Results 14,981-15,000 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that works on the school buildings to which he refers were included in my recent announcement of 62 schools for which design teams will be appointed under the 2006 capital programme. The timing of the amalgamation of the schools in question and the relocation of the school referred to by the Deputy is dependent on the rate of progress on the refurbishment...

Written Answers — School Discipline: School Discipline (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Under section 23 of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 schools are required to have in place a code of behaviour detailing the circumstances under which the penalties of suspension and expulsion may be incurred. The Act requires that each board of management formulates a code of behaviour in consultation with teachers, parents and the NEWB. The code of behaviour shall specify the standards of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: An application for capital funding towards the provision of an extension has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. The project is being considered in the context of the school building and modernisation programme 2006-10. The Deputy will be aware that I have made a number of announcements already this year on the 2006 school building programme and will be making further...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The new 32 classroom building project for the schools referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. The project was listed in my announcement of March 2005 to start the architectural planning process. A design team was appointed in October 2005 and my Department wrote to the school authorities outlining the scope of works and giving approval to prepare a stage 1-2...

Written Answers — All-Irish Schools: All-Irish Schools (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: It is intended that the review of all-Irish provision at primary level in the Ballymun area will be completed in the very near future. The outcome of this review will inform decisions on the allocation of capital resources to meet the long-term accommodation needs of both gaelscoileanna in the Ballymun area.

Written Answers — Property Transfers: Property Transfers (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The indemnity agreement between the State and religious congregations provides that any property transferring to the State party under the agreement must be of good and marketable title. Good and marketable title is established by way of a certificate of title by the transferor's solicitor or by way of an investigation of title by the Chief State Solicitor's Office. Any property that is the...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Of the total number of children who were granted an exemption from the study of Irish, 9% were granted an exemption on the basis that their primary education up to 11 years of age was received in Northern Ireland or outside Ireland and 8% were granted an exemption on the basis that they were pupils from abroad, who had no understanding of English when enrolled and who would be required to...

Written Answers — Departmental Surveys: Departmental Surveys (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As I indicated in my answer to Question No. 133, the inspectorate of my Department conducted two evaluations involving Irish during the 2004-2005 school year. At primary level, an evaluation of teaching and learning in Irish, along with English or mathematics, took place in 40 schools during the period from January to June 2005. Data from this evaluation are currently being analysed by the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Of the total number of pupils at primary level who were granted exemptions from the study of Irish on the basis that they had assessed learning difficulties, 60% were granted exemption on the basis that they were pupils who function intellectually at average or above average level but have a specific learning disability of such a degree of severity that they fail to achieve expected levels of...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Leaving certificate Irish will be one of the first subjects to be reviewed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, as part of its work on developing senior cycle. This process will involve reviewing the assessment methods as well as updating the syllabus and embedding specified key skills. My view is that we need to work towards improvements in the area of spoken Irish...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Capitation grants are paid in respect of validly enrolled and recognised pupils in primary schools and in post-primary schools in the free education scheme. For the purposes of recognition, a pupil must be following an approved course, which must include the study of Irish unless an exemption from the study of Irish has been granted to the pupil in question. There are no proposals at present...

Written Answers — Departmental Surveys: Departmental Surveys (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy refers to the report, Irish in Primary Schools: National Trends in Achievement, 1985-2002, by Dr. John Harris. The report considers standards of spoken Irish among sixth class pupils based on surveys of spoken Irish carried out in 1985 and 2002. Arrangements for the publication of the report by my Department are ongoing since the receipt of the final report at the latter end of...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department funded 25 Irish language courses, involving over 600 participants, which were provided as part of the 2005 summer course programme for primary teachers in line with the requirements of the revised primary curriculum. The 25 Irish language courses can be divided into two main categories: 20 courses had as their focus the teaching of all aspects of Irish in primary classrooms...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I have requested the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, to review the subject syllabuses for the leaving certificate as the major next step in advancing its proposals for senior cycle reform. One purpose of reviewing subjects is to rebalance knowledge content in order to accommodate key skills such as critical and creative thinking and learning how to learn. Another is to...

Written Answers — Departmental Surveys: Departmental Surveys (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The inspectorate in my Department carried out an evaluation of the teaching and learning of Irish at junior cycle level in 75 schools during the years 2004 and 2005. The 75 schools were chosen on a geographical basis with 15 schools in each of the five inspectorate regions of the country. Schools were selected by type — secondary, vocational, community and comprehensive schools, schools in...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The assessment of Irish for the junior certificate includes provision for an optional oral examination which may be conducted by the class teacher in accordance with guidelines issued by the State Examinations Commission. The decision on whether or not to avail of this option is taken at school level. The syllabus for junior certificate Irish places strong emphasis on developing communicative...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department provides funding to schools recognised for the purposes of the Education Act 1998. The basis for recognising new primary schools derives from the provisions of the Education Act which allow a prospective patron to seek approval for a school that reflects the characteristic spirit of the sponsor. More recently through establishing the new school advisory committee my Department...

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: There are currently 736 second-level schools in the country. It is not easy to provide a reliable number of impending amalgamations at any given time as the process for amalgamation can take many years to complete the stages involved, from initial feasibility discussions through to school community consultation to agreement and finally to the implementation of the decision.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The number of school principals appointed in the voluntary secondary and community and comprehensive schools in the 2004-05 school year was 49.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (22 Feb 2006)

Mary Hanafin: A total of 146 new principals have been appointed in primary schools since the 1 September 2005, the beginning of the current school year.