Results 10,901-10,920 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (14 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the Department's maintenance grants schemes, and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Act 1968 to 1992, a mature student is defined as a candidate who is at least 23 years of age on the 1st January of the year of entry or re-entry to an approved course. Mature students are categorised as either independent mature students or mature students...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (14 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The mainstream staffing of a primary school for a particular school year is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on the 30th September of the previous school year and by reference to a staffing schedule. This staffing schedule for the 2006/07 school year is outlined in Primary Circular 0023/2006 which was issued to all primary schools. In the current school year (2006/07)...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (14 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 349 together. The Deputy will be aware that my Department is engaged in the roll-out of broadband internet connectivity to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. This project is being undertaken in partnership with industry in the context of a Government — IBEC/TIF (Telecommunications and Internet Federation) Agreement to provide local...

Moriarty Report: Statements (14 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My maiden speech in this House in September 1997 was on the McCracken report and the foundation of the tribunal we are discussing today. At that time, cosúil leis na Teachtaí eile atá sa Teach anois, bhíomar lán de dhóchas agus an-bhródúil as a bheith anseo, taking our responsibilities from a very free, democratic first Dáil and taking on board our responsibilities to the electorate...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the number of children in classes of 35 or more in Cork city has been slashed by this Government from nearly 3,000 in 1997 to less than 300 in the last school year. It should be noted that where there are large classes in a school, this is usually because a decision has been made at local level to have small numbers in other classes. For example, one...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is to the forefront of design with respect to energy efficiency in school buildings. However, the length of the school day and school holiday periods generally impact on the suitability of alternative energy options in school buildings. My Department's design guidelines set the benchmark for low energy design in schools and are clearly focused on energy efficiency and are based...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: There are a number of initiatives funded by my Department, as well as by other government departments and agencies, which acknowledge the additional costs encountered by lower income students, including those with children, and support their participation in higher education. Major improvements have been made by this Government in both the income limits for eligibility and the actual grant...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations, including organising the holding of examinations and issuing the results of examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query in relation to the statistics to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you. In the interim, although the information...

Written Answers — Bullying in Schools: Bullying in Schools (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I share the Deputy's concern that any child would feel upset in school because of bullying — be it physical, verbal or what is being termed "cyberbullying" and I assure her that supports are in place to enable schools both to prevent bullying and to deal with cases that may arise. For a start, each school is required to have in place a policy which includes specific measures to deal with...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: In accordance with the Rules and Programme for Secondary Schools, all second level schools should provide Physical Education as part of the curriculum. The programme that each school plans and delivers should be based on my Department's approved syllabuses and the teaching hours should be registered on the school timetable. The syllabuses have been developed on the basis of a time allocation...

Written Answers — Third Level Courses: Third Level Courses (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 194 together. On the 1 February 2006 the Minister for Health and Children and I published the report of the Fottrell Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training. As part of these reforms I am increasing the annual number of undergraduate places for Irish and EU students from 305 to 485. I am also introducing a separate graduate entry...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 120 together. The National Development Plan contains a provision of €252m for ICT in schools, the essential purpose of which is to advance the embedding of an e-Learning culture in teaching and learning in our schools. I intend to publish a new ICT strategy this year covering the period of the National Development Plan to 2013. I am putting in place...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Information in relation to class sizes is provided in the annual census of primary schools. The census for the current school year (2006/2007) is currently being worked on. Major improvements have been made in staffing at primary level in recent years. At the beginning of the current school year there are no less than 4000 extra teachers in our primary schools, compared with 2002. The average...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (13 Feb 2007)

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, through the primary, special and post primary schools system. My Department provides a wide range of supports and additional resources to support children with special educational needs, including autism. These services include: additional...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the action plan for educational inclusion provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and an integrated School Support Programme (SSP). The new plan is the outcome of the first full review of all programmes for tackling educational disadvantage that have been put in place over the past twenty years. The new...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I have no plans to introduce information and communications technology (ICT) as a discrete subject for the junior certificate. Recent thinking on ICT in schools is that the best way to learn ICT skills is to apply them in a meaningful context. Based on this, the focus in Ireland is on developing and promoting the use of ICT as a tool for teaching and learning across the curriculum. A national...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108, 181 and 190 together. The latest information available to my Department on the number of schools offering specific subjects relates to the 2005/06 school year. 449 second-level schools offered music in senior cycle in 2005/06. 554 second-level schools offered physics to Leaving Certificate level. 69 second-level schools offered physics and chemistry to...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109, 112, 125, 162 and 203 together. Under the NDP 2007 to 2013 funding of €4.5 billion will be invested in first and second level schools modernisation and development programme. This will focus on meeting the demands of a growing school population, with an anticipated 100,000 additional primary places over the next seven years. It will address the need for...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: In order to ensure that children whose first language is not English can succeed at school, my Department gives additional support to their schools which can take the form of financial assistance, additional temporary teacher posts or portions of teacher posts. Guidelines have also been produced for teachers on teaching English as an additional language, and these are available on the NCCA...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations, including organising the holding of examinations and issuing the results of examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query in relation to the statistics to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you. In the interim, although the information...