Results 8,981-9,000 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Medical Education: Medical Education (29 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 245 and 246 together. On the 1 February 2006 the Minister for Health and Children and I published the report of the Fottrell Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training. As part of these reforms I am increasing the annual number of undergraduate places for Irish and EU students from 305 to 485. I am also introducing a separate graduate entry...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (29 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Information in relation to class sizes is provided in the annual census of primary schools. The reference date for the provision by schools of this information is the 30th September of the school year in question and the date for return by the schools is 31 October. Consequently, the details for the current school year (2006/2007) are not yet available. As the Deputy will be aware, there are...

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (29 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: According to information recently received by my Department, there is currently a fully functioning board of management in existence at the school referred to by the Deputy. With regard to the future of the school, current enrolment at the school stands at three pupils. In March 2005, the patron, chairperson and principal were notified by my Department that recognition would be withdrawn...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (29 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I understand that the data requested has now been prepared within my Department and will issue to the Deputy in the next few days.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 251 together. New schools operate with provisional recognition from the Department. During the period of provisional recognition, it is the responsibility of the school patron to provide interim accommodation. This accommodation must be capable of fully meeting the needs of the developing school until permanent recognition has been secured and the...

Written Answers — School Insurance: School Insurance (29 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Significant improvements in the levels of direct funding to second level schools have been made in recent years. The funding arrangements made by my Department for second level schools reflect the sectoral division of our second level system. At the core of all arrangements is a reliance upon capitation as the principle determinant of funding. There are however significant differences in the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (29 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My recent announcement referred to by the Deputy introduced a range of new measures to improve the capacity of schools to cater for the educational needs of all their pupils and will assist their principals in their work. Some principals have particularly heavy workloads arising from the size of their school. Others carry additional duties arising from the fact that in addition to their...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (29 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Department is acutely aware of the situation in the school referred to by the Deputy and the need for a permanent solution to its long term accommodation needs. It is in discussion with the Local Authority regarding issues on access to a proposed site. When these issues have been resolved, I will be in a position to provide details on the proposed site.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department's support package for the July Education Programme is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism who choose to extend their education services through the month of July. The Department also provides for a July Programme for pupils with a severe/profound general learning disability. The package includes...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (30 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching vacancies that arise in the Vocational Education Committee (VEC) sector is a matter for the relevant VEC.

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (30 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, this Government has shown an unrivalled commitment to ensuring that children and young people with special needs get the extra support they need in order to reach their full potential at school. We have dramatically expanded investment in special education in recent years and we have improved access to the state examinations for young people with special needs. A...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (30 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the staffing schedule for primary schools is structured to ensure that all primary schools will operate to an average mainstream class size of 28 pupils. Posts allocated on the basis of this schedule are specifically for mainstream classes and should be deployed accordingly. School authorities are requested to ensure that the number of pupils in any class is kept...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 to 156, inclusive, and 166 together. My Department's preferred approach to the provision of appropriate education for children with autism, is through the primary and post primary school network, whether through placement in mainstream classes, in special classes or in special schools, a view that is supported by the findings of the Task Force Report on...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (30 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Special Education Support Service (SESS), which was established in September 2003. This service consolidates, co-ordinates, develops and delivers a range of professional development initiatives and support structures for school personnel working with students with special educational needs in a variety of educational settings. These settings include mainstream primary and post-primary...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (30 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The ICT in Schools Programme commenced in 1998 following the publication of Schools IT2000. The objective of the Programme is to ensure that all students have the opportunity to achieve computer literacy and to acquire the necessary skills for participation in the Information Society. By the end of last year, over €170m was invested in the Programme since its commencement including some...

Written Answers — Primary School Statistics: Primary School Statistics (30 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department and would take an inordinate amount of administrative time to compile.

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (30 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I can assure the Deputy that my Department fully recognises the crucial role of physical exercise within the school environment and continues to respond to the need to improve sporting facilities and in particular, indoor facilities. This Government is determined to ensure that every child is educated in a suitable and comfortable environment. Since 1997, great advances have been made in...

Written Answers — School Discipline: School Discipline (30 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: In accordance with the Education Act, 1998, individual school authorities are responsible for the day-to-day running of schools. It is a matter for each school authority to establish rules on what is and is not acceptable for students and teachers to do while on the school premises, provided that those rules are lawful, fair and reasonable. The National Centre for Technology in Education, in...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (30 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I understand that a letter was received in my office from the person referred to by the Deputy regarding the format of the Leaving Certificate Examination. The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations, including organising the holding of examinations and issuing the results of examinations. The issues raised in...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Nov 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The school to which the Deputy refers has submitted an application for funding under the Small Schools Scheme 2007. Officials in my Department are assessing all applications received under this scheme and I will publish the list of successful applicants as soon as the assessment process is complete.