Results 16,101-16,120 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (29 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy should be aware that significant improvements have been made in the pupil-teacher ratio and in average class size in recent years at primary level. The most recent figure available for average class size at primary level refers to the 2003-04 school year, when the average class size was 23.9, down from 26.6 in 1996-97. The pupil-teacher ratio at primary level, which includes all...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (29 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The qualifications in question were not referred to my Department. My Department prescribes qualifications for appointment to such posts but does not sanction individual appointments. The making of an appointment is a matter for the vocational education committee as the employer. The VEC has confirmed to my Department that the successful candidate qualifies in accordance with the criteria set...

Written Answers — Childhood Obesity: Childhood Obesity (29 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Our schools promote, support and encourage healthy eating and physical exercise in a range of ways. With regard to educating students about making good food choices, a curriculum in social, personal, and health education, SPHE, is mandatory for all primary students and its implementation is also being assisted by a full-time support service. Health and well-being, with food and nutrition, are...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (29 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The school referred to by the Deputy has made an application for funding under the additional accommodation scheme 2006. All applications under this scheme are being examined in the school planning section of my Department. The list of successful applicants will be published when the assessment process is completed.

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (29 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I outlined in my reply to a parliamentary question from the Deputy dated 15 November 2005 that my Department is examining all relevant correspondence on file regarding this case. I will communicate with the Deputy directly if it is considered that a meeting would be useful to clarify matters.

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (29 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Section 8 of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 provides that applications may be made to the redress board within three years of the establishment of the board. This means that the statutory closing date for receipt of applications by the board is 15 December 2005. The board has made arrangements for applications to be received at the board's offices up to midnight on that date...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (29 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The steering committee of the substance misuse prevention programme is examining a proposal for the expansion of the Walk Tall programme in primary schools in line with amended action 32 of the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy. As soon as the committee has considered the proposal and recommendations in detail, it will be sent to my Department for consideration and action.

Written Answers — Child Abuse: Child Abuse (29 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Child protection guidelines for primary and post-primary schools, which were distributed to primary and post-primary schools in 2001 and 2004 respectively, were produced in consultation with the partners in education to meet the needs for schools to have in place clear procedures which teachers and other school staff should follow where they suspect, or are alerted to, possible child abuse....

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (29 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 486 and 487 together. The post-primary school to which the Deputy refers is heavily oversubscribed as a result of a significant number of pupils enrolling from outside its catchment area. The cumulative effect of the development of this type of situation over a number of years can impact negatively on pupils from within the catchment area who are entitled, as...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (29 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy should be aware that significant improvements have been made in the pupil-teacher ratio and average class size in recent years at primary level. The most recent figure available for average class size at primary level refers to the 2003-04 school year, when the average class size was 23.9, down from 26.6 in 1996-97. The pupil-teacher ratio at primary level, which includes all the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (29 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: Under the current staffing schedule for primary schools, an enrolment of 12 recognised pupils at the end of September 2004 is required for the employment of a principal and one mainstream classroom teacher. However, the provisional enrolment figures, which have been submitted to the Department, indicate that a minimum of 12 recognised pupils were enrolled in a number of schools which...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware, a new general allocation system has been introduced under which schools have been provided with resource teaching hours, based on their enrolment figures, to cater for children with high incidence special needs such as dyslexia and those with learning support needs. My Department issued a comprehensive circular, Sp Ed 02/05, to all primary schools recently regarding...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: The locations in which litigants sought special educational services in actions initiated in 2004 and 2005 against the Minister for Education and Science on behalf of children are as follows. In 2004, one in Bangor in Wales, one in Meath, two in Kilkenny, three in Dublin, two in Cork, one in Offaly, one in Wicklow, two in Donegal, one in Galway, one in Sligo and one in Clare. In 2005, one in...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (29 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: It is assumed that the Deputy is referring to large scale primary and post primary school projects. As he will be aware, earlier this year the Department of Finance published capital appraisal guidelines relating to the need to undertake formal structured auditable assessments of new capital projects as follows: Value of project needed. If less than €500,000, a simple assessment; if between...

Written Answers — School Materials: School Materials (24 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 and 237 together. The DVD is entitled Gearrscannáin and it contains nine films in the Irish language. One of these films is Clare sa Spéir. This film is on the new prescribed literature course in Irish for leaving certificate which was introduced in schools in September 2004, for first examination in June 2006. The development of this DVD was funded by...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (24 Nov 2005)

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 — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (24 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My officials are currently examining the matter and will make direct contact with the Deputy in the coming days.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (24 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: My Department funds three means tested maintenance grant schemes for third level education students in respect of attendance on approved courses in approved third level institutions and one grant scheme in respect of post leaving certificate courses. These are the higher education grants scheme, the vocational education committees' scholarship scheme, the third level maintenance grants scheme...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy is aware the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, which was established recently and which has been operational since 1 January 2005, is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs, SEN, supports. My officials have been advised by the NCSE that no application for special needs assistance support for the pupil referred to by the Deputy has been...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Nov 2005)

Mary Hanafin: I can confirm that there are now over 5,000 teachers in our primary schools working directly with children with special needs, including those requiring learning support. This compares with fewer than 1,500 in 1998. Indeed, one out of every five primary school teachers is now working specifically with children with special needs. I can also confirm that there have been no cutbacks in the...