Results 15,081-15,100 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Bullying in Schools: Bullying in Schools (9 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, all of our schools are required to have in place a Code of Behaviour and this code must be drawn up in accordance with the guidelines of the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB). The NEWB guidelines were issued to schools in 2008 and make it clear that each school must have policies to prevent or address bullying and harassment and that schools...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (9 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: In terms of the position at individual school level the key factor for determining the level of resources provided by my Department is the pupil enrolment at the 30 September of each year. While the staffing schedule allocates on the basis of an average number of pupils each individual school decides on how to arrange its classes. The recruitment, selection and appointment of teachers to...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Extensive statistical information is available on my Department's website including data in relation to pupil teacher ratios. Pupil Teacher Ratio in respect of all schools is only available at national level and not disaggregated by province or individual school level.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: It is expected that by the end of 2010, major building projects for 53 schools on the school building programme will have commenced on site this year. This compares to projects for 34 schools going on site last year and is therefore a 56% increase in on site commencements compared to last year. There are nearly as many major building projects going on site in the second half of this year as...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 169, 170 and 171 together. Each national school has an allocation of learning support/resource teacher hours to assist schools in making appropriate provision for pupils with learning difficulties and high incidence special educational needs. Each post-primary school has an allocation of learning support teaching hours. It is a matter for school...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (9 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The most recent projections used by my Department would see the projected enrolments at post-primary level increase from the current total enrolment (excluding PLCs) of circa 312,200 pupils to an expected enrolment of between 331,500 and 336,600 pupils by the year 2017. At primary level, the most recent projections would see an increase in enrolments from the current total enrolment of circa...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: In relation to the project to which the Deputy refers, the original OJEU contract notice for the prequalification of contractors issued on the basis that a set number of contractors would pre-qualify; therefore it is not possible to extend the pre-qualification list in this case.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Office of Public Works acquired the land in question on behalf of my Department. The price paid for the land was based on the market conditions prevailing at the time of purchase. I am advised that my Department is not aware of any lobbying referred to by the Deputy on this matter.

Written Answers — Daylight Savings Time: Daylight Savings Time (9 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: There is no cost associated with changing clocks from summer time to winter time in my Department.

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (10 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Implementation of the Government decision to reduce the overall number of VECs to from 33 to 16 will be carried within a timeframe of approximately 18 months. Many of the detailed aspects of the restructuring, including the location of the headquarters of the new VECs and the number of administrative staff which each of the new VEC entities will have, will fall to be considered and worked...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The school referred to by the Deputy was authorised earlier this year to tender for the appointment of a design team. The Board of Management has finalised its assessment of the tenders received and unless unforeseen issues arise the appointment process is expected to be completed shortly. The design team, once appointed, will then commence work on stage 1 of architectural planning.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The project to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process. Subject to no issues arising, it is anticipated that the project will progress to construction in the near future.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for a new school. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band rating of 2.1. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The most recent projections produced by my Department are forecasting an increase in the projected enrolments at post-primary level in the coming years. It is within this context that the Forward Planning Section of my Department is in the process of analysing all areas in the country in order to determine the level of additional provision which will be required at both primary and post...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I can confirm that in May 2008, my Department offered the school to which the Deputy refers, an all-in devolved grant for the provision of an 80m2 mainstream classroom. I understand the project was completed in July 2009. In June 2010, the school was approved funding to build a further 80m2 mainstream classroom and three 16m2 learning support rooms. The school subsequently requested that the...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (10 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy is aware, Vocational Education Committees, including City of Dublin VEC and County Dublin VEC, are statutory bodies which employ and pay their own staff. Nonetheless, my Department holds information regarding staffing levels for certain categories of VEC employees. The number of teaching posts allocated to a VEC scheme at any one time is determined in accordance with the agreed...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Forward Planning Section of my Department is in the process of analysing all areas in the country in order to determine the level of additional provision which will be required at both primary and post-primary level up to 2017. Overall post-primary requirements in the Swords area will be fully considered in this context. In addition to this I have recently announced my intention to put in...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Forward Planning Section of my Department is in the process of analysing all areas in the country in order to determine the level of additional provision which will be required at both primary and post-primary level up to 2017. Overall post-primary requirements in the area referred to by the Deputy, including the case for the provision of a new second level all Irish language school, will...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (10 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy will be aware that the home tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting a suitable educational placement and also to provide early educational intervention for pre-school...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (10 Nov 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Web applications designed, developed and maintained by my Department are done so on the basis of requirements agreed with the user community. These requirements incorporate, where appropriate, legislative requirements, technical standards and data protection, security, accessibility and usability requirements. The web applications are subjected to extensive user acceptance testing...