Results 17,121-17,140 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (11 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: The word "noble" is being bandied about by the Opposition. Something that is noble is something that is worthwhile and worth achieving.
- Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (11 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: We all aspire to something that is noble. To hold the office of Minister for Education and Science is a noble aspiration for many Members and some of us, fortunately, have managed to achieve it. Noble aspirations, therefore, are achieved and I am confident they will be achieved in the future. It is interesting to note with regard to class size in OECD reports that outcomes in other countries...
- Educational Disadvantage. (11 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: DEIS â delivering equality of opportunity in schools â the new action plan for educational inclusion, which I launched last May, aims to ensure that the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities are prioritised and effectively addressed. The plan provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated school...
- Educational Disadvantage. (11 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: I do not accept that schools have lost under the model for the allocation of teachers for special needs. For the first time, there is a permanent allocation for every school in the country.
- Educational Disadvantage. (11 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: In the past, these resources were allocated on an ad hoc rather than a permanent basis. Now they are permanent. On the question of schools which are deemed to be disadvantaged under this system, the allocation is one to 80 for the most disadvantaged schools. This would change immediately for those schools once the survey has been completed, which is anticipated to be by the end of this year....
- Educational Disadvantage. (11 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: Educational disadvantage is the issue. Some counties are the first to declare their economic or social disadvantage but it is often the case that students from these counties show participation rates in third level education that are among the highest in the country. I cite County Leitrim to prove my point. It has the highest rate of participation in third level education in the country yet...
- School Discipline. (11 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 54 together. The task force on student behaviour will complete a final report, including recommendations, later this year. At the interim report stage, the task force decided to document the broad areas emerging and which have recurred with such frequency within its work to date and which in its opinion are representative of the central issues of...
- School Discipline. (11 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: The great advantage of this report is that it has examined both the negative and the positive evidence in schools showing the manner in which schools manage disruptive behaviour. There are some excellent examples of good practice. I expect the final report will focus on issues such as school culture, the code of behaviour, the means by which students are given a voice, the sense of community...
- School Discipline. (11 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: Schools have indicated to me that they have a problem with section 29. However, it should be noted that of all the appeals lodged under section 29, two thirds are resolved in favour of the school and only one third in favour of the students. Schools seem to have the idea that the appeals system is always against them but in reality, that is not the case. I have already indicated that I would...
- Physical Education Facilities. (11 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: Ba mhaith liom a dhearbhú don Teachta go bhfuil gealltanas tugtha ag an Roinn ciste a sholáthar do PE agus do limistéir shúgartha lasmuigh agus do limistéir ilghnó i scoileanna mar chuid den chlár um infheistÃocht chaipitil do scoileanna. Tá an gealltanas seo dá thabhairt i gcomhthéacs acmhainnà a bheith ar fáil chuige agus i gcomhthéacs na gcritéar a foilsÃodh maidir leis na...
- Physical Education Facilities. (11 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: Mar is eol don Teachta, bhuail mé le grúpa ón scoil, agus tá seanaithne agus ardmheas agam ar an bprÃomhoide, ós rud é go rabhamar sa choláiste agus ag dÃospóireacht chraobh na hÃireann le chéile. Ba bhreá liom bronntanas breá a thabhairt do gach aon scoil in Ãirinn, agus go háirithe do scoil mar sin. In ainneoin go bhfuil â¬500 milliún á chaitheamh agam ar fhoirgnimh i...
- Special Educational Needs. (11 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: Enormous progress has been made in recent years in increasing the number of teachers in our schools who are specifically dedicated to providing education for children with special educational needs. At primary level there are now approximately 5,000 teachers in our schools working directly with children with special needs, including those requiring learning support. This compares to under...
- Schools Evaluation. (11 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, I am determined to provide more information, for parents in particular, about our schools in a way that ensures a fair and comprehensive picture of all the different activities in a school. As I said on many occasions, I am strongly opposed to the publication of crude league tables based solely on examination or test results. Such tables provide an unbalanced and...
- Schools Evaluation. (11 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: Whole school evaluation and subject inspection reports will be published. A significant number of subject inspection reports take place each year whereby all the teachers are inspected. These reports will be published, as will thematic inspection reports on, for example, Gaeilge, English and mathematics in the primary curriculum. The chief inspector's report referred to these topics this...
- Schools Evaluation. (11 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: One of the central parts of the whole school evaluation of second level schools is the involvement of students, who will meet inspectors and fully participate in the process. This reinforces the fact it is a whole school evaluation because it involves everybody. I look forward to the valuable process that will commence in January.
- Garda Vetting Procedures. (11 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: Ensuring the protection, health and welfare of children is a key concern for the Government, for parents, for agencies that work with children and for society generally and I assure the Deputy that the Government is determined to do all that we can to keep our children and vulnerable adults safe. In improving our child protection procedures, the Government has focused on extending the...
- Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (6 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: DEIS, delivering equality of opportunity in schools, the new action plan for educational inclusion, which will be introduced on a phased basis, starting during the current school year, aims to ensure that the educational needs of children and young people, from pre-school to completion of upper second-level education â three to 18 years â from disadvantaged communities are prioritised and...
- Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (6 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: The school, which is an all-boys senior primary school, will close on a phased basis culminating in final closure in June 2007. To facilitate pupils who would ordinarily have attended this school, the Department of Education and Science has sanctioned a request for a change of status from a neighbouring school. This will enable the enrolment of senior boys into this school which, heretofore,...
- Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (6 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of the primary school transport scheme, children are eligible, subject to conditions, for free transport to their nearest national school or school of amalgamation. Pupils not attending their nearest national school may, subject to conditions, avail of concessionary fare-paying transport to another school, subject to spare accommodation being available on the bus and provided...
- Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (6 Oct 2005)
Mary Hanafin: The school planning section of the Department of Education and Science wrote to the chairperson of the group proposing the development of the school in question in July 2005. This letter requested clarification on where exactly it was intended to establish the school. A response from the chairperson was received later that month indicating a preferred location. A further letter recently...