Results 4,141-4,160 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Sexual Offences. (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Any information on the Dublin archdiocese will be provided to the commission and we are co-operating fully to ensure that any factual information we have will be handed over. While I am not aware of details, we will investigate fully anything the One in Four group highlights for us.

Sexual Offences. (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I have spoken to Marie Therese O'Loughlin and have indicated to her that unfortunately I am not in a position to add that mother and baby home to the Schedule because the State did not have any inspection role in that home at that time. It therefore cannot be included. Obviously she is very upset over this matter. I did not want her to suffer any further in anticipation that something could...

Sexual Offences. (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy gave the reasons we cannot hand over that documentation. Normally documentation would be supplied after 30 years. However, because it is in use by the redress board we cannot hand it over. As soon as the board's work is complete we will be happy to ensure that information is made available.

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 164 together. Catchment boundaries have their origins in the establishment of free post-primary education in the late 1960s and were determined following consultation with local educational interests. For planning purposes the country was divided into geographic districts each with several primary schools feeding into a post-primary centre with one or...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The question of introducing a road safety and driver education syllabus into schools has been examined by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, on foot of a report from a task group set up in 2000 and which included representatives of the Departments of Education and Science and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the National Safety Council, the Garda...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The financial allocation in the main funding line for the youth work sector in 2005 represents an 18% increase in funding over 2004 and brings that financial provision to €33.889 million in 2005. This is clear evidence of the Government's commitment to the youth work sector in Ireland. This additional funding is catering for a number of developments under the Youth Work Act 2001 and the...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119, 122, 129, 153 and 198 together. As the Deputy is aware, the Residential Institutions Redress Act provides that the Minister may, by order, include in the Schedule to the Act any industrial school, reformatory school, orphanage, children's home, special school which was established for the purpose of providing education services to children with a physical...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: DEIS, delivering equality of opportunity in schools, the new action plan for educational inclusion, which I launched last May, aims to ensure that the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities are prioritised and effectively addressed. The plan provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated school support...

Written Answers — Medical Education: Medical Education (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy may be aware, a working group on undergraduate medical education and training recently completed a review of the organisation and delivery of medical training and education in Ireland. I am considering the broad range of recommendations made by the working group in consultation with my colleague, the Tanáiste and Minister for Health and Children. We will bring proposals to...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 123, 127, 130 and 165 together. I am aware that some second level schools do not appear to be doing as much as they could to ensure that students with special needs are as welcome in those schools as students without special needs. I expressed my belief in this regard at the recent annual conference of the National Association of Principals and Deputy...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I have considered the case referred to by the Deputy. The key consideration in this matter is that the present arrangement obtaining in this case is contrary to the provisions of the post-primary school transport scheme and is, therefore, being phased out. The Deputy will appreciate that the scheme is intended to be of general application throughout the country and any departure from its...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 148 together. 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. The most recent figures available...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled by officials of my Department for the 2004-05 school year and will be forwarded to him as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There is no doubt that given the increasing number of children with special needs now availing of the opportunity of a mainstream second level education, there is a need to ensure sufficient training supports are in place to enable teachers to provide them with the best service possible. To this end, my Department has put in place a strategy to meet the needs of teachers working with pupils...

Written Answers — School Evaluation: School Evaluation (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I have decided to provide more information, for parents in particular, about our schools in a way that ensures a fair and comprehensive picture of all the different activities in a school. As I have said on many occasions, I am strongly opposed to the publication of crude league tables based solely on examination or test results. Such tables provide an unbalanced and grossly limited...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 677 together. The Government commitment to reduce class size in junior classes clearly accepts the benefits of class size reductions for younger pupils. The international research shows that reduced class size can produce improved attainment in particular for minority-disadvantaged groups. It also shows that the reduction in class size must be...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 569 together. The Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 provides a statutory scheme of financial redress for persons who, as children, were abused while in residential institutional care. The scheme applies in respect of institutions specified in the Schedule to the Act. Section 4 of the Act provides that the Minister for Education and Science may,...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (8 Nov 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 secured a minimum of a grade C in higher level Irish in the leaving certificate, or an approved equivalent. This requirement...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Teacher allocations for second level schools are approved by my Department on an annual basis in accordance with generally applied rules relating to recognised pupil enrolment. In general a ratio of 18:1 is applied in respect of recognised pupils on established junior certificate, leaving certificate, repeat leaving certificate and transition year programmes and a ratio of 16:1 is applied in...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (8 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 136, 139, 566, 610, 619, 626, 635 and 703 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...