Results 13,161-13,180 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has made an application to my Department for large scale capital funding. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned an appropriate band rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I have responded to the letter referred to by the Deputy on behalf of the Justice for Magdalenes Group. In my response I confirmed that I was aware of the campaign being pursued by the Justice for Magdalenes Group and advised that the position in relation to my Department had been explained both in correspondence with the Group and at the meeting between my officials and representatives of...

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: In 2004, agreement to amalgamate was reached by the two primary schools in the area referred to by the Deputy. Due to accommodation concerns the amalgamation did not progress at that time. A technical inspection was carried out on the existing school buildings to determine which would be suitable to accommodate the amalgamated school. The report following this inspection concluded that...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Details of former Government office holders that were appointed to organisations under the aegis of this Department are contained in the attached tabular statement. Records in relation to the salaries/fees, expenses and travel costs are a matter for the bodies concerned and as such are not recorded at my Department. I have asked officials at my Department to request these details from the...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. In this regard a Board of Management may find it necessary to restrict enrolment to children from a particular area or a particular age group or, occasionally, on the basis of some other criterion. The criteria to be applied by schools in such...

Written Answers — Postgraduate Studies: Postgraduate Studies (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The five Colleges of Education offer a three-year course for school-leavers and mature students which is the main path for entry to primary teaching. Students attending St Patrick's College Drumcondra and Mary Immaculate College Limerick are awarded an honours level 8 Bachelor of Education degree at the end of three years. Students attending the other three Colleges of Education are...

Written Answers — Postgraduate Studies: Postgraduate Studies (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Four of the Colleges of Education offer an 18-month post graduate primary teacher education course for holders of suitable university degrees. The courses offered by Froebel College and Coláiste Mhuire, MIE are funded by my Department via capitation grants and the level of funding provided was as follows; 2008 €1,928,352 2009 €1,834,484...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 388 to 391, inclusive, together. The Deputy will be aware that the current difficult economic circumstances have necessitated tough choices to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In these circumstances, from September 2010, as announced in the Budget, all new applicants who are in receipt of the Back to Education...

Written Answers — Income Levy Certificates: Income Levy Certificates (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: My officials are currently making arrangements for the issue of approximately 100,000 income levy certificates to teaching and non-teaching staff - both serving and retired who are paid through my Department's centralised payroll system. I understand that the certificates will issue on a phased basis over the next few weeks.

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations and determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations. I can inform the Deputy that the Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers, for the establishment of special classes for autism and for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE will continue to establish additional autism classes where...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 395 and 396 together. When the moratorium was introduced the Government exempted Principal and Deputy Principal appointments in all primary and post-primary schools and these continue to be replaced in the normal manner. The impact of the moratorium is therefore limited to the Assistant Principal and Special Duties allowances payable to teachers on...

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level for the coming school year is the pupil enrolment at 30 September 2009. The staffing schedule for the coming school year was recently published by my Department. The additional posts in the renewed Programme for Government enabled some improvement to be made to the staffing schedule. The...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: There are a number of contributory variables in relation to the demand for new school principals. Foremost of these is the number of retirements among serving principals of which non-compulsory retirements is the biggest factor. While the number of non-compulsory retirements in respect of the next ten years is not known, the recent retirement trends of principal teachers may be indicative....

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: My Department is in receipt of correspondence from the school referred to by the Deputy regarding its current designation and my officials will be in further contact with the school in this regard.

Written Answers — Gaelscoileanna: Gaelscoileanna (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 401 and 402 together. Tá ról maighdeogach le himirt ag an mbunscolaíocht i gcaomhnú agus i leathnú na céad teanga oifigiúla. Bhí cur chun cinn na Gaeilge ina haidhm mhór ariamh ag Rialtais na hÉireann i ndiaidh a chéile agus cosnaíodh i gcónaí a hionad sa chóras oideachais. Comhartha air seo an chaoi inar aithníodh líon suntasach...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The enrolment of a child in a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment in schools and therefore the information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of students in County Cork with special needs currently seeking access to second...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I am advised that the school is currently in occupation of a portion of the site owned by Council. In relation to the outright acquisition of the entire holding, my Department understands that the County Council are in the process of rectifying outstanding title difficulties. When good title is demonstrated, the proposed acquisition of the site and the proposed permanent building project for...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Under the terms of my Department's student grant and free fees schemes, students who are entering approved courses for the first time are eligible for grants and free tuition fees where they satisfy the prescribed conditions of the individual schemes, including those relating to progression. In general, students who previously pursued a course of study are not eligible for grant assistance or...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (5 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The person referred to by the Deputy is currently employed by Co Westmeath Vocational Education Committee and is based at one of the Committee's Community Colleges in that county. A new school is planned to replace the College's existing building and the project is one of eight new schools which were approved for inclusion in the 3rd Bundle of schools to be procured via Public Private...