Results 1,361-1,380 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (10 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 182, 183, 184, 185, 187 and 188 together. Under the auspices of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, curricula at both primary and second level have been reformed and are now based on internationally recognised language learning principles developed through research work under the auspices of the Council of Europe and other international bodies....

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (10 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy is a Catholic all girls fee paying school with a total enrolment of 49 pupils. The pupil intake in September 2004 was four pupils. The trustees of the school have notified my Department that a decision has been taken to close the school in June 2005. I am satisfied that there is sufficient capacity in post-primary schools in the area to cater for pupils...

Written Answers — Teacher Training: Teacher Training (10 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: There are no plans by my Department to introduce manual handling training in schools. My Department's teacher education section has, through the education centre network, approved and funded a number of health and safety related courses for teachers in the context of its summer course programme in 2004. The teacher education section also provides funding to education centres for the provision...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (10 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: In so far as occupational health and safety legislation is concerned, this is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. In accordance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989, it is the responsibility of individual school management authorities to have a safety statement in place in their schools. The statement should identify potential hazards,...

Written Answers — Weight of Schoolbags: Weight of Schoolbags (10 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: A working group was set up in autumn 1997 to examine the potential problems caused by the weight of heavy schoolbags. The terms of reference of the working group were to consider the issue of heavy schoolbags and, in particular, the extent of the problem, the factors which contribute to the problem and possible implications of the problem, particularly for the health of pupils. The group was...

Written Answers — Weight of Schoolbags: Weight of Schoolbags (10 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Apart from a small number of prescribed texts at second level, mainly in the case of language subjects, school textbooks are not approved or prescribed by my Department at first or second level. Decisions on which books to use are taken at school level. The publication and sale of school books are in the hands of independent commercial enterprises and it is not open to me to compel publishing...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (10 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The current situation is that there are three NEPS psychologists based in the Waterford office and their work is overseen by the regional director for the south-eastern region, who is also a psychologist. It is important to note that those schools which are not yet served directly by NEPS psychologists may avail of the scheme for commissioning psychological assessments whereby NEPS will pay...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (10 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The policy of my Department is to recover any overpayment of salary that is made to a teacher or special needs assistant. The procedure for the recovery of an overpayment is outlined in circular 15/04. In the case referred to by the Deputy the person was advised by correspondence from my Department of the amount of the overpayment and the options for the repayment of the moneys owed....

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (10 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department considered an application for special needs assistant, SNA, support for the pupils in question. Based on the supporting documentation provided the pupils do not meet the criteria for such support. The school authorities were advised of this position on 9 December 2004. A further review is only possible if additional supporting documentation which has not been considered...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (10 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule agreed between my Department and the education partners. The system for allocating teachers to primary schools is based on ensuring an overall maximum class of 29 in each school. Where some classes in a school have class sizes of...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (10 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As existing assessment reports showed that the named student was eligible for additional support in respect of his varied needs, my Department has allocated resource hours and a special needs assistant to him. A psychological report from NEPS was therefore not needed for the purpose of determining his eligibility for additional resources and, in fact, the school has not requested their...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (10 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: On foot of a Government decision, the then Minister for Education and Science formally established the State Examinations Commission on 6 March 2003. The commission now has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations, such as the time tabling of examinations. Accordingly, I have passed the Deputy's query to the chief executive officer of the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The specific information requested by the Deputy regarding the total amount that has been awarded to parents of autistic children in receipt of home tuition grants is not readily available in my Department. I can confirm, however, that home tuition ranging from five to 20 hours per week for children with autistic spectrum disorders, ASD, may be sanctioned, depending on the basis of the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: An application for refurbishment and extension has been received from the school authority of Cliffoney national school. Additional information has recently been provided by the school authority and this is being examined in my Department's school planning section. When a decision is made on how best to provide for the accommodation needs of the school, the project will be progressed in the...

Written Answers — Therapy Training: Therapy Training (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: In May 2002, the then Minister for Education and Science announced the provision of 175 additional therapy training places to tackle shortages of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists as identified by the report, Current and Future Supply and Demand Conditions in the Labour Market for Certain Professional Therapists, which was undertaken by Dr. Peter...

Written Answers — Departmental Transport: Departmental Transport (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The travel expenses paid by my Department for the 2004 period can be broken down as follows: car mileage expenses €1,179,081.92; train and bus expenses €98,559.33; and taxi expenses €94,698.76. The overall total is €1,372,340.01. A substantial amount of the travel expenses paid by my Department refer to the schools inspectorate.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that my Department has sanctioned the following provision for pupils with ADD, ODD and ADHD at primary level: eight special classes for pupils with emotional behavioural problems including ODD and ADD; six special classes for pupils with severe emotional behavioural problems; and two special classes for pupils with ADHD in mainstream primary schools. All such classes operate at...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: In those primary and post-primary schools that are served by the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, the length of time before an educational psychologist sees children with attention deficit disorder, ADD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, ODD, or dyslexia varies widely, according to the severity of the presenting symptoms. Each case...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 535, 537 and 582 together. My Department is considering the staffing requirements in primary schools for the 2005-06 school year which is determined on the basis of the enrolment on 30 September 2004 and in accordance with the agreed staffing schedule which is expected to be notified to boards of management shortly. A review of educational disadvantage...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (22 Mar 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule agreed between my Department and the education partners. In accordance with the staffing schedule, the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the 2004-05 school year is a principal plus 23 mainstream class teachers,...