Results 10,941-10,960 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

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

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, I am very committed to improving our young people's command of Irish, through both increased support and curricular reform. Last April, I launched a wide package of measures to promote Irish in primary schools. These include the employment of cuiditheoirí at primary level to provide a programme of supports and in-service training for primary teachers and the...

Written Answers — Disruptive Students: Disruptive Students (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, provides parents with an appeal process where a Board of Management of a school or a person acting on behalf of the Board refuses enrolment to a student. Where a school permanently excludes a pupil, the school is obliged to inform parents of their right under Section 29 of Education Act 1998 to appeal that decision to the Secretary General of my...

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 167 together. There are currently 11 applications for ABA Stand Alone Facilities under consideration within my Department. The Deputies will be aware of my commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with autism receive an education appropriate to their needs, preferably through the primary and post primary school network. In this regard...

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

Mary Hanafin: In order to meet the language needs of the students in our schools whose first language is not English or Irish, additional support is given to the schools concerned which can take the form of financial assistance, additional teaching posts or portions of posts. The level of extra financial or teaching support provided to any school is determined by the numbers of eligible non-English...

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

Mary Hanafin: The home tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting a suitable educational placement and also to provide early educational intervention for pre-school children with autism. My...

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

Mary Hanafin: To qualify for the special rate of maintenance grant (sometimes referred to as the 'top-up' grant) in the academic year 2006/07, all candidates must satisfy the following conditions: 1. Qualify for the ordinary maintenance grant in respect of the academic year 2006/07; 2. Total reckonable income limit in the tax year to 31 December 2005 must not exceed €16,748 (net of standard exclusions,...

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 173 together. Bantry Community College and Gaelscoil Bheanntraí form part of a bundle of six schools that make up the Second Bundle of my Department's PPP Programme. Work on the pre-procurement of this bundle commenced in late 2006. Cork County Vocational Education Committee has obtained outline planning permission for both schools, the educational...

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

Mary Hanafin: Each school is required to have in place a policy which includes specific measures to deal with bullying behaviour, within the framework of an overall school Code of Behaviour and Discipline. Such a code, developed through consultation with the whole school community and properly implemented, can be the most influential measure in countering bullying behaviour in schools. My Department has...

Written Answers — Standardised Testing: Standardised Testing (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 146, 168 and 211 together. I believe that standardised testing, carried out on a systematic basis, has great potential to enhance the quality of teaching and learning for our students at classroom level, and to provide valuable information for parents about their children's learning. I have accepted the advice from the National Council for Curriculum and...

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 202 together. As the Deputies will be aware the recent priorities for investment under the ICT in Schools Programme have been developing schools internal computer network facilities and ensuring schools have broadband access. In relation to networking, schools were invited to submit proposals for the development of their networking capability in June...

Written Answers — Central Applications Office: Central Applications Office (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: The Central Applications Office (CAO) is a private company limited by guarantee which processes applications centrally on behalf of third level institutions. My Department does not have any function in relation to the operational arrangements of the CAO. However, I have made my concerns known to the CAO in relation to the difficulties it experienced with its computer facilities and the need...

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

Mary Hanafin: The student charge is levied by third level institutions to defray the costs of examinations, registration and students services. All students who are eligible for means tested student support grant have the student charge paid on their behalf by the Local Authorities or the Vocational Education Committees, in addition to any maintenance grant and tuition fee grant they are entitled to. The...

Written Answers — Court Cases: Court Cases (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: There are approximately 245 cases before the Courts which involve the Department as a Defendant or Respondent. These cases include litigation relating to Primary Schools, Community and Comprehensive Schools, Children Detention Schools, Special Educational Need, school non-attendance, school transport, litigation arising from industrial relations actions, contractual disputes and a diverse...

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

Mary Hanafin: The accommodation needs of the school in question are under consideration by the School Planning Section of the Department. In order to ensure that the appropriate level of accommodation is provided, officials in the Department recently visited the school and carried out a technical inspection of the existing facilities. Department Officials are now reassessing the long-term projected...

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

Mary Hanafin: The Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of the Department generally on the acquisitions of sites for schools, has identified a suitable site for the school in question. Agreement on the site acquisition has been reached subject to contract. While draft contracts have been exchanged, I am advised that the conveyancing process continues to be delayed pending the outcome of a planning...

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

Mary Hanafin: 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 class size in our primary schools is 24 and there is now one teacher for 17 pupils at primary level, including resource teachers etc. Children with special needs and those...

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

Mary Hanafin: In 2000, the Action Group on Access to Third Level Education was established to advise the Minister for Education and Science on the development of a co-ordinated framework to improve access to higher education by mature students, socio-economically disadvantaged students and communities and students with a disability. The report of the Action Group was published in 2001. One of the principal...

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

Mary Hanafin: The specific information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. However, the Deputy can be assured that my Department fully recognises the key role of physical exercise within the school environment and continues to respond to the need to improve PE facilities for all pupils attending primary schools. My Department's design guidelines include, where appropriate for PE Halls, general...

Written Answers — Science Facilities: Science Facilities (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: As part of the multi-annual school building programme my Department has invested heavily in modernising school facilities throughout the country including science facilities in post-primary schools. Typically this investment involves the provision of modern science facilities in new post-primary schools or the upgrading of science facilities in existing schools either as part of a school...

Written Answers — Disruptive Students: Disruptive Students (13 Feb 2007)

Mary Hanafin: In early 2006, I announced an implementation strategy following publication of "School Matters", the Report of the Task Force on Student Behaviour in Second Level Schools, and that strategy is now well advanced. At the core of the recommendations of the Task Force was the putting in place of a National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS). This has now happened with the appointment of a National...