Results 9,821-9,840 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Yes. The school cannot kick it into touch. The Bill provides that the appeals committee can draw inferences from the school failing to comply with the requirement to give information, limiting the capacity of the school to defer decisions on enrolments. Deputy O'Sullivan asked about expelling a student. The educational welfare officer must be notified before a student is expelled and a...

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: It is the reality. If one offers subject choices at second level, some classes will be small.

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: A student I met told me that there are 28 people in her English class. When I asked her about another of her subjects, she told me that there were two people in her Spanish class. When one tries to get the best use out of one's teachers and offers different subjects, some classes will be larger than others.

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: There is a teacher for every 13 students, including important posts such as guidance teachers, the number of which we have increased in the past two years——

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: ——and resource teachers. As there is such variety in second level schools, it is important for a school's management to ensure that the mix of subjects and the distribution of teachers suits the school's situation. If schools have questions on this matter or on how it is being implemented locally, they can raise them with the behaviour support service to determine whether the matter is...

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: They will improve a school's environment. Deputies cannot tell me that a leaking roof will not have an effect.

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Some of the 1,500 projects are large while some are small. The face of the situation has been transformed. Undoubtedly, a number of buildings remain to be dealt with.

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Of course.

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: When there are 4,000 schools, it is an achievement. Tomorrow, I will visit a school that has 13 students and two teachers.

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: For which reason we are building a new school in Gorey.

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The priority must be to provide educational facilities. If anyone wants to tell me to spend money on playgrounds instead of classrooms, new schools or science labs——

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: We cannot do it all.

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: No. Children should be allowed to run around, but they do not need to go on break together. A little local management should be used to send classes out one at a time. They do not all need to run around in playgrounds that are too small for them.

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: That is right. That children spend 20% of their waking hours in school per year is wonderful. Deputy English is right in that we cannot expect schools to do everything. One must look to communities and parents because we cannot expect teachers to do everything or schools to answer every problem. We want to provide quality education for all students. When the task force was launched, I...

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: They have been targeted at the disadvantaged and those with special needs. No one suggests that they be targeted elsewhere. Having addressed those issues, which will continue to be priorities, class sizes will be reduced this year. Deputy Connaughton commented on the important work of Youth Work. I will give credit to the former Minister of State, Deputy de Valera, who provided...

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Referral to Select Committee (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Education and Science, in accordance with Standing Order 120(1) and paragraph 1(a)(i) of the Orders of Reference of that committee.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 157 to 159, inclusive, together. The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. The demand for additional accommodation in schools has risen significantly over the last number of years mainly due to the rapid expansion in teacher numbers particularly in the area of special needs, the growth in the school-going population in rapidly...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department funds four maintenance grant schemes for third level and further education students. These are the Higher Education Grants (HEG) Scheme, the Vocational Education Committees' (VEC) Scholarships Scheme, the Third Level Maintenance Grants Scheme for Trainees and the Maintenance Grants Scheme for Students attending Post Leaving Certificate Courses. The HEG Scheme is administered by...

Written Answers — In-service Training: In-service Training (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: When the establishment of an Ionad Náisiúnta Oideachais Gaeilge in Baile Bhuirne was announced in 1999 the intention was that it would function as a national centre of excellence to support the teaching of Irish and through Irish, and would engage with education institutions from pre-school to third level. When the project went to tender, the construction costs were deemed excessive and it...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (15 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy is administered by City of Waterford VEC. The terms and conditions of employment of teachers in the school are therefore a matter for the VEC, subject to agreed procedures.