Results 3,601-3,620 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Educational Integration: Educational Integration (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Department has been active for several years in promoting anti-racism and interculturalism in schools. A range of actions are in place to promote anti-racism and support the participation of minority groups and Travellers in education. These include: information for schools on the integration of asylum seekers and Travellers; additional resources for schools to support the needs of...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under my Department's school transport scheme the general rule is that where an amalgamation occurs, pupils residing in a closed school area may be deemed eligible for transport to the school of amalgamation only. My immediate priority is the enhancement of safety on school transport services, after which other issues, such as that raised by the Deputy, may be considered for review.

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department specifies the minimum academic requirements for entry to primary teacher training courses provided in the colleges of education. As part of these requirements, all candidates, including school leavers, mature students and university graduates, must have a minimum of a grade C in higher level in Irish in the leaving certificate or an approved equivalent. This requirement embodies...

Written Answers — Third Level Institutions: Third Level Institutions (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 38 together. The OECD review of Irish higher education makes a series of far-reaching recommendations for reform and development of the sector against the backdrop of Ireland seeking to become a leading knowledge-based society. The Government has approved the broad reform agenda outlined by the OECD and also the bringing forward of legislative proposals...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36, 89 and 104 together. The complement of psychologists in the NEPS has increased almost three-fold from 43 psychologists on establishment to 124 psychologists at present. All schools that do not currently have NEPS psychologists assigned to them may avail of the scheme for commissioning psychological assessments, SCPA, whereby the schools can commission...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Residential Institutions Redress Board is an independent body established under statute in December 2002 to provide financial redress to persons who, as children, were abused while resident in industrial schools, reformatories or other institutions that were subject to State regulation or inspection. Based on the latest information from the redress board, it is estimated that the total...

Written Answers — Garda Vetting Procedures: Garda Vetting Procedures (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Ensuring the protection, health and welfare of children is a key concern for the Government, parents and agencies that work with children and society generally and I assure the Deputy that the Government is determined to do all that it can to keep our children and vulnerable adults safe. While the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has primary responsibility for Garda vetting, I...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The framework for youth work in Ireland is provided by the Youth Work Act 2001 and the National Youth Work Development Plan 2003-2007. I recognise the importance of these two policy documents in the development of the youth work sector and the programmes and services. The allocation for the youth work sector in 2005 represents an 18% increase in funding over 2004 and brings financial...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, the new general allocation system is intended to cater for children with high incidence special needs and those with learning support needs. The system was constructed so that allocations would be based on pupil numbers, taking into account the differing needs of the most disadvantaged schools and the evidence that boys have greater difficulties than girls in this...

Written Answers — Multi-Denominational Schools: Multi-Denominational Schools (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The number of multi-denominational schools established here to date is 39. A list of multi-denominational and other denominational schools together with addresses and contact numbers is available on my Department's website www.education.ie.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As I indicated in my statement of 29 September 2005, it is my intention that the first bundle of schools under my Department's PPP programme will be offered to the market in the first half of 2006 and regularly thereafter in the period 2006-09 to ensure a steady deal flow. The precise make-up of the bundles in terms of the number of schools in each and the geographical spread will be...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: In 2005, in leaving certificate mathematics, some 12% or 4,413 students scored less than grade D at ordinary level, while at foundation level, 7.7% or 428 candidates scored less than grade D. In physics, chemistry and biology at ordinary level, the proportions scoring less than grade D were 11.4%, 12% and 18.5%, respectively. While these results are broadly in line with previous years, they...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 61 together. For the purposes of determining reckonable income for the student support schemes, all investments must be declared, including savings certificates, life assurance bonds and other financial instruments where the interest-profit is accumulated and paid out as a lump sum at the end of the investment period. The amount of income to be included...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the post-primary school transport scheme, a pupil is eligible for transport if she or he resides 4.8 kilometres or more from her or his local post-primary education centre, that is, the centre serving the catchment area in which she or he lives. In addition, an eligible pupil may be allowed the concession of transport, known as catchment boundary transport, to a centre...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47, 430 and 433 together. I have received a copy of the report mentioned by the Deputies. Since the raising of standards of Irish is a priority for my Department, matters relating to the teaching and assessment of the subject are reviewed on an ongoing basis. A range of measures have already been taken to improve the quality of learning in Irish. For primary...

Written Answers — School Meals: School Meals (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Department of Health and Children has published food and nutrition guidelines for schools. In addition, many of the Health Service Executive areas have health promotion programmes in place to assist schools in this regard. My Department supports the view that good nutrition is central to a child's educational development. Evidence from existing studies shows that there is a significant...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 88 together. The number of children currently being carried on school transport is 128,300. The numbers carried in the last five years are as follows: in 2000, 131,200; in 2001, 132,700; in 2002, 130,720; in 2003, 130,100; and in 2004, 129,400. The number of concessionary pupils currently being carried on school transport is 6,257. The numbers carried...

Written Answers — Coláistí Samhraidh: Coláistí Samhraidh (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Tá sé mar pholasaí ag an Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta tacaíocht ar leith a thabhairt do choláistí samhraidh atá lonnaithe sa Ghaeltacht agus i scoileanna cónaithe lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht. Tugtar an tacaíocht seo do na coláistí samhraidh ar an ábhar go gcabhraíonn siad le scoláirí ag an mbunleibhéal, iarbhunleibhéal agus ag an tríú leibhéal. Cuireann na coláistí...

Written Answers — Third Level Institutions: Third Level Institutions (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: In the State as a whole there are more than 20 publicly-funded higher education institutions, of which seven are universities and 14 are institutes of technology. In its review of Irish higher education published in 2004, the OECD observed that Irish third level institutions were relatively small by international standards and that this posed particular challenges in terms of achieving...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (11 Oct 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department makes a specific ex-quota allocation of teaching posts in respect of guidance to schools in the second level system. This allocation is based on the pupil enrolment in September of the preceding school year. As a result of my decision to allocate an additional 100 posts to guidance from September 2005 an enhanced guidance allocation provision was put in place for 2005-06 school...