Results 12,101-12,120 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- School Accommodation. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The announcement earlier in the year was that if there was continuity of provision a school could be provided for Kinvara, if the school continued to take first year pupils for each of the next five years. I thank the Mercy Order for agreeing to take first year pupils this year, but there has been no agreement on the other years.
- School Accommodation. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: However there has been no agreement on the other years. The original intention on 16 May was that it would be for the next five years and this would allow for a continuity of provision. Any work before the summer related only to Kinvara, although we are aware of the population increases in other areas of south Galway, particularly around areas such as Ardrahan and Athenry. That is why...
- School Accommodation. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I made it clear that if the Mercy Order agreed to take first years each year for five years we would be able to allow continuity and that would give us the opportunity to have a school built by 2012. I again thank the Mercy Order for its co-operation in agreeing to take first years this year.
- School Accommodation. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Deputy is correct that the population has grown substantially in those areas. That is why we have done the study and will determine the correct location for it.
- School Accommodation. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: No, the decision stands. There will be a new post-primary school in the south Galway area.
- Sex Education. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: Relationships and sexuality education, RSE, is embedded in the social, personal and health education curriculum in primary schools and in the junior cycle. In the senior cycle, schools are also required to deliver an RSE programme. Sexual orientation and safe sex are not featured as part of the curriculum in primary schools, but the generic skills and values for respecting difference and...
- Sex Education. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: As soon as it is completed it will be distributed to all schools. I am not sure of the timescale, but it is sensitive work because the schools must be able to use it themselves, and some training will also be involved. There have already been workshops for the teachers, which we made available in regional areas. We have found that the younger teachers are more comfortable with it. I do...
- Sex Education. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I have just answered the Deputy twice. I do not have a date for its completion. As soon as it is completed, it will be circulated to all the schools.
- State Examinations. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: Entry fees for the 2008 leaving certificate examination have not yet been determined. I expect that a decision will be taken very shortly with a view to announcing the new fee levels before the end of the current school term. The standard leaving certificate examination fee that applied for the years 2002-07 are as follows: 2002, â¬73; 2003, â¬76; 2004, â¬86; 2005, â¬90; 2006, â¬92;...
- School Curriculum. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The revised primary curriculum was developed in partnership with key education interests by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and published and launched by my Department in 1999. A copy of the curriculum, in the form of 23 books, was issued to every teacher. Implementation has been effected on a phased basis, supported by national programmes of professional development for...
- School Curriculum. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: There is a value to putting circulars on a regulatory basis. As I stated, the curriculum is not currently on a basis of regulation. That does not mean it cannot be implemented, as can any of the other instructions given to schools. The High Court has found in the past that items such as circulars have legal effect. It would be valuable to put the circulars on a statutory footing, removing...
- School Curriculum. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: No, it is not on foot of that.
- School Curriculum. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: There is absolutely no need to sign circulars into law. Over the years, the courts have clearly determined that rules, regulations and circulars have been given a legal basis and have the same understanding as if laid down in law. Where circulars have been issued, they do have a standing and status and must be implemented. The only development in the referred court case was that the court...
- School Curriculum. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: Officials in the Department have been working for some time on the regulations for the primary school curriculum. The circular which I issued in the summer relating to teanga oideachais has sufficient basis and there is no need to put it on a statutory footing.
- School Curriculum. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: I do not believe I have advice that I must put it on a statutory footing.
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The referred commitment in the programme for Government relates to a reduction in class sizes, through improvements in the staffing schedule by which classroom teachers are assigned to schools. The pupil-teacher ratio on the other hand, counts all the teachers in schools, not only those employed as mainstream classroom teachers, but also those working in areas such as resource teaching and...
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: No, it is unfair to say there are teachers in schools whom pupils may never see. The people who are not counted in class-size number are the principal, deputy principal, home-school liaison officers, resource, learning support and special needs teachers. These are staff the pupils will see every day but they are not teaching, say, Irish, English, maths, history, geography in the classroom....
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: Class size may be an issue for the parent whose child does not need anything extra. The special needs and resource teachers are necessary for the child who has a learning difficulty. The 1,800 teachers who teach nothing but English to newcomers are important for the children who do not speak English. The home-school community liaison teacher is important for the parent who needs support to...
- School Admissions. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: The Education Act 1998 requires all schools to have in place an admissions policy, detailing admission to and participation by students, including those with special needs, in the school. An agreement was reached in 1993 between the Department and the national representatives of the managerial associations regarding selection of pupils on the basis of academic ability. While school...
- School Admissions. (13 Nov 2007)
Mary Hanafin: An audit was conducted of approximately 50% of schools examining the treatment of those with special needs, Travellers, newcomers etc. I am not inclined to publish it because that might give rise to league tables in certain areas which would pressurise the schools that take a significant number of children with special needs. Publishing results for an area could give the impression that a...