Results 4,081-4,100 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has implemented a rolling review, evaluation process and monitoring of the operation phase of the school bundle public private partnership project. This process takes the form of regular meetings with the school principals, both as a group and individually, regular meetings with Jarvis personnel and detailed reviews of the monthly reports for each school provided by Jarvis as...

Written Answers — Garda Vetting Procedures: Garda Vetting Procedures (2 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Ensuring the protection, health and welfare of children is a key concern for the Government, parents, agencies that work with children and society generally and I can assure the Deputy that the Government is determined to do all it can to keep our children and vulnerable adults safe. In the education sector, vetting is available in respect of prospective employees of children in detention...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (2 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: A national curriculum in social, personal and health education, SPHE, incorporating relationships and sexuality education, has been developed at junior cycle level and been made mandatory for all schools with effect from September 2003. All schools are required to have an agreed school policy and a suitable relationships and sexuality education programme in place for senior cycle pupils....

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (2 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The issue of child protection and ensuring that all children in every primary school are aware of child protection issues are high priority areas for my Department. The Stay Safe programme is a personal safety programme for children. It is designed to give children the knowledge and necessary skills to help them deal with potentially abusive or threatening situations. However, it is also...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (3 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 258 and 278 together. The allocation for the youth work sector in 2005 represents an 18% increase in funding over 2004 and brings financial provision for the sector to €33.889 million in 2005. This additional funding allows for a number of developments under the Youth Work Act 2001 and the national youth work development plan and for enhancements to existing...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (3 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 259, 261 and 266 together. The mainstream teacher allocation of all primary schools, including one-teacher schools, is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. The staffing schedule is outlined in a circular which is issued annually to all primary schools. In addition, such schools may be eligible for...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (3 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under my Department's free fees initiative the Exchequer meets the tuition fees of eligible students who attend approved third level courses in the State. No plans exist to extend this initiative to cover third level institutions in Northern Ireland or the UK. My Department's higher education grant scheme and the Vocational Education Committee's scholarship scheme provide that where a...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (3 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: A total of 301.5 whole time equivalent, WTE, Dublin based posts in my Department are scheduled to relocate to Mullingar under the decentralisation programme. The indicative date for the provision of accommodation in Mullingar given in the November 2004 report of the decentralisation implementation group is the second quarter of 2008. The Office of Public Works has been given the task of...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (3 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware enormous progress has been made over the past number of years in increasing the numbers of staff in our schools who are specifically dedicated to supporting the education of children with special educational needs. To date, 1,023 whole time equivalent special needs assistants, SNAs, are in our second level schools. This compares to approximately 292 whole time...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (3 Nov 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 — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (3 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The issue of child protection and ensuring that all children in every primary school are aware of child protection issues are high priority areas for my Department. The stay safe programme is a personal safety programme for children. It is designed to give children the knowledge and necessary skills to help them deal with potentially abusive or threatening situations. However, it is also...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (3 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: All recognised primary and post-primary schools are required to offer relationships and sexuality education, RSE. It is an integral part of the social, personal and health education, SPHE, curriculum at primary level and at junior cycle post-primary level. In addition, all schools are required to have an agreed school policy and a suitable relationships and sexuality education programme in...

Written Answers — Child Protection Policy: Child Protection Policy (3 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Child protection guidelines for primary and post-primary schools, which were distributed to primary and post-primary schools in 2001 and 2004 respectively, were produced in consultation with the partners in education to meet the needs for schools to have in place clear procedures which teachers and other school staff should follow where they suspect, or are alerted to, possible child abuse....

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (3 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There are six staff working in the NEPS office in Mullingar. The grades of the staff are as follows: one regional director; one senior psychologist; three psychologists; and one clerical officer. Psychologists based in the NEPS office in Mullingar are responsible for providing a service to schools in counties Westmeath, Longford, Laois and Offaly. In addition to the above, there are two...

Written Answers — School Absenteeism: School Absenteeism (3 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 270 and 271 together. The Education (Welfare) Act 2000 established the National Educational Welfare Board as the single national body with responsibility for school attendance. The Act provides a comprehensive framework promoting regular school attendance and tackling the problems of absenteeism and early school leaving. The general functions of the board are...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (3 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: At the start of the 2001-02 school year the National Safety Council, with assistance from my Department, distributed copies of Staying Alive — a road safety resource for transition year and the senior cycle — to all second level schools. This pack contained a wide range of learning opportunities and activities on topics such as personal responsibility and decision-making, environmental...

Written Answers — Scéimeanna Fostaíochta Pobail: Scéimeanna Fostaíochta Pobail (3 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Níl aon phlean glacadh le cúntóirí ó scéimeanna fostaíochta pobail sna cásanna seo.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The project to which the Deputy refers is phased. Phase 1, the construction of the new school building, is well under way and is due for completion at the end of the year. Phase 2, the demolition of the existing school building, will be carried out immediately after. Phase 3 will follow and this will consist of the construction of the PE hall and ancillary accommodation, completion of...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (3 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport service on behalf of my Department, plans bus routes in such a way as to ensure that, as far as possible, eligible pupils have a reasonable standard of service, while at the same time ensuring that school transport vehicles are fully utilised in a safe, efficient and cost-effective manner. While the bus in question has passed its annual...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is in receipt of an application for an extension at the school to which the Deputy refers. The long-term accommodation needs of the school are under review and further information is awaited from its authority to finalise this matter. Progress on the proposed works will be considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme from 2006 onwards. The school...