Results 1,261-1,280 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: It is important to recall the context in which children in many European countries learn foreign languages. Many countries, for example, Belgium, Luxembourg and Finland, have a significant historic presence of other languages within their borders or in close proximity. This has created an imperative within those countries to learn those foreign languages. In other regards, far and away the...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Many primary schools have a general purposes room for play and PE facilities during inclement weather. In addition, practically all schools have play areas which are utilised for teaching different aspects of the physical education programme. A similar situation with sports halls and outdoor facilities applies at second level. Many schools have the use of adjacent local facilities, including...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The number of students expected to graduate from the five colleges of education, both the undergraduate Bachelor of Education degree course and the 18 month postgraduate course for primary teaching, is 1,280. The number of teachers expected to retire in the current year is 500.

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 112 together. It is assumed that the Deputies are referring to the position at primary level. The pupil-teacher ratio as published in my Department's annual statistical report is calculated by dividing the total enrolment in all primary schools by the total number of full-time teaching posts. The total enrolment includes all children in ordinary and...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The review of the school transport scheme within my Department is at an advanced stage. As an immediate priority, the steps required to bring the matter to an early conclusion are under active consideration at present.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: According to my Department's records, in the current school year 144 male teachers have been appointed for the first time as permanent or temporary qualified teachers at primary level. This represents 10.6% of the total number of such teachers appointed for the first time at primary level. A total of 279 male teachers have been appointed for the first time to posts in voluntary secondary,...

Written Answers — School Libraries: School Libraries (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 87 and 116 together. At primary level it is a matter for each local authority to provide a library service for schools in its area. While my Department has no involvement in the actual operation of this service, it makes a grant available to each local authority on an annual basis to enable local authority librarians select, purchase and deliver books to the...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Significant improvements have been made in the pupil-teacher ratio at both primary and post-primary levels 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. At post-primary level, the pupil teacher ratio has been reduced from 16:1 to 13.6:1 in the same period. In line with Government policy, my Department will...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: A cross-governmental working group was established to put forward proposals for reform of vetting by the central vetting unit run by the Garda Síochána. Among its recommendations was the proposal that the Departments of Education and Science and Health and Children explore the possibility of developing an employment history register, similar to the PECS system in Northern Ireland. An...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The loading of all school buses is determined by the relevant sections of the Road Traffic Regulations (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) which are laid down by the Department of Transport. In accordance with those regulations, the licensed carrying capacity of all vehicles engaged in school transport is based on a ratio of three pupils for every two adult seats. Safety on school...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Arising from the census of special needs provision undertaken by my Department towards the end of 2003, there were 4,064 pupils with specific learning disability, SLD, attending mainstream primary schools. The census was undertaken in 2003 to ensure that up to date information on children with special educational needs was available to my Department. Where the condition of a pupil with...

Written Answers — Post-Leaving Certificate Courses: Post-Leaving Certificate Courses (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The McIver report on the post-leaving certificate review was commissioned by my Department to examine the sector and make recommendations regarding the organisational, support, development, technical and administrative structures and resources required in schools and colleges with large scale post-leaving certificate, PLC, provision, having regard to good practice in related areas across the...

Written Answers — Bullying in Schools: Bullying in Schools (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department considers the issue of bullying in schools as a priority for action and is fully supportive of any measures which address this issue. In this regard, my Department is actively engaged in a number of activities and its "Guidelines on Countering Bullying Behaviour in schools" provide a national framework within which individual school management authorities may meet their...

Written Answers — Suicide Prevention: Suicide Prevention (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I am aware of the serious problem of youth suicide and of the vital role that schools can play in prevention. Prevention needs to be addressed at whole school level through provision of relevant curricula for all children, through effective implementation of the social, personal and health education, SPHE, programme, and through the provision of care afforded by a good pastoral system,...

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There are currently in the region of 3,000 vehicles in use each day providing school transport services on behalf of my Department under the school transport scheme. This fleet is made up of Bus Éireann large capacity school buses, which represent about 20% of all the vehicles used, and the remainder are contractor's vehicles, including minibuses and cars. Under existing regulations, large...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Differing funding arrangements have evolved for the different school types at second level. At the core of all arrangements is a reliance upon capitation as the principle determinant of funding. There are, however, significant differences in the approaches to the funding of back-up services such as for secretaries and caretakers. In my view, it is important to consider any changes in the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Arising from the census of special needs provision undertaken by my Department towards the end of 2003, there were 573 pupils with physical disabilities attending mainstream primary schools. Pupils with a physical disability who have learning difficulties arising from the disability may need resource teaching in cases where there are consequent significant learning difficulties. Such pupils...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Early Start pre-school project was established in 40 primary schools in designated areas of urban disadvantage in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Drogheda and Dundalk during 1994 and 1995. The aims of Early Start are to expose young children to an educational programme which would enhance their overall development, prevent school failure and offset the effects of social...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Select Committee on Education and Science concluded Committee Stage of the Grangegorman Development Agency Bill on 16 December 2004. The purpose of this Bill is to establish an agency whose function, in the first instance, is to prepare a strategic planning scheme for the Grangegorman site. The plan must provide for the needs of the Dublin Institute of Technology, the Eastern Regional...

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (9 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101, 127 and 128 together. The OECD review of Irish higher education makes far reaching recommendations for reform and development of the sector, against a background of the crucial role that has been identified for higher education in achieving Ireland's broad strategic objective of becoming a world leading knowledge based economy. The report identified a...