Results 13,141-13,160 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Evaluations: School Evaluations (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Under the regulations that I laid before the House on 30 January last, all reports arising from the general inspection programme for schools will be published where the inspection commenced on or after 6 February 2006. Reports arising from a total of 36 Whole School Evaluations conducted in primary schools were published on the website of my Department by 29 June 2006. Up-to-date information...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools and my Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. This may result, however, in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school...

Written Answers — Disruptive Behaviour: Disruptive Behaviour (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: In launching "School Matters" the final Report of the Task Force on Student Behaviour in Second Level Schools, I outlined a package of measures to tackle student behaviour issues. In my view, implementation of the report must be approached in a prioritised and carefully structured way. The putting in place of a Behaviour Support Team is at the core of many of the Task Force recommendations. I...

Written Answers — Education Centres: Education Centres (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The part-time Education Centre covered by the Deputy's question is part of a network of twenty-one full-time and nine part-time Education Centres which are located throughout the Country. Education Centres provide professional development and support for teachers and the wider education community through meeting locally researched and identified teacher and school community needs. They also...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (4 Jul 2006)

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. Educational provision for children with autistic spectrum disorders is now provided in 15 early intervention special classes, 164 special classes in mainstream schools and special schools and in a number of special centres. Additional teaching...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Jul 2006)

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 — Early School Leavers: Early School Leavers (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A key focus of the Government's education policy is to prioritise investment in favour of those most at risk and to optimise access, participation and outcomes at every level of the system for disadvantaged groups. The total provision for educational inclusion programmes in 2006 is more than €640m across all levels of education, as compared with almost €600m in 2005. This includes...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in primary school staffing in recent years. Next September there will be no less than 4,000 extra teachers in our primary schools, compared with 2002. Not only is the average class size in our primary schools down to 24, but there is now one teacher for 17 pupils at primary level, including resource teachers etc. Children with...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the provisions of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, do not place any onus on developers to provide school sites other than at market rates. I am keeping an open mind as to whether legislative change might be of assistance or prove the best way forward here. In this regard, my Department has commenced exploratory discussions with the Department of the...

Written Answers — Literacy Levels: Literacy Levels (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The achievement of high literacy and numeracy standards is one of the primary goals of education, in my view. Since achievement in literacy and numeracy are such fundamental prerequisites for the development of personal and social competence, I believe that the education system should enable every individual to develop literacy and numeracy skills to the greatest extent possible, in...

Written Answers — Higher Education Sector: Higher Education Sector (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the deputy is aware, the OECD Review of Higher Education in Ireland made a large number of recommendations regarding structural and institutional reform in the higher education sector and additionally pointed the way forward to the creation of a fourth level Ireland. The Government approved the broad thrust of these recommendations in April of last year. The reform and modernisation agenda...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The total provision for educational inclusion programmes in 2006 is some €647m across all levels of education provision, ranging from pre-school interventions, supports for tackling children's literacy problems, reduced pupil teacher ratios, increased capitation grants, free book grant scheme, measures to tackle early school leaving and strengthen ties between the school, the family and the...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Devolving funding to school management authorities allows them to have control of their projects, assists in moving projects more quickly to tender and construction and can also deliver better value for money. The two Devolved Schemes, the Small Schools Scheme and the Permanent Accommodation Scheme, were originally introduced on a pilot basis due to the positive feedback from schools and were...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I understand that the Deputy is concerned with the levels of funding paid to the National College of Art and Design in the years 2003 to 2005 inclusive. Total funding amounting to €35,408,300 has been allocated to the College in the period in question. This figure breaks down between recurrent funding; capital funding; research funding and funding under the Access programme. The full...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am aware that some second-level schools do not appear to be doing as much as they could to ensure that students with special needs are as welcome in those schools as students without special needs. I expressed my belief in this regard at the Annual Conference of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals last October. However, this is a complex area, already governed by...

Written Answers — Third Level Institutions: Third Level Institutions (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education in the HEA is currently undertaking an evaluation of access programmes in higher education institutions. This work is underway as part of the 2005-2007 national action plan on access. The evaluation is examining actions taken by higher education institutions to increase the participation of students from four specific...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: These matters are the subject of ongoing discussion with the partners in education and no decisions have been made at this stage.

Written Answers — Legal Proceedings: Legal Proceedings (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: There are approximately 350 cases before the Courts which involve the Department as a Defendant or Respondent. They include litigation relating to schools, children detention schools, special needs, employment law matters and contractual disputes. This figure does not include childhood abuse cases relating to industrial and reformatory schools and residential Institutions, which number...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I welcome the report entitled 'Irish in Primary schools: Long term National Trends in Achievement' by Dr John Harris which was published by my Department last Friday, 23 June 2006. The report contains results relating to Irish language Listening, Speaking and Reading in the three populations of schools, ordinary, all-Irish and Gaeltacht. The report presents comparative data for 1985 and...

Written Answers — Early School Leavers: Early School Leavers (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department is developing a Primary Pupil Database which will monitor the progression of individuals through the education system. The database will be a very useful tool for the Department in evaluating the effectiveness of educational initiatives and I am anxious that it be developed as soon as is practicable. However, I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that the project must be...