Results 17,301-17,320 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The home-school-community liaison scheme is one of my Department's main programmes for promoting educational inclusion. Home-school-community liaison services will have a central role in the new action plan for educational inclusion, DEIS, Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, which I launched on 30 May last. The new action plan, which will be introduced on a phased basis —...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: In general, classes for pupils with severe and profound general learning disability, GLD, established by my Department, including the one referred to by the Deputy, are staffed by one teacher and two special needs assistants and can cater for a maximum of six pupils. My Department's records show that there are five pupils enrolled in the class in question which is currently staffed by one...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that this matter has been resolved and that my Department has recently given sanction for a resource teaching post to be based in the school concerned. This is a shared post which will also cater for resource hours which have been sanctioned to other schools in the vicinity. I also understand that the teacher the Deputy is concerned with has been taken off...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, a new general allocation scheme has been announced under which schools have been provided with resource teaching hours, based on their enrolment figures, to cater for children with high-incidence special needs such as dyslexia and those with learning support needs. Under the new system, the school in question has a full-time learning support-resource teaching post,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: An application for additional accommodation has been received from the management authority of the school mentioned by the Deputy. A detailed assessment of demographic trends, housing developments and enrolment trends was initiated in order to ensure that any capital funding provided will deliver accommodation appropriate to the school's need into the future. On completion of this assessment,...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, which was established recently, and which has been operational since 1 January 2005, is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs, SEN, supports. I have requested my officials to liaise with the NCSE on this particular case and I will inform the Deputy of the outcome of that process as...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Board: Residential Institutions Redress Board (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Residential Institutions Redress Board is independent in the performance of its functions in accordance with the terms of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 and my Department is not a party to the consideration of applications for financial redress. The Act provides a mechanism for an applicant to apply for a settlement rather than to proceed to a full hearing. Settlements...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The purpose of the remote area boarding grants scheme is to give pupils who are educationally disadvantaged because of their remoteness from schools an opportunity to attend school on the same basis as other pupils not so disadvantaged. The grant is paid in respect of pupils who are outside the range of school transport services from the nearest school providing suitable free second level...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: International education is one of the fastest growing business sectors as students increasingly pursue studies overseas. Throughout the world there is an accelerating demand for English language courses, and it is estimated that by 2020 some 6 million students will be seeking to obtain an international education experience mainly in an English speaking environment. The English language sector...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The scope of works described by the Deputy would be appropriate for consideration under the summer works scheme. It is open to a school management authority to apply for funding towards any necessary small-scale works required at a school under this scheme. The summer works scheme for 2006 was recently advertised. The closing date for the receipt of applications is the 14 October 2005.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Teacher allocations to second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. Each school management authority is required to organise its teaching timetable and subject options having regard to pupils needs within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. The rules for allocating teaching resources provide...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The funding arrangements made by my Department for second level schools reflect the sectoral division of our second level system. At the core of all arrangements is a reliance upon capitation as the principal determinant of funding. There are, however, significant differences in the approaches to the funding of backup services such as for secretarial and caretaking services. This Government...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The staffing of this school for the 2005-06 school year was considered by the appeals board on 21 July 2005. The board, having considered the appeal with regard to the criteria outlined in Department circular 19/02, was satisfied that a departure from the staffing schedule is not warranted in this case. The board of management of the school was notified in writing of the decision of the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: An application for additional accommodation has been received from the management authority of the school referred to by the Deputy. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria which were revised last year following consultation with the education partners. The project is being considered for progression in the context of the schools building and...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: At present there are two vacancies for deaf teachers within the regional service, both of which are in the Dublin area. The two positions became vacant on 31 August 2005 due to retirements. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that interviews are due to be held on 28 September 2005 to select suitable candidates to fill the vacancies. My Department intends to fill the vacancies as quickly as...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria which was revised last year following consultation with the education partners. The proposed project, including the acquisition of a site, is being considered for progression in the context of the school building and modernisation programme 2005-09.

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under the rules and programme for secondary schools, second level schools should offer a physical education programme based on an approved syllabus with teaching hours registered on the school timetable. The phasing in of a revised syllabus at junior cycle level for physical education (non-examination) commenced in September 2003. The syllabuses in physical education have been developed on...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, the local special educational needs organiser, SENO, has sanctioned 3.5 individual resource teaching hours for the pupil in question and the school authorities were notified accordingly on 22 June 2005. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, will undertake to review the relevant decision on resource teaching supports on foot of a request from the school or...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Significant improvements have been made in the pupil-teacher ratio and in average class size in recent years. The average class size at primary level for the 2004-05 school year was 23.9, down from 26.6 in 1996-97. The pupil-teacher ratio, which includes all the teachers, including resource teachers, has fallen from 22.2:1 in the 1996-97 school year to 17.1:1 — projected — in 2004-05....

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (28 Sep 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The planned decentralisation of part of my Department to Athlone will be undertaken by extending the existing building at Cornamaddy, Athlone to accommodate in excess of 100 additional staff. At this early stage, it is not possible to give an exact timetable because there are issues yet to be dealt with, such as planning permission, which are outside the control of my Department. However,...