Results 13,921-13,940 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Order of Business. (17 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: It was unfortunate that our deliberations on the Multi-Unit Developments Bill could not be completed last week. However, we will try to get it through because it is long awaited and much needed. The Government is anxious to pursue the constitutional amendment. However, a decision has not been taken with regard to either what will be the format of the referendum or when it will take place.

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (17 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 and 224 together. The position is that my Department is involved at a sectoral level in the context of budgetary discussions regarding overall funding and proposals for fee changes in relation to the higher education sector. However as the Deputies may be aware higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and the criteria governing the level of...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (17 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department in the format requested.

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (17 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: There are no plans at present to include Irish sign language as a specific subject within the national curriculum in primary and post-primary schools in the Junior Certificate, or established Leaving Certificate programmes. Irish Sign Language is one of the optional modules available within the Leaving Certificate Applied programme. However, the Transition Year Programme, which is available...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (17 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: 53 tutors are providing training to the 117 families approved for support under the Irish Sign Language home tuition scheme.

Written Answers — Third Level Places: Third Level Places (17 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 217 to 220, inclusive, together. 1,752 unemployed people were supported to embark on part-time higher education courses that support the goals of the 'Smart Economy' from September 2009. 1,122 of these students undertook programmes at undergraduate level and 630 undertook programmes at postgraduate level. A preliminary analysis by the HEA of information...

Written Answers — Corporate Governance: Corporate Governance (17 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 221 to 223, inclusive, together. The revised and updated Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, published by the Department of Finance in May 2009, which contains the framework agreed by Government for the internal management and the internal and external reporting relationships of commercial and non-commercial State bodies was forwarded to all...

Written Answers — School Libraries: School Libraries (17 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 225, 226 and 231 together. Currently there are 30 schools included in the Demonstration Library Project. The full list of schools is provided hereunder: Donegal -Pobalscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola Meath - Beaufort College Waterford - Colaiste Chathail Naofa - St. Paul's Community College Wexford - Enniscorthy Vocational College - Wexford Vocational...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (17 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy may be aware, the Teaching Council is the body with responsibility for establishing and maintaining standards in the teaching profession in this State, including the recognition of qualifications for teacher registration. My officials have made enquiries with the Teaching Council regarding this matter. The situation is as follows: Admission to the register of teachers is...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (17 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Under the Labour Market Activation (LMA) initiative almost 1,800 unemployed people were supported to embark on part-time undergraduate and postgraduate programmes from September 2009 in areas that support the goals of the 'Smart Economy'. Subject to institutional requirements regarding passing exams and course progression, students who are unemployed, i.e. on the Live Register, are entitled...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 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 a band 2.5 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (17 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The pension benefits of the person in question have been revised and are planned for inclusion in his next pension payment.

Written Answers — Third Level Courses: Third Level Courses (17 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The total number of students undertaking the BSc in Chemical and Process Engineering in UCC is currently 91 (2009/10 data) and there are 87 students undertaking the BSc in Process and Chemical Engineering in Cork IT. Decisions in relation to the provision of specific programmes of study are a matter for individual higher education institutions and are taken having regard to a wide range of...

Written Answers — School Provision: School Provision (17 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has increased post-primary school capacity in the Lucan area with the provision of recently completed building projects. This includes the opening of a new post-primary school in Adamstown in September 2009 which has capacity to cater for up to 1,000 pupils. These recently completed projects, in addition to currently planned extension projects, will assist in reducing pressure...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Forward Planning Section of my Department has carried out a study of the country to identify the areas where, due to demographic changes, there may be a requirement for significant additional school provision at both primary and post-primary levels over the coming years. This study has been conducted using data from the Central Statistics Office, the General Register Office and the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (17 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resources to schools to support pupils with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. SENOs also make recommendations to my Department where...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Representations have been made to my Department by individuals formerly employed by SR Technics, by their trade union and by public representatives in relation to the retraining and upskilling of the former workers, including apprentices. A wide range of measures has been initiated through FÁS to support redundant apprentices in completing their apprenticeships. The measures of relevance to...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: In January 2009, Dell announced an imminent 1,900 redundancies at its Raheen plant from April 2009. Known redundancies at Dell's downstream producers and suppliers directly related to the Dell redundancies were included in the EGF application submitted in June 2009. The company in question was not linked to the Dell redundancies at that time and no representations on behalf of workers there...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The on-line inventory of school accommodation is available to schools on the Department's Esinet portal. The system went live for all schools on Friday 28th of May, 2010 and schools have commenced inputting the relevant data since then. The system is not available to the general public. When all the information has been received from schools, the Inventory will provide key data and...

Written Answers — Child Abuse: Child Abuse (22 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has provided funding to some support groups which were specifically established for the purposes of providing an information and referral service for former residents of institutions wishing to access services established by the Government on foot of An Taoiseach's apology of May 1999. My Department would not be in a position to provide details...