Results 13,281-13,300 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: There has been unprecedented investment in providing supports for pupils with special needs in recent years and Special Education continues to be a key Government priority. Over €1 billion is being spent in supporting special educational provision this year. The Deputy is aware that schools apply to the National Council for Special Education for supports for pupils with special...

Written Answers — Schools Patronage: Schools Patronage (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The issue of the Catholic Church divesting itself of certain schools was originally explicitly raised by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin. In discussions on this matter, senior representatives of the Catholic Church and my Department agreed that it was essential to engage in planning for change. In order to advance the matter, my Department agreed that it would examine a number of initial...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: My Department is fully committed to strengthening the quality of science teaching and learning, promoting increased scientific literacy and encouraging more students, both girls and boys, to choose science subjects. Science was introduced as a key component on the revised Primary School Curriculum and has been implemented in all schools since September 2003. An evaluation of implementation...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I am familiar with the issues raised by some members of the Protestant community concerning issues relating to Protestant fee-charging schools. I wish to assure the Deputy that I am committed to supporting Protestant education, while at the same time ensuring that funding arrangements for schools under Protestant management are in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. Officials...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The OECD PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) 2006 survey of 15 years olds across 57 countries showed that Ireland's mean score in mathematics was not significantly different from the OECD average. We ranked 16th of 30 OECD countries and 22nd of 57 countries. There were fewer lower achievers and higher achievers than the OECD average, with the majority of pupils scoring in...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Iam aware of the recent ASTI report referred to by the Deputy which is based on responses from 334 teachers of Junior Certificate science. It should be noted that school changes in subject offer is a regular occurrence. The data for schools discontinuing a science subject in the 2007/08 school year - before the increase in the pupil teacher ratio - is largely the same as the numbers...

Written Answers — Ministerial Meetings: Ministerial Meetings (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20, 145 and 28 together. The Taoiseach and relevant Ministers, including myself, held separate meetings with representatives of the religious congregations and groups representing survivors of residential institutional child abuse on 15th April. The context of the meetings was the responses from the eighteen Congregations, that were party to the 2002...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I am re-assessing organisational options for the student grants administration function in the context of the Government's wider programme of public service reform. Possible options for a more significant centralisation of functions are being explored with a view to streamlining operations and maximising administrative efficiency. This involves revisiting the proposals for administration...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: While 53 post-primary schools discontinued a science subject in the 2009/10 school year and 10 schools introduced a new science subject to their curriculum in the same year, it should be noted that changes by individual schools in the range of subjects they offer is a regular occurrence. It is worth noting that the data for schools discontinuing a science subject in the 2007/08 school...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24, 32 and 159 together. The supply teacher scheme was initially set up at primary level over 15 years ago at a time when schools had difficulty getting substitute teachers. The supply scheme operates on the basis of an additional full-time teacher being allocated to a school to cover certified sick leave absences in that school and a cluster of...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The delivery of religious education and faith formation in the community national schools, in keeping with the ethos of the schools, is rooted in principles of inclusion and respect for the diversity of the community represented in the school – with faith formation in different faiths being provided in accordance with the wishes of parents. The overwhelming emphasis in the...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The present primary school curriculum affords primacy to the language of instruction of the school in the recommended timeframe for language teaching in English- and Irish-medium schools. It provides for two languages from the beginning of schooling, and sets out learning objectives for all subjects which should be promoted at 4 key stages of primary schooling - by the end of the infant...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Primary education has a pivotal role in the preservation and expansion of the first official language. The promotion of the Irish language has been an important aim of successive Irish Governments and its place in our education system has been consistently protected. This is reflected in the fact that in recent years a significant number of new gaelscoileanna have been recognised – 17...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The report of the ASTI does not indicate that the teaching of science is deteriorating. However, it does show that 14% of schools have dropped a Leaving Certificate science subject from the curriculum this year, and teachers considered that a further 20% are likely to drop a science subject next year. Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The State Examinations Commission was asked to investigate and report on the circumstances that required the rescheduling of the Leaving Certificate English exam and the measures needed to address any weaknesses identified and to minimise the risk of any future recurrence. The State Examinations Commission submitted its report to my predecessor on 3 July 2009, and this report, which...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: 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 Allowance (BTEA), and the VTOS allowances for those pursuing PLC...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: My predecessor recently asked officials, in conjunction with the relevant State bodies, to examine available evidence in relation to the question of trend increases in grade awards at second and third levels. Papers have been prepared in respect of the State Examinations and the higher education sector and are available on my Department's website. . With regard to the State Examinations,...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: As part of the call for proposals for funding under the Labour Market Activation Fund, an extensive Request for Tender (RFT) document was published. A paper was also commissioned from Forfás which provided extensive guidance to tenderers in preparing proposals for education and training provision which would meet the specific requirements detailed in the RFT document. The public meeting on...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The key consultations, which took place before the December 2009 Budget, were between the relevant Ministers and their officials.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The school to which the Deputy refers applied to my Department for capital funding for a large scale extension project in September 2005. The application has been assessed in accordance with published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects and assigned a band 2 rating. However, the project has not yet progressed into architectural planning. Information in respect of the current...