Results 13,721-13,740 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Equipment: School Equipment (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I would disagree with the suggestion that only a quarter of secondary schools are adequately equipped to teach science. 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...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 63 together. The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of Gaelscoileanna and Educate Together Schools in temporary accommodation is not readily available. There are currently 124 Gaelscoileanna and 39 Educate Together schools in the country.

Written Answers — Whole School Evaluations: Whole School Evaluations (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: It is planned that 214 whole-school evaluations will be undertaken in primary schools during 2006. 41 whole-school evaluations commenced before 6th February 2006. The reports on these evaluations will be issued to schools but they will not be published as they were initiated prior to the introduction of the regulations on publication of reports. 25 of these WSEs have been fully completed and...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) issued questionnaires for its Census of School Information & Communications Technology (ICT) Infrastructure for both Primary and Post-Primary schools last May. The census follows similar exercises undertaken in 1998, 2000 and 2002 and addresses a range of areas including the extent of ICT equipment, networking and internet access, ICT...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 78 together. The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse has indicated in its Progress Report and Plan for 2006 that it has conducted a large number of interviews with complainants to the Investigation Committee and will continue to do so until every individual who had indicated a wish to participate in the inquiry will have testified at a private...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Field work in relation to a focused evaluation of the teaching of Irish in 45 primary schools and an evaluation of the teaching and learning of Irish in the junior cycle in 75 post-primary schools has been completed by my Inspectorate and individual reports have been issued to the schools concerned. Analysis of the data collected is under way and it is expected that reports based on the...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44, 47, 50 and 70 together. First, I wish to point out that the provision of speech and language therapists and of occupational therapists is a matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE) and for my colleague the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children. All primary and post-primary schools have access to psychological assessments for their pupils,...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (25 May 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 no less than 4000 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 special...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I have stated publicly on a number of occasions that I am acutely aware that Dublin 15 is one of the most rapidly developing areas in the country and, that as a result, there has been a marked increase in the demand for primary school places. I have also outlined the significant interventions being made by my Department to tackle this issue. These include measures to increase the capacity of...

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that in November 2004 I announced funding for the National College of Art and Design (NCAD). The funding was targeted at the refurbishment of the fire station in Thomas Street. This funding was approved on foot of the work by the Kelly Review Group on the prioritisation of capital projects across the third level sector in general. To date, this project has...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: At primary school level, social, environmental and scientific education enables the child to learn and practise a wide range of skills; and to acquire open, critical and responsible attitudes, including caring for animals. In particular, the science curriculum seeks to cultivate in children an appreciation of, and respect for, the diversity and interdependence of living things. Children are...

Written Answers — School Vending Machines: School Vending Machines (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Vending machines may be placed in schools at the discretion of the School's Management Authority and are currently installed in many post-primary schools. It is my intention that under my Department's new PPP programme the contract will provide that the school management authorities will have the final say on the location, content and availability of vending machines.

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the Indemnity Agreement reached with the religious congregations, the property contribution of the congregations is divided into two separate and distinct schedules of properties as follows: (A) Properties to be transferred from the congregations to the State, State Agencies or Local Authorities after the date of the signing of the Indemnity Agreement on 5th June 2002: The...

Written Answers — Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Early Start pre-school project was established in 40 primary schools in designated areas of urban disadvantage in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Drogheda and Dundalk during 1994 and 1995. There are 1,680 places in these centres. Targeted early childhood education provision is a key element of the School Support Programme (SSP) under the new action plan for educational...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: There were some 39 recommendations in the Report of the Task Force on the Physical Sciences, with costed proposals totalling an additional €244 million, of which €66.3 million would be a recurring annual cost. Of the 39 recommendations, 4 are not for the education sector. Of the remainder, progress has been made on implementing 25 of the recommendations and my Department continues to...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 56, 73, 76 and 90 together. 500 second-level schools offer music in junior cycle. Of these, 199 are single-sex schools and 301 are mixed-sex schools. 535 second-level schools offer music in both junior cycle and senior cycle. Of these, 211 are single-sex schools and 324 are mixed-sex schools. 559 second-level schools offer physics in senior cycle. Of these,...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (25 May 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 no less than 4000 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 special...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The demand for additional accommodation in schools has risen significantly over the last number of years mainly due to the rapid expansion in teacher numbers particularly in the area of special needs, the growth in the school-going population in rapidly developing areas including the impact of inward migration and the demands to cater for diversity through the recognition of new...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I have read the results of the ASTI survey to which the Deputy refers. I note that while 311 teachers participated in the survey there is no indication of the number of schools involved in the survey. Neither is the extent to which these schools formed a representative sample in terms of size, location, etc indicated. I know that 78% of participating schools were in the voluntary secondary...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (25 May 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 71 together. All primary and post-primary schools have access to psychological assessments for their pupils, either directly through my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) psychologists or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) that is administered by NEPS. Schools that do not currently have NEPS...