Results 11,721-11,740 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: Ongoing evaluation is seen as an intrinsic aspect of a quality schools' psychological service. Within NEPS, the strategy for evaluation includes a number of elements including self-review by psychologists of their work using a range of instruments. Business Planning process applies to NEPS as to all areas of the Department and at individual level the Performance Management and Development...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: My Department considers that children with autism, in common with all children should have access to appropriate provision delivered by suitably qualified teachers within the school system where children can mix with their wider peer group and have maximum opportunities for integration. The preferred approach to the provision of appropriate education for children with autism is through the...
- Written Answers — Multi-Denominational Schools: Multi-Denominational Schools (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: School building projects are selected for inclusion in the School Building and Modernisation Programme on the basis of priority of need using published criteria. A significant number of new multi-denominational schools are established in rapidly developing areas. All infrastructural projects in these areas, regardless of ethos, are assigned a band 1 priority status under the criteria....
- Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that earlier this month I announced a special â¬6.5m package for primary schools to renew PE equipment. This special PE funding package of â¬6.5 million was issued last week to all 3,200 primary schools. Under the package, every school received â¬2,000 towards the cost of replacing and upgrading PE equipment in their school. This grant was issued, as a...
- Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: All primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the NEPS or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are available on my Department's website. Schools that do not currently have NEPS psychologists assigned to them may avail of the SCPA, whereby the school can have an assessment carried...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: This Government has accelerated the school building programme with record levels of investment and the streamlining of delivery systems. School building projects are prioritised in accordance with published criteria and those in rapidly developing areas are assigned the highest priority. Innovations in the delivery of school buildings such as Generic Repeat Designs and the use of the Design...
- Written Answers — Library Grants: Library Grants (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: It is a matter for each Local Authority to provide a library service for primary schools in its area. While my Department has no involvement in the actual operation of this service, it does make a grant available to each Local Authority on an annual basis to enable Local Authority Librarians select, purchase, and deliver books to the primary schools in its area. The grant is based on the...
- Written Answers — Standardised Testing: Standardised Testing (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 67 and 163 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. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has recommended to me...
- Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 131 together. There are 59 fee-charging second level schools in the country; of which 1 is Jewish, 21 Protestant, 2 inter-denominational and the balance Catholic. Applications for funding under the Summer Works Scheme 2006 were approved in respect of 15 fee-charging schools at a cost expected to be â¬1.395m. This is 1.78% of the total estimated cost...
- Written Answers — School Facilities: School Facilities (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the Project Agreement for the School Bundle Pilot PPP project each school retains an 'availability bank' of hours which it may utilise outside the normal school core opening hours (8.00 am to 5:30 pm). The cost of providing the school buildings and services for these hours is included in the contract structure therefore additional costs do not accrue to the school. The...
- Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of my Department's Free Fees Initiative the Exchequer meets the tuition fees of eligible students. The main conditions are that students must (a) be first-time undergraduates; (b) hold E.U. nationality or official refugee status; and (c) have been ordinarily resident in an E.U. Member State for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level...
- Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) is a statutory body set up under the Education Act 1998 to advise the Minister for Education and Science on curriculum and assessment matters. I have requested the NCCA to focus on increasing the attractiveness of Irish to all learners throughout the junior and senior cycle and on strengthening students' communicative skills,...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: Most new schools in developing areas are provided on sites purchased by my Department. In such cases there is no local contribution required. In relation to refurbishments and extensions to existing school buildings the full cost is typically paid for by my Department except for a local contribution of up to â¬31,500 or up to â¬12,500 for disadvantaged or special schools. My Department's...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: This Government is determined to ensure that every child is educated in a suitable and comfortable environment. Since 1997, great advances have been made in transforming school accommodation throughout the country, through an investment of â¬3 billion. This has funded over 7,800 individual school projects in the last seven years alone. This year we are spending â¬500 million on school...
- Written Answers — Schools of Podiatry: Schools of Podiatry (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: Meetings are continuing at an official level between my Department, the Department of Health and Children, the Higher Education Authority and the Health Service Executive in relation to a proposed School of Podiatry. Pending the finalisation of these discussions it is not possible to advise when a call for proposals to establish the School will issue. No decisions have been taken on the...
- Written Answers — School Management: School Management (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 116 together. The computer system for the payment of teachers employed in Secondary and Community/Comprehensive schools record teacher absences in accordance with the existing leave rules as agreed between the managerial authorities, teacher unions and my Department. The issue of leave arrangements for absence periods of less than a day has been raised...
- Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (28 Nov 2006)
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 — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: Each sector in the education system has specific funding requirements which derive from the length, complexity and nature of the education/training courses being provided. My aim is to ensure that all sectors have adequate resources, including financial resources, to enable schools and colleges to effectively deliver quality education and training programmes. The Deputy will be pleased to...
- Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: As indicated in the recently published Abridged Estimates Volume for 2007, it is intended to allocate a sum of â¬544m towards the Schools' Building and Modernisation Programme. This sum includes â¬10m under the Schools' ICT Programme. At this stage it is not possible to give specific details of how this funding will be disbursed.
- Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: In accordance with the Rules and Programme for Secondary Schools, the approved course for Junior Certificate students in second level schools must include Irish, English, Mathematics, Social Personal and Health Education, Civic Social and Political Education and at least 3 other examination subjects. While Science is an optional subject for the Junior Certificate some 86% of students...