table. Class Size Categories 0-9 10-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40 and over Total Ordinary Pupils in National Schools 2004/2005 2,095 63,492 103,988 155,398 99,464 8,931 162 Infant Class Pupils in Our Lady of Consolation N.S., Donnycarney 0 61 0 0 0 0 0 Infant Class Pupils in Scoil Chiaráin, Donnycarney ...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (23 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: DEIS, delivering equality of opportunity in schools, the new action plan for educational inclusion, provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated school support programme, SSP. The process of identifying primary and second level schools for participation in the new school support programme has been completed. This process was managed by the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (23 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department provides a range of supports to second level schools to enable them to cater for pupils with special educational needs. The supports in question include remedial and resource teaching support, special needs assistant support and funding for the purchase of specialised equipment. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has been established as an independent statutory...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (23 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am aware that Sallins, Naas, Kill and Johnstown, like many areas located within close proximity to Dublin, continue to experience population growth, a position that almost inevitably places some strain on existing educational provision. However, a range of significant measures has been undertaken by my Department to address the current and future need for pupil places in these areas. At...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (23 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The compulsory school starting age in a national school is six years of age. Enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools and my Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places....

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued annually to all primary schools. The revised staffing schedule for the 2006-07 school year, circular 0023/2006, has been issued to all primary...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Some 640 primary schools — 320 urban/town and 320 rural — have been invited to participate in the new school support programme under DEIS, delivering equality of opportunity in school, following the completion of the identification process. This new standardised system of identification will replace all of the existing arrangements for targeting schools for participation in initiatives to...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued to all primary schools each year. According to data submitted to my Department by the board of management of the school referred to by the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school to which he refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding. The proposed project was not included in a devolved scheme because a determination of the school's long-term needs and, hence, its suitability or otherwise for such a scheme had not been sufficiently advanced at the time decisions were required to be made on school...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The school to which the Deputy refers originally applied to my Department for capital funding for a multi-purpose room and the provision of ancillary accommodation. This application was assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band 3 rating. However, in late 2005, the school indicated that it required two new classrooms...

Written Answers — School Services Staff: School Services Staff (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Funding arrangements for voluntary secondary schools are structured mainly on the basis of capitation grants with additional grants for support services such as secretarial services. This provides schools with considerable flexibility as to the manner in which such services are provided to cater for the needs of their pupils. Secretaries employed by schools are employees of the individual...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I announced the provision of a new post-primary school for Gorey, which will be delivered by way of a public private partnership. As I indicated in my statement on 29 September 2005 regarding this matter, it is my intention that the first bundle of schools — subsequently announced on 22 November 2005 — under my Department's PPP programme will be offered to the market in the first half of...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (22 Mar 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I have not had any meetings with the Open Republic Institute, its directors or members of its academic board in their capacity as members of the institute.