Results 18,901-18,920 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (19 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department administers the post-primary pupils database which records certain information concerning individual pupils at second level. However, no information concerning the welfare dependence or otherwise of a pupil's family is sought or recorded on that database. Accordingly, the information requested by the Deputy is not available to my Department.

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (19 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The estimated cost of the Breaking the Cycle programme for 2005 is €4.6 million. The new policy framework for tackling educational disadvantage, which I will publish shortly, will create a new standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and put in place a new integrated programme of supports to bring together and build upon existing policy interventions and initiatives for...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (19 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Approximately €600 million is being provided by my Department in 2005 for measures specifically designed to address educational disadvantage. My Department's approach in this area is based on a continuum of provision from early childhood through adulthood with a focus on preventative strategies, targeting and integrated community responses.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (19 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school to which the Deputy refers received funding under the 2005 summer works scheme to upgrade science laboratories. It is open to the management authority to apply for further funding under the 2006 summer works scheme when it is announced later this year.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (19 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: It would appear from a number of enquiries that a significant percentage of children with Down's syndrome have been assessed as having a mild general learning disability which comes under the high incidence disability category. Under the transfer of functions protocols, the National Council for Special Education is processing applications for resource teaching support from primary schools in...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (19 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule agreed between my Department and the education partners. The system for allocating teachers to primary schools is based on ensuring an overall maximum class of 29 in each school. Where some classes in a school have class sizes of...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (19 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department together with the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources is engaged in a joint initiative with the IBEC-Telecommunications and Internet Federation to provide broadband connectivity to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. The IBEC-Telecommunications and Internet Federation has committed funding of approximately €15 million for a three-year period...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (19 Apr 2005)

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 a total of 1,680 places in Early Start centres and the provision involved for 2005 is €4.9 million. I will shortly publish a new policy framework to tackle disadvantage in education which will put in place a...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (19 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Physical education is one of the seven primary education curriculum areas and plans are in place to implement a new syllabus in September 2005. A programme of in-service training for all primary school teachers will take place during the current school year. In October 2000, my Department introduced a physical education grant for all primary schools. In excess of €5.5 million in grant aid...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (19 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Where a pupil with special educational needs enrols in a post-primary school, it is open to the school to apply for additional teaching support and-or special needs assistant support for the pupil. My Department allocates additional teaching support and special needs assistant support to second level schools and vocational education committees to cater for pupils with special educational...

Written Answers — Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education (19 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: It is not feasible to transpose one model of child care into another jurisdiction without taking cognisance of a wide range of socio-economic and other structural factors and therefore it is not realistic or indeed possible in a short timespan to make an estimate of the cost to the Irish Exchequer of establishing the Swedish model of child care provision in Ireland. Among the factors which...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (19 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: With effect from 1 January 2005, the National Council for Special Education is responsible for meeting the special educational needs of children with disabilities. Since that date, the council has been resourcing schools to meet such needs on receipt of applications in respect of individual children. Therefore, it is open to a school that wishes to seek a special needs assistant for a...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (19 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The provision of speech and language therapies is a matter for my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (19 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has recently sanctioned a special needs assistant post to the special class in question. All allocations are made on a temporary basis and subject to review in light of the pupils' emerging needs.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Tenders for the project to which the Deputy refers were not agreed and therefore no contract was placed. The original plan was to locate this project on a greenfield site. Since then other options are being considered. When a decision is made on the most appropriate delivery method for this project will inform the parties concerned.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The project at the school to which the Deputy refers has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria, which was revised following consultation with the education partners. The proposed project at the school referred to, will be progressed in the context of the school building and modernisation programme 2005-09.

Written Answers — Languages Programme: Languages Programme (14 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Advisory Council for English Language Schools, ACELS, operates under the aegis of my Department to control quality standards in English language schools through an inspection-recognition scheme. ACELS administers the scheme which leads to school recognition by my Department. Recognition of schools arises from their satisfying certain minimum standards in relation to premises, learning and...

Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (14 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Following an announcement in budget 2002 of an allocation of €7 million to DCU for the construction of a swimming pool, my Department has provided funding for this project through the Higher Education Authority. I am not aware of any other public funds being allocated to this project.

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (14 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The extension and refurbishment project at the school to which the Deputy refers has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria, which was revised following consultation with the education partners. The proposed project at the school referred to will be considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme 2005-2009.

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (14 Apr 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department's policy in regard to the retention of pupils in primary schools is set out in Primary Circular 32/03 which issued to all primary schools in December 2003. Under my Department's policy, pupils should only repeat a year for educational reasons and under no circumstances should an additional grade level, middle infants or a repeat sixth class, operate through the retention of all...