Results 6,661-6,680 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion. (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I later indicated that I was not going to share time and it was agreed.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion. (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: What I had to say was so valuable that Deputy Peter Power agreed to make his contribution tomorrow.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion. (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I recognise that these more than 800 language support teachers are only one part of the equation. Having met principals in the schools which have such large numbers of international children, I recognise that further help is required, particularly with the parents of these children with regard to issues such as cultural differences. These families may not have English, which could put...

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion. (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy is referring to the developing schools criteria.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Motion. (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The rules are being changed for developing schools.

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: All primary and post primary schools in County Kildare have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) that is administered by NEPS and full details of which are available on my Department's website. In addition, NEPS provides a service to every...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy originally applied for an extension and refurbishment to provide for improved ancillary accommodation only and the application did not include proposals for additional mainstream classrooms. Given the then falling rates of enrolment at the school and having regard to competing demands on the building programme the application was at that time afforded a...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Drug prevention education is implemented as part of the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curricula in primary and post-primary schools. The SPHE curriculum is mandatory in all primary schools and post-primary schools up to Junior Certificate Level in which substance use is one of 10 modules taught. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) SPHE course committee is...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: School Planning Section has been apprised of the situation, by the school management authorities of the school referred to by the Deputy. My officials have been informed that the school accepts enrolments from parents in the first three weeks of March each year. The school authority is currently carrying out a comprehensive survey in its area to determine the actual shortfall in Junior Infant...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that my officials recently issued a letter to the parent in question in response to the issues raised in the correspondence referred to by the Deputy. The general allocation system is intended to cater for children with high incidence special educational needs and learning support needs. I am advised that the pupil in question is diagnosed with a high incidence disability and is...

Written Answers — Educational Projects: Educational Projects (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The new DEIS programme is designed to ensure that schools serving the most disadvantaged communities benefit from the maximum level of support available. Over the years, no less than 8 separate schemes for disadvantaged primary schools have been put in place. Some schools were benefiting from just one or two of these and others were benefiting from more. The DEIS initiative is designed to...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The process of assessing the need for new or additional educational facilities at primary or post-primary level in any given area entails consideration of all relevant factors, including enrolment and demographic trends, housing developments and the capacity of existing schools to meet the demand for places. Liaison with existing schools is an important part of the process also, as the school...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy Principal is required to assist the Principal teacher in the day-to-day organisation and supervision of the school. Section 15 of the Education Act, 1998 outlines the role and responsibility of boards of management of national schools. It states "It shall be the duty of a Board to manage the school on behalf of the patron and for the benefit of the students and their parents and to...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department provides funding towards the cost of caretaking services in primary schools under two separate schemes. One is the 1978/79 scheme under which my Department meets the full cost of salary. These staff members are paid directly through my Department's payroll. The 1978/79 scheme is being phased out as posts become vacant and no new posts are being created. The 1978/79 scheme has...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I recently announced the appointment of Mr. John Fitzgerald, City Manager, Dublin City Council as Chairman of the Grangegorman Development Agency and I am now actively considering the other appointments to the Agency. The Deputy will be interested to know that Section 22 of the Grangegorman Development Agency Act 2005 provides for the establishment, by the Agency, of a consultative group that...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An initial application for additional accommodation, to include a number of specialist rooms, an administration area, a General Purpose/ Dining area and servery, storage areas and a PE Hall, was received from the management authority of the school referred to by the Deputy. Subsequently the school submitted an application for funding towards the provision of six small rooms in temporary...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding towards the provision of an extension to provide ancillary accommodation has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. The project has been assessed in accordance with the prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects. The project is being considered in the context of the School Building and Modernisation Programme 2006-2010.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (16 May 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. Today there is one teacher for every 17 children, the lowest pupil teacher ratio in the history of the State. Aside from decreasing average class size, the...

Written Answers — School Patronage: School Patronage (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Section 8 of the Education Act 1998 set out the basis for the patronage of schools. It is already the case that I, as Minister for Education and Science, am patron of Model Schools in the primary sector. In the post-primary sector, the Minister for Education and Science, and the State, through the Vocational Education Committees, is involved in the patronage of schools in the voluntary,...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (16 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 475 and 476 together. The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in the format in which it has been sought. If the Deputy is interested in obtaining details of temporary accommodation at any specific school, I will be glad to assist him on receipt of the name and address of the school. With regard to the area as a whole, I am conscious...