Results 15,581-15,600 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Student Support Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I move amendment No. 33: In page 33, to delete lines 37 and 38.

Student Support Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I appreciate the Deputy's argument but this is an expert board as opposed to a representative board.

Student Support Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: They are experts at being students.

Student Support Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I appreciate that but we are dealing with the eligibility criteria to access grant aid. The central tenet of the establishment of the appeals board is it should comprise experts. The specific inclusion of students in a representative capacity would be likely to lead to a conflict of interest where objective examination of the facts is required. Nothing in the current provision would...

Student Support Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I appreciate the Members' motivation but the USI and the student bodies have been very much involved, during my tenure and those of my predecessors, in policy frameworks and decisions and in putting forward their perspective. This legislation, for example, was very important to them. However, the issue in this case is that this is not a representative group or body. This board would be...

Student Support Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: However, it does not preclude one from appointing a student.

Student Support Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: That is the problem.

Student Support Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I am not saying that the student body in this country would not be sufficiently competent. That should not be taken to be my response. This appeal board will probably only meet on an odd occasion. It will be a small board composed of experts. Most of those experts would have been students at one time; otherwise they would not be experts as they would generally require a third level education.

Student Support Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy is a fair expert at present but in 1964 there was not even word of a union. Things move on, even in this House. However, I have a concern about this. Over the years I have had the opportunity to appoint a number of independent appeals boards. The absolute integrity of such boards is based on the fact that members of the board would not in any way benefit or otherwise from a...

Student Support Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: He was one of them. A number of us were political and student activists and a few who preceded us did very well. The student body in this country has been most mature and very involved in policy formation and frameworks. I admire what the students are doing. That is their job; they must prepare for the future. However, I am uncomfortable about accepting this amendment.

Student Support Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I move amendment No. 35: In page 33, line 46, to delete "education or administration of schemes of payments" and substitute the following: "education, administration of schemes of payments or fair procedures". This amendment is designed to include a knowledge of fair procedures among the criteria for those eligible to be appointed to the appeals board. Amendment No. 36 provides for the...

Student Support Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I move amendment No. 36: In page 34, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following: "(13) A member of the Appeals Board shall cease to be qualified for membership of the Appeals Board and shall cease to be such member if he or she— (a) is adjudicated bankrupt, (b) makes a composition or arrangement with creditors, or (c) is sentenced by a court of competent jurisdiction to a term of...

Student Support Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I thank my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Haughey, for the work he has done on this legislation. I also thank my colleagues in the House. People have been waiting for this legislation for a considerable period but I believe it will provide something very valuable for our citizens. That is clearly what we must achieve in this country. I wish to thank the stakeholders,...

Student Support Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: No.

Student Support Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I asked the Leader of the Seanad if he could facilitate us with this Bill in the beginning of the next term. I have been advised that the single scheme will be available for September 2011.

FÁS Training Programmes (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I first became aware of FETAC's decision to place a hold on the issuing of certificates to FÁS on 18 November. I understand that FÁS, in the implementation of its new training standards system, discovered processing issues in the north east which gave rise to errors on requests which had been made by FÁS to FETAC. Certificates for 53 learners on six courses were involved but the...

FÁS Training Programmes (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: To clarify, following on from the reports initiated by me and by FÁS as regards the issues that arose in the north east, a number of recommendations were made. One of them was to the effect that we would have to change the way in which we inputted the results. That new system commenced in September this year and is known as the new training standards system. Another issue that arose was...

FÁS Training Programmes (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: In the main, these are not assessment-related issues. They are inputting, processing and administrative issues. However, I do not want to mislead the House since I do not have the full report to hand, as yet. It will be published and any issues that arise from it will then be dealt with forthwith. As regards the 53 persons who still have not had the finalisation of their examinations,...

FÁS Training Programmes (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Anybody who did not turn up for an exam will not get accreditation.

FÁS Training Programmes (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: This question is as regards the FETAC examination and I do not wish to mislead the Deputy or be inaccurate in what I am saying. However, I will revert to the Deputy and I appreciate that he has looked for further information. I have asked my officials to ensure that this information will be made available to him, forthwith.