Results 7,461-7,480 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Health Promotion: Health Promotion (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Schools are privately managed institutions which, although funded by the State, enjoy a large degree of autonomy. It is, therefore, primarily a matter for each school to devise guidelines around the types of food that are available on the school premises and such policies should be driven by the needs and welfare of the pupils. I know that many schools have developed healthy eating policies...

Written Answers — Health Promotion: Health Promotion (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Schools are privately managed institutions which, although funded by the State, enjoy a large degree of autonomy. It is, therefore, primarily a matter for each school to devise guidelines around the types of food that is available on the school premises and such policies should be driven by the needs and welfare of the pupils. I know that many schools have developed healthy eating policies in...

Written Answers — Health Promotion: Health Promotion (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The subjects Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Physical Education (PE), cover, among elements of the syllabus, the areas of healthy eating, healthy lifestyle, physical health, body care, exercise, relaxation and diet. They are evaluated in schools by the inspectorate, using indicators specific to primary and to second-level schools as appropriate. In the development of Whole...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: A senior cycle programme in Social Personal and Health Education is being developed by the NCCA. To date, a draft curriculum framework has been published, and consultations on the draft have also been completed. It is envisaged that "physical activity and nutrition" will be one of the core content areas within the curriculum that will emerge. The Senior Cycle will build on the knowledge...

Written Answers — Home-School Liaison Scheme: Home-School Liaison Scheme (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) is a major mainstream preventative strategy under DEIS and the Action Plan for Educational Inclusion focuses directly on the salient adults in children's educational lives and seeking indirect benefits for the children themselves. 450 local HSCL coordinators serve 651 schools (281 post primary and 370 primary) addressing the development of the...

Written Answers — Health Promotion: Health Promotion (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Under Section 27 of the Education Act 1998, the boards of management of post primary schools are encouraged to facilitate and promote the establishment of student councils. In 2002, my Department issued guidelines on the establishment and operation of student councils, 'Student Councils: A Voice for Students'. An Assistant National Co-ordinator with responsibility for Student Councils has...

Written Answers — : (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 560 and 564 together. Within a broad health promotional framework, higher education institutions develop policies to create and maintain an environment which is conducive to the health and well-being of students and staff. Guidelines in this regard have been published by the Higher Education Authority. All Higher Education Institutions have or are developing...

Written Answers — Industry Sponsorship Policy: Industry Sponsorship Policy (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Three official Circulars (i.e. Circulars 23/84, 7/87 and 38/91) have issued from my Department to school authorities concerning the promotion and marketing of commercial products through schools. The Circulars noted concern at the pressure on schools from time to time to become involved in the marketing and promotion of commercial products. Private companies are free to promote their business...

Written Answers — Health Promotion: Health Promotion (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I have arranged for an official from my Department to contact the Deputy regarding this matter.

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The question of whether children walk to and from school is a matter for decision by their parents. However, it is clear that walking to school can make an important contribution to children's health and to developing their sense of road safety, as well as decreasing traffic congestion around school routes. Many local authorities have developed schemes to encourage walking to school, through...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Physical education is a core part of the curriculum at primary level, and at post primary level all schools are required to offer physical education. A revised Junior Cycle Physical Education syllabus was introduced in 2003, and the Leaving Certificate syllabus in PE and the Health and Leisure module of the Leaving Certificate Applied programme are also available. In addition, Social...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: In the Home Economics curriculum at post-primary level, the concepts of 'Balanced Eating' and 'Healthy Exercise' underlie the Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle syllabi. These are addressed in the core content areas of Food Studies and Social and Health Studies at Junior Cycle. At Senior Cycle, the issue of obesity is addressed within the areas of dietary and food requirements and the Irish diet....

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations and determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations. I can inform the Deputy that the Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding towards the provision of a new school building has been received from the school authority referred to by the Deputy. An assessment of the projected enrolment trends, demographic trends and the housing developments in the area will be required to determine the long term projected staffing figure on which the school's accommodation needs will be based. The...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I announced recently a list of schools which are due to go to construction in 2008. My Department will be in contact with the school authorities over the next number of days to advise on the most appropriate preparation schedule applicable on each project. The school to which the Deputy refers is not included in that announcement. However, I intend to make further announcements regarding...

Written Answers — Climate Change Strategy: Climate Change Strategy (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Planning & Building Unit of my Department is currently conducting a demonstration and research project to evaluate the suitable application and performance and compatibility of biomass systems with school heating requirements in terms of heating demand characteristics, controls, reliability, fuel storage and maintenance and operation. This project comprises the design, installation and...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The building project for the School referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. The Design Team are currently preparing the stage 3 report (developed sketch scheme) and are to advise on a date for receipt of the report in the Department. When this is received it will be evaluated by my Department's technical team and the School Authorities will be advised of...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware of my commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with autism, receive an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings where children may have access to individualised education programmes, fully-qualified professional teachers who have received additional training in autism, special needs assistants, the appropriate school...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Under the prescribed terms and conditions of my Department's student maintenance grant schemes, grant assistance may not be awarded in respect of a repeat period of study at the same level, irrespective of whether or not funding was previously awarded. The deciding authority may waive this provision in exceptional circumstances such as certified serious illness. In such instances decisions...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (5 Feb 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is available in the following tables. Table 1 details the level of EU aid received, per Measure, by the Department of Education and Science from the European Social Fund under the Community Support Framework, 1994-1999. Table 2 details the level of EU aid received, per Measure, by the Department of Education and Science from the European Social Fund...