Results 5,521-5,540 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Major improvements in school staffing have been made in recent years with the hiring of more than 5,000 additional primary teachers. This represents the largest increase in teacher numbers since the expansion of free education. In 1996-97, the average class size in our primary schools was 27. It is now 24. In 1996-97, there was one teacher for every 22 children in our primary schools. Today,...

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The rules for national schools were last published in 1965. Amendments, which have been made in the meantime, have been notified to the relevant school authorities by circular letters issued by my Department. My Department has been considering the matter of preparing a revised version of the rules. However, because of other more pressing and urgent work which requires to be undertaken, it has...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is currently engaged in the roll out of broadband Internet connectivity to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. This project is being undertaken in partnership with industry, following the establishment of a three-year €18 million joint Government-IBEC-TIF, Telecommunications and Internet Federation, fund. The broadband connectivity is...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is committed to funding the provision of physical education, general purpose and outdoor play areas in schools as part of the school building and modernisation programme. This is being addressed in the context of available resources and the published criteria for prioritising school building projects. The provision of physical education halls at post-primary level is considered...

Written Answers — Teacher Training: Teacher Training (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Higher Education Authority allocates core recurrent grants to the universities and designated institutions as block grants which are allocated internally as between the various academic and other departments at the discretion of the universities and institutions. The average unit cost of an undergraduate physical education student for the year 2005-06 is approximately €9,012 per annum.

Written Answers — Commercial Marketing in Schools: Commercial Marketing in Schools (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, commercial marketing in schools can take a variety of forms, from educational materials made available to schools by newspapers to companies offering schemes whereby products are given to the school on the basis of tokens collected by parents. It is at the discretion of management in individual schools to decide what commercial initiatives it wants its school to...

Written Answers — School Evaluations: School Evaluations (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, the regulations and guidelines concerning publication of inspection reports, which I published in late January 2006, provide that inspection reports arising from whole-school evaluation, subject inspections, programme evaluations and thematic inspections commenced on or after 6 February 2006 will be published. All of these inspections evaluate, as appropriate, the...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A key element of delivering equality of opportunity in schools, DEIS, the new action plan for educational inclusion, is the putting in place of a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage in our primary and second level schools for the purposes of qualifying for resources, both human and financial, according to the degree of disadvantaged experienced. This standardised system...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 264 together. The school building programme is structured around a number of component elements or sub-programmes. These include large scale building projects, various devolved minor works initiatives, site acquisitions, remediation programmes, provision of temporary accommodation and the small schools initiative. Data within my Department are recorded...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy has made an application for a new school building. As part of the assessment of this application, officials in the school planning section are carrying out an overall review of all-Irish provision at primary level in the area concerned. This review will take into account current and future demographics, planned housing developments and the likely demand...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An application for additional accommodation has been received from the school to which the Deputy refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and progress on the project will be considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme from 2006 onwards.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. The school in question was listed in my announcement of April 2005 as a project to progress through architectural planning up to pre-tender stage, that is, up to and including advanced architectural planning. The school is currently at stage three, developed sketch scheme, of...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Following the Deputy's previous parliamentary question, information on the course in question and the funding provided to candidates while they are at sea as part of this course was sought. This information has been received and is currently under consideration within my Department. A response will be furnished directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is committed to funding the provision of physical education, general purpose and outdoor play areas in schools as part of the school building and modernisation programme. This is being addressed in the context of available resources and the published criteria for prioritising school building projects. The provision of PE halls at post-primary level is considered an integral part...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, the primary curriculum was revised in 1999 and is being implemented on a phased basis. I have no intention of introducing further curriculum change at primary level until the new curriculum is well bedded down. However, I am aware that some second level schools offer sign language courses to their students, particularly as part of the leaving certificate applied...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The modern Irish history sections of the current history syllabi provide for the study of the origins and development of republicanism. For example, in their study of the revolutions of the late 18th century, junior certificate students learn about the United Irishmen, Wolfe Tone and 1798. Later, they follow Irish history through the 20th century. Similarly, the revised leaving certificate...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The State has traditionally paid the salaries of teachers in fee paying schools for a number of reasons. Considerations of State support for minority religions have been important, given that much of the fee paying sector has traditionally been made up of Protestant schools and those with a minority religious ethos. Practical considerations are also important. For example, if fee paying...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Assessment for both the junior and leaving certificates is currently conducted by the State Examinations Commission in a variety of ways. While all subjects are assessed by means of a terminal written examination, the use of additional modes of assessment which are completed in advance of the June examinations is increasing. For example, the revised junior certificate science syllabus which...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Expenditure on education has increased dramatically in recent years. The budget for my Department has more than doubled from €2.9 billion in 1997 to €7.5 billion being provided in the 2006 Estimates. Voted expenditure this year will be 9%, or €570 million, higher than last year. This enormous increase in investment is clear evidence of how much this Government believes in education, not...

Written Answers — Education Policy: Education Policy (15 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The State is obliged under Article 42.4 of the Constitution to provide for free primary education. Accordingly, there can be no levy on parents of children attending a school, nor can any child be refused admission because of the non-payment of a voluntary contribution by his or her parents. It is a fundamental principle of the free second level education scheme that no charge be made in...