Results 1,201-1,220 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I am very conscious that schools across the country have to deal with a heavy administrative burden arising from necessary departmental and legislative requirements. I have indicated recently to a number of parties, my intention to conduct a review of this administrative burden as soon as possible. In this regard, I am happy to report that my Department will shortly write to the relevant...

Written Answers — Third Level Curriculum: Third Level Curriculum (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: In accordance with the Universities Act 1997, universities are autonomous bodies and may determine the content of curricula and programmes as they deem appropriate.

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I have not met representatives of groups concerned with sexual violence in my capacity as Minister for Education and Science. As regards dealing with the issue within education, a national curriculum in social personal and health education, SPHE, incorporating relationships and sexuality education has been developed at junior cycle level, and this has been made mandatory for all schools with...

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Ireland was represented at the Education and Youth Council of 21 February 2005 by my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy de Valera. EU Education Ministers adopted conclusions on the role of education in the knowledge-based society. This forms part of the contribution to the work of the European Council of 22-23 March next on the mid-term review of the Lisbon strategy. The debate focused...

Written Answers — European Year of Citizenship through Education: European Year of Citizenship through Education (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Council of Europe launched the 2005 European Year of Citizenship through Education last December. In organising this year, the Council of Europe wishes to draw attention to how crucial education is to the development of citizenship and the quality of participation in a democratic society. Further details on the year are available on the Council of Europe website www.coe.int. I have...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 426 to 432, inclusive, together. The national level pupil-teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the number of pupils by the number of teachers. Data on teachers include special education teachers and resource teachers in addition to classroom teachers. Teachers other than classroom teachers are generally shared among a number of classes and, in some cases,...

Schools Building Projects. (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: It is the policy of my Department to provide a permanent accommodation solution in so far as possible to meet the demands presenting for schools in areas of major population growth. However, the time span involved in architectural design and obtaining planning permission processes effectively means that in all instances it may not be possible to provide a permanent accommodation solution as...

Schools Building Projects. (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The demographics for some of the areas around Dublin reached their projected numbers years in advance of the dates given in the census. For that reason five new primary schools in Kildare have been recognised, three in Meath and two in Dublin, of the counties the Deputy mentioned. This is the type of initiative we take as an immediate response. The Deputy mentioned Ratoath where an extension...

Schools Building Projects. (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I do not wish to speak about any one school. I would not envisage a ten year wait for a school that is recognised. The funding for this year alone for the schools' modernisation and building programme is €493 million of which €270 million will go into primary schools. Is the Deputy referring to the Johnstown, Kill school?

Schools Building Projects. (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There are problems regarding sites which are tied up with rezoning. I have witnessed situations where the politicians calling for new schools vote against the rezoning of the only available site in the area. There are planning issues and problems of infrastructure, development and provision. I do not envisage any delay for new schools because they get priority 1 status.

Special Educational Needs. (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: In light of the reality that pupils in the high incidence disability categories of mild and borderline mild general learning disability and dyslexia are distributed throughout the education system my Department, in consultation with educational interests, developed a general model of resource teacher allocation to schools to support students in these disability categories. My predecessor,...

Special Educational Needs. (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I met the principal of the school to which Deputy O'Sullivan referred and also the principals and boards of management representing schools in west Limerick. I was happy to receive submissions from various groups to revise our thinking on the matter. I always believe in listening to people. I have received recommendations from organisations such as the National Council for Special Education...

Special Educational Needs. (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There are many instances where principals must decide on the deployment of resources. We appointed 2,600 additional resource teachers in recent years to deal with the issues and difficulties to which we have referred. A child who has a specific need and who falls within the low incidence or more severe category will continue to get exactly what was allocated to him or her. What we are talking...

Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The system for allocating teachers to primary schools is based on ensuring an overall maximum class of 29 in each school. While some classes in a school have class sizes of greater than 29, it is generally because a decision has been taken at local level to use their teaching resources to have smaller numbers in other classes. The Deputy should note that significant improvements have been...

Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy referred to international evidence on smaller class sizes and the Government accepts that smaller class sizes at junior level can make a difference. There is no evidence, however, to show that smaller class sizes further up the line can make a real difference to educational achievement. The international level was recently cited by the INTO in its magazine in an article that also...

Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The same tables also show that educational achievement in Ireland is much higher than in those states with smaller class sizes.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: That bears out that class size is not the only contributor to educational achievement. It remains our aim and part of the programme for Government but it will be done in the context of targeting those most in need with teachers and available resources.

Bullying in Schools. (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I assure the Deputy that I am acutely aware of the issue of bullying in schools and my Department has in place a multifaceted strategy to tackle the issue. The education of students in both primary and post-primary schools in anti-bullying behaviour is a central part of the social, personal and health education curriculum. SPHE is now a compulsory subject both at primary level and in the...

Bullying in Schools. (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I personally have noticed a distinct change since I was a Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science with special responsibility for children on the whole issue of bullying. When I visited schools then, bullying was the number one issue but now in any of my dealings with the children whom we have consulted it does not come up as an issue. That is striking and the reason for...

Bullying in Schools. (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: No. This is as a result of the various policies, seminars, guidelines that have been issued, the pilot projects that exist and the fact that all schools are now required to have an anti-bullying policy. The best way to deal with this is in the context of the code of behaviour of the individual school which would be signed up to by staff, parents and children. That makes the penalties and...