Results 801-820 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Education Consultation Process: Education Consultation Process (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The consultation phase of the YES process is drawing to a close. Details of what has taken place to date can be found on the website, www.youreducation.ie. Items posted on the website include reports on meetings held, comments submitted by the general public, some longer papers submitted by various organisations and individuals, in addition to a report on the attitudinal survey. When the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Every effort is made to ensure that children with special educational needs, receive an education appropriate to their needs. Decisions regarding the most appropriate model of response in each particular case are based on the professionally-assessed needs of the individual child. Children who have been assessed as having special educational needs have access to a range of special support...

Written Answers — Racism in Schools: Racism in Schools (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department's approach to the increasing diversity of Irish society, as reflected in the school population, has been, and continues to be, an intercultural approach, promoting mutual respect, dialogue and collaboration within the whole school community, and promoting anti-racism as an integral part of this approach. The new curricula at primary and post-primary levels provide ample...

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

Mary Hanafin: I recently announced details of 122 major school building projects that will progress to tender and construction over the next 12 to 15 months. My Department's building unit arranged a general information meeting for these schools to guide them through the process involved in moving projects to tender and construction. The meetings took place on 31 January and 1 February in Tullamore and all...

Written Answers — Third Level Sector: Third Level Sector (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I am currently considering a number of mechanisms to support the process of reform in the higher education system as identified as a priority in the OECD report on the future of third level education in Ireland and in that context, I am examining the way to meet this challenging agenda. I am now initiating an extensive consultative process with stakeholders affected by the report with a view...

Written Answers — Third Level Sector: Third Level Sector (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 80 together. The OECD review on the future of higher education in Ireland makes far reaching recommendations for reform and development of the sector. The extensive consultation undertaken by the OECD team with all the key stakeholders in the sector, and its own undoubted expertise, lend considerable weight to these recommendations. It is important to...

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

Mary Hanafin: The report referred to relates to the second cycle of the OECD programme for international student assessment, PISA 2003, which was administered in 30 OECD member countries, including Ireland, and in 11 non-OECD, partner, countries in spring-autumn 2003. In Ireland, 3880 15 year olds in 145 post-primary schools participated in PISA 2003. Tests in one major assessment domain, mathematics, and...

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Officials from my Department are participating in a working group established by the Department of Social and Family Affairs to carry out an expenditure review of the back to education allowance scheme. I am advised that the review will be concluded later this year.

Written Answers — Departmental Policy: Departmental Policy (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I welcome the fourth periodic report of the National Economic and Social Forum and the valuable work that has been undertaken in recent years. I fully support the forum's emphasis on the necessity of joined-up and integrated approaches to policy-making and implementation, focusing on policy outcomes and providing a stronger voice for local communities and marginalised groups. These are issues...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The teacher induction pilot project, which commenced in September 2002, has been developed by my Department in conjunction with the standing committee of teacher unions and university education departments. The general aim of the project is to develop proposals for an effective programme of induction for newly qualified teachers at primary and post-primary levels tailored to their particular...

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

Mary Hanafin: My Department is aware of findings of the recent INTO survey to which the Deputy refers. The findings are broadly similar to the data which the National Educational Welfare Board compiled from the returns made to it by schools for the 2003-04 school year. This was the first occasion on which comprehensive national data were assembled from schools relating to school attendance. The Education...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, expressed concern in its 1999 report on its review of the junior cycle that the curriculum was overloaded and that there was repetition of topics in some subjects. In response, it set out to review the content of junior cycle syllabuses with the aim of re-balancing the curriculum so as to ensure that there was enough time to allow for...

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

Mary Hanafin: My Department is not aware of the number of qualified primary teachers that have failed to obtain employment. The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill vacancies in an individual school is a matter for the board of management of the school concerned. Boards of management must make every effort, including advertising in a national newspaper, to obtain the services of a qualified...

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

Mary Hanafin: The total capital allocation for the primary sector in 2004 amounted to €201 million. The primary sector capital expenditure in 2004 resulted in an outturn of €171 million. The balance of €30 million has been carried forward to 2005 to cover the costs of projects that failed to advance sufficiently in 2004 to incur expected expenditure in that year. A key element of the capital...

Written Answers — Educational Projects Funding: Educational Projects Funding (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department provides grants to vocational education committees on an annual basis to support the provision of education in community settings, whether by way of direct grants to such groups or by the provision of an outreach service to meet locally identified needs. In addition, community based education groups are eligible to apply for funding on an annual basis under the community strand...

Written Answers — Third Level Places: Third Level Places (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Admissions policy is a matter for each third level institution, having regard to the principles of equity and equality of access. I understand that the arrangements to which the Deputy refers have been put in place by Trinity College on a transitional basis to facilitate equity of access for all students, following the recent UCAS-leaving certificate benchmarking study, which resulted in...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The roofs of the schools referred to by the Deputy will be replaced as one composite large scale project in the interest of achieving the optimum solution. The Office of Public Works, which manages the asbestos remediation programme on behalf of my Department, has been requested to make the necessary arrangements to have the works carried out.

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Significant improvements have been made in the pupil teacher ratio at both primary and post-primary level in recent years. At primary level, the ratio has fallen from 22.2:1 in the 1996-97 school year to 17.44:1 in the 2003-04 school year. Arising from these improvements, class sizes have reduced in the same period. The overall maximum class size in primary schools by reference to the...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (3 Feb 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school to which the Deputy refers has submitted an application for grant aid under the summer works scheme 2005, SWS, for roof repairs and mechanical works. All SWS applications are currently being assessed in the school planning section of my Department. I intend to publish the list of successful applicants shortly.

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

Mary Hanafin: I recently announced details of 122 major school building projects that will progress to tender and construction over the next 12 to 15 months. My Department's building unit has been in contact with these schools and arranged a general information meeting to guide them through the process involved in moving projects to tender and construction. The meetings took place on 31 January and 1...