Results 14,321-14,340 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — European Schools: European Schools (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Each year Ireland, in common with the other member states of the European Union, recruits and seconds primary and post-primary teachers to serve in the 12 European schools, including the three schools located in Brussels. The European schools provide education at first and second levels for the children of parents working in the European Commission or other European institutions.The costs for...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 406 to 410, inclusive, together. The proposed new post-primary school for Gorey will be delivered by way of a public private partnership and will cater for up to 1,000 pupils. This level of accommodation is based on assessment of the demographics emanating from current and future housing developments. My Department is in discussion with the local authority...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I announced the first PPP project bundle consisting of St. Mary's CBS and Scoil Chríost Rí, Portlaoise, St. Rynagh's Community College, Banagher and Gallen Community School, Ferbane on 22 November 2005. Work on this project bundle is ongoing in my Department and as I previously stated will be offered to the market in the middle of this year. My Department is in discussion with the local...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (5 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The most recent national survey of new entrants to higher education was published in March 2006 and is based on a study of new entrants to higher education in 2004. The report shows that participation in higher education increased from 44% in 1998 to 54% in 2004. This finding reflects a trend of increasing participation in higher education throughout the 1990s and 1980s. For example, the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (5 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 43, 111 and 150 together. The position with regard to the granting of bonus marks for proficiency in Irish and English across the Civil Service is that such marks are awarded to eligible candidates applying for interdepartmental competitions. In the case of internal competitions, Departments and offices have discretion as regards the granting of bonus marks...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department's support package for the July education programme is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism who choose to extend their education services through the month of July. The Department also provides for a July programme for pupils with a severe-profound general learning disability. The package includes...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (5 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Residential Institutions Redress Board was established under statute in 2002 to provide financial redress to victims of child abuse in residential institutions in order to assist them in their recovery and enhance the quality of the remainder of their lives. The board is independent in the performance of its functions. The board received 14,809 applications by 15 December 2005, the...

Written Answers — Disruptive Students: Disruptive Students (5 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: School Matters, the final report of the task force on student behaviour in second level schools, recommended that my Department revisit section 29 of the Education Act 1998 with a view to amending it in ways that are more protective of all the school community. It also recommends that the timeframe involved in these appeals be looked at. The task force also drew attention to the submission by...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (5 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47, 66 and 147 together. Ensuring the protection, health and welfare of children is a key concern for the Government, parents, agencies that work with children and society generally and I assure the Deputy that the Government is determined to do all that it can to keep our children and vulnerable adults safe. In the education sector, vetting is currently...

Written Answers — Early School Leavers: Early School Leavers (5 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Given the clear link between leaving the system without formal qualifications and continued socio-economic disadvantage in adult life, the Government is determined to do all that is possible to ensure that children and young people get the opportunities and supports they needs to enable them to complete their education and secure their future economic and personal well being. Against the...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (5 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Section 31 of the Teaching Council Act 2001 and 2006 provides for the registration of all those employed as a teacher, or those entitled to be employed as a teacher, on establishment day of the council, which, as the Deputy is aware, was on 28 March last. The legislation also provides that all of these people will be automatically registered for a period of one year after establishment day...

Written Answers — Medical Education: Medical Education (5 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 113 together. On 1 February 2006 the Tánaiste and I published the report of the Fottrell Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training. In addition, the Tánaiste published the report of the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Group. These reports represent the most significant review of medical education and training ever...

Written Answers — School Discipline: School Discipline (5 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: At the launch of the report School Matters, I announced that I would be establishing a national behaviour support team which would be based regionally. The team will be divided into four groups. A group will be assigned to different parts of the country. The exact locations where these groups or core teams will be based will be decided shortly. The new behaviour support team's role will range...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (5 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 158 together. The Deputy will be aware that in accordance with the commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government I plan to introduce a single unified scheme of maintenance grants for students in higher education. This will provide for a more coherent administration system which will facilitate consistency of application and improved client...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (5 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Residential Institutions Redress Board was established under statute in 2002 to provide financial redress to victims of child abuse in residential institutions in order to assist them in their recovery and enhance the quality of the remainder of their lives. The board is independent in the performance of its functions. The redress board provides an alternative to victims having to pursue...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (5 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The question of introducing a road safety and driver education syllabus into schools has been examined by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, on foot of a report from a task group set up in 2000 and which included representatives of the Department of Education and Science, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the National Safety Council, the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased that the Deputy has given me the opportunity to confirm this Government's commitment to ensuring that children with special educational needs, SEN, will receive the supports they require to enable them to participate fully in the education system. The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, through the local special educational needs organiser,...

Written Answers — Whole School Evaluations: Whole School Evaluations (5 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: In the first three months of this year, the inspectorate of my Department has issued 62 whole school evaluation, WSE, reports on primary schools. The majority of these reports follow WSE inspections conducted towards the end of 2005. In 2006 the inspectorate has planned to conduct a total of 273 whole school evaluations in primary and post-primary schools; 216 of these WSEs will be in primary...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (5 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, has prepared a revised syllabus for leaving certificate art. Implementation of this syllabus will require very significant funding in terms of the resources and facilities required by schools to deliver the syllabus, and also in terms of the professional development needs of teachers, and is therefore being looked at in a...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (5 Apr 2006)

Mary Hanafin: DEIS, delivering equality of opportunity in schools, the new action plan for educational inclusion, provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated school support programme, SSP. The school support programme will bring together, and build upon, a number of existing interventions in schools with a concentrated level of disadvantage. The process of...