Results 15,241-15,260 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- EU Directives. (15 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: We have raised a number of issues to ensure that education as we see it, as a social and cultural contribution to the country and not an economic one, would be excluded from the scope of the services directive.
- School Inspections. (15 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: Some 641 subject inspections, including approximately 230 subject inspections to be carried out as part of whole-school evaluations, are planned for 2006. A totally revised format of subject inspection was introduced in September 2001. Since then, there has been a significant increase in the number of subject inspections carried out on an annual basis. In particular, inspection activity at...
- School Inspections. (15 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: On the last point, I believe I answered a parliamentary question tabled by the Deputy last week, which stated the number is four. If that is incorrect, I can come back to the Deputy. However, the inspectorate will not be at full capacity until the end of the year because of training etc. During a whole school evaluation, one of the core subjects â Irish, English or mathematics â must...
- School Inspections. (15 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: My understanding is that the subject inspection is the teaching and learning of the subject. Obviously, that would have to include the way the subject is being taught and received at the other end, so to speak. On the inspections, candidates may be part of the whole school evaluation or may be involved in a stand-alone inspection. The next ones that are planned, which will be very useful, are...
- School Management. (15 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The basis for recognising new primary schools derives from the provisions of the Education Act 1998 which allows a prospective patron to seek approval for a school that reflects the characteristic spirit of the sponsor. More recently, through the establishment of the new school advisory committee my Department has put in place a structured, open, transparent and consultative process under...
- School Management. (15 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The obligation of the State is to provide education. Where applications are made for a school by various groups around the country they are subjected to public consultation and the commission on schools analyses the need in a particular area. That does not necessarily mean that complete freedom of choice is available in every area. The historical reality is that schools were provided by the...
- School Management. (15 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: I have visited a few hundred schools in the past year and every school welcomes every child of every denomination and their families. It would be very wrong to give the impression that these children are not welcomed or included, irrespective of where the school is based. Children have rights under the Education Act 1998. Section 30 of that Act provides that no student is required to attend...
- School Management. (15 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: I have no intention of changing the management of schools throughout the country. I am not the manager or owner of schools. I do not own the sites and I am not a patron, so it is not possible to do so, nor do I want to ignore the contribution made by the present boards of management. The Deputy will have heard me refer to her party leader as being akin to Henry VIII trying to force the...
- School Management. (15 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: It is interesting to look at the new schools advisory committee and what has developed in recent years. Of the 25 new primary schools 12 are multi-denominational, six are Gaelscoileanna and just seven are denominational. Change is happening and it is being facilitated. We are open to the needs of an ever-changing Ireland but it does not mean we should have a one size fits all approach...
- Schools Building Projects. (15 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: As I have told the House before, the potential implications for school provision arising from new residential developments should be taken into account when such developments are being planned and approved. This places responsibilities on local authorities and on my Department to work together and I am happy to report that there are a number of very positive developments in that regard. My...
- Schools Building Projects. (15 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: I take issue with councils which do not take seriously their responsibilities for the provision of extra facilities or schools, granting instead planning permission for large numbers of houses without regard for the knock-on effects on education provision. From my Department's point of view, the area development plan enables us to look ten to 15 years into the future, while a number of the...
- Schools Building Projects. (15 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: Second level provision is also included in the area development plans. The Deputy will be aware that I met a deputation on the Donabate issue. Obviously certain matters need to be resolved, including the type and size of the school and who should be appointed patron. Once those issues are solvedââ
- Schools Building Projects. (15 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: ââit will be possible to progress the matter.
- School Discipline. (15 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that last year I established a task force on student behaviour in second level schools. This task force produced a mid-year interim report and has recently completed its final report as scheduled. I am very grateful to the task force and its chairperson, Ms Maeve Martin, for the detailed consideration they gave to this broad area in a relatively short time. The task...
- Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (14 Feb 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 — Irish Summer Colleges: Irish Summer Colleges (14 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: Irish summer colleges provide courses in the Irish language for children during the summer months. These colleges are privately run institutions. My Department, however, does provide grant aid on a capitation basis to these colleges to help reduce tuition costs. My Department has in place a set of rules for the payment of grants to Irish summer colleges. The rules state that the steering...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The school planning section of my Department is in receipt of an application for a new building from the management authority of the school to which the Deputy refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large-scale projects. Progress on the proposed works is being considered in the context of the school building and modernisation...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, which has been operational since 1 January 2005, is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs supports. More than 70 special educational needs organisers or SENOs have been recruited throughout the country and are a focal point of contact for schools and parents. My officials have been...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Feb 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 initiatives, the small schools initiative and the permanent accommodation initiative, were originally introduced on a pilot basis. Due to the positive feedback from...
- Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (14 Feb 2006)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 550 and 551 together. In 2004 the Department of Finance requested each Secretary General or head of office to discuss the question of decentralisation with his or her senior officers at assistant secretary level. In total, up to 60 posts at this level are due to relocate under the decentralisation programme. The decentralisation implementation group reported...