Results 11,761-11,780 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The Higher Education Authority is the statutory body which advises my Department on the full range of policy issues relating to higher education and research. On foot of various representations which I received regarding management at University College Cork, I asked the Higher Education Authority for a report on the issues raised. The Chief Executive and representatives of the HEA met the...
- Written Answers — Whole School Evaluations: Whole School Evaluations (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: A teacher (or the board of a school) who disputes the process of an inspection or the content of an inspection report affecting the teacher or the school may request the Chief Inspector to conduct a review in accordance with procedures established under Section 13 (9) of the Education Act. Since the commencement of 2006 a review has been sought in relation to one whole-school evaluation...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: â¬506m was allocated to my School Building and Modernisation Programme for 2006. Over â¬440m has been expended to date, this amounts to 87% of the allocation. I anticipate that the budget will be fully spent by year end as was the case in 2005. As a result of a record investment in school infrastructure of over â¬2 billion from 2000 to 2005 over 6500 projects have been delivered in this...
- Written Answers — School Meals Programme: School Meals Programme (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The majority of the 412 schools participating in the School Completion Programme in 2006 operate breakfast clubs or other meal provision, in accordance with the Nutritional Guidelines issued by the Department of Social and Family Affairs. In addition to the funding provided through the School Completion Programme, the provision of school meals is primarily funded by the School Meals...
- Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108, 137 and 138 together. The Deputies will be aware that the curriculum offered to students attending a post-primary school is a matter for the authorities of the schools concerned subject to meeting the Departments regulations concerning provision of the core curriculum. My Department publishes data on the number of schools offering each subject in its...
- 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 — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The applications from County Clare VEC referred to by the Deputy relate to notices of intent lodged by that VEC for consideration by the New Schools Advisory Committee (NSAC) under the NSAC process. I expect that NSAC will report on all the applications made to it in the normal time-frame and will make recommendations to me for consideration in the new year. The Department has received...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, there are now no less than 4,000 extra teachers in our primary schools, compared with 2002. Furthermore, there are nearly 7,000 more primary teachers than there were in 1997. This represents the largest increase in teacher numbers since the expansion of free education. The average class size in our primary schools is 24 and there is now one teacher for 17 pupils...
- Written Answers — Educational Planning: Educational Planning (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: In relation to forward planning in areas of rapid growth, the process of assessing the need for new or additional educational facilities at primary or post-primary level in any given area entails consideration of all relevant factors, including enrolment and demographic trends, housing developments and the capacity of existing schools to meet the demand for places. Liaison with existing...
- Written Answers — Educational Projects: Educational Projects (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 153 together. I am committed to the development of a Primary Pupil database as it will give us valuable data on the pupils in our primary schools as well as enabling us to better track children's progress from primary to post-primary level. The database project is linked to the development of an on-line claims system for schools for the processing of...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (28 Nov 2006)
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 teaching posts or portions of teacher posts. The level of extra financial or teaching support provided to any school is determined by the numbers of eligible non-English speaking...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The total annual amount paid in respect of fee-charging secondary schools is some â¬96 million. Of this sum approximately â¬87 million relates to salaries and allowances of teachers. The balance includes the Protestant Block Grant and funding towards support services such as secretarial and caretaking services and miscellaneous grants. The payment of teachers salaries is part of a...
- Written Answers — Schools Buildings Projects: Schools Buildings 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 — 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. While a document on Curriculum Provision in Irish in Post-Primary Education has been prepared for internal consultation within the Council, it has not yet been approved by the Council or...
- Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The application from the VEC to become a patron in respect of two primary schools is under consideration in my Department and a decision will be notified to the VEC in due course.
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: My Department provides a range of supports to second level schools to enable them cater for students with special educational needs. The supports in question include remedial and resource teaching support, special needs assistant support and funding for the purchase of specialised equipment. There are currently approximately 1,854 whole time equivalent additional teachers in place to support...
- Written Answers — Medical Education: Medical Education (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 129 and 145 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...
- Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 142 together. The Deputies will be aware that, in accordance with the commitment in the Agreed Programme for Government, I plan to introduce a single unified scheme of maintenance grants for students in higher education. This will, I believe, provide for a more coherent administration system which will facilitate consistency of application, improved...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that, in September 2005 my Department introduced a new system of teacher allocation to all mainstream primary schools to cater for pupils with higher incidence special educational needs, that is, pupils with borderline mild and mild general learning disability and specific learning disability, including those with difficulties in maths. It is a matter for the...
- Written Answers — Subject Evaluations: Subject Evaluations (28 Nov 2006)
Mary Hanafin: In 2006 the Inspectorate planned to conduct a total of 660 subject inspections in post-primary schools. This comprised 428 stand-alone subject inspections and 232 subject inspections as part of whole-school evaluations. By the end of 2006 the evaluation phase of the subject inspection process will have been completed in all of the 660 subject inspections planned. 389 of these subject...