Results 15,781-15,800 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Order of Business (13 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The heads of the NAMA legislation were agreed by the Cabinet at our last meeting and the legislation is being drafted. I will advise the Minister that the Deputy is anxious to get a briefing on the matter as quickly as possible. On the Pierce Construction issue, the buildings are going ahead because of a joint venture with Sisk. Senator Quinn's legislation in the Upper House has been...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (13 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is an independent agency with responsibility for determining the appropriate staffing levels in relation to the support of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream and special schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's policy in allocating this support. The NCSE has advised my Department that the...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (13 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The following are the details of appointments made by me between the dates mentioned. In accordance with Section 6(2) of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 the ten Residential Institutions Redress Board (RIRB) members listed as follows were re-appointed with effect from 1st January 2011. These members were initially appointed following a competitive interview process. - Dr Helen...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: My Department is currently undertaking some preliminary work on the project for the school to which the Deputy refers. My officials have been in touch with the school authorities and will make further contact shortly, in relation to progression of the project.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (13 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: It is proposed that a first call for proposals for €5m under the new €20m multi-annual higher education labour market fund will be published in the coming weeks. The purpose of the Fund is to enable higher education providers to offer part-time and flexibly delivered education opportunities to unemployed people, leading to awards at Levels 6-9 on the National Framework of...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (13 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: Funding for Emergency Works are made available to those schools most in need of resources as a result of unforeseen emergencies of a capital nature that may arise during the school year. The school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application for funding under this scheme to my Department and this application is being assessed. A decision will issue to the school as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for an extension. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 2 rating. 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 (13 Jan 2011)

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. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (13 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The School Authority contacted officials in my Department in December 2010 in relation to damages to a roof caused by inclement weather. They were advised to submit an Emergency Works application for funding to have the roof repaired and to have improvement works carried out to the school's sewerage system. There is no record of any Emergency Works application having been received for these...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (13 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: An allowance is payable to a teacher who has been awarded a Graduate or Higher Diploma in Special Educational Needs. Teachers who are redeployed by school management from a special educational needs post to another post within the school within 4 years of receiving the allowance are not entitled to retain the allowance. A teacher who is redeployed by school management from a special...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (13 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The scheme for the award of incremental credit on the common basic scale for post-primary teachers forms part of their terms and conditions of employment. The criteria for the award of such credit flow from agreements reached at the Teachers' Conciliation Council. It is possible for teaching experience in private educational settings to be recognised for the purposes of incremental credit....

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: I wish to clarify for the Deputy that my Department advised the school authority in August 2010 that it was not in a position to grant aid the relocation of the school in question to another property. In reaching this decision, my Department considered the costs associated with a relocation together with the fact that a building project is being advanced which will provide a permanent...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: My Department is committed to ensuring that all children including those with special needs can have access to an education appropriate to their needs. This facilitates access to individualised education programmes, fully qualified professional teachers, special needs assistants and the appropriate school curriculum with the option, in line with each child's ability, of full/partial...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for funding for additional accommodation. The application is currently being assessed and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority in due course.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: Currently approximately 10,458 whole time equivalent (wte) teaching posts and 754 SNA (wte) posts are allocated to VEC schools. In addition, as of 31st March 2010, the most recent date for which full figures are available, there were approximately 2,042 WTE non-teaching posts in the VEC sector funded from my Department's pay budget. The Deputy should note that approximately half of these...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the relevant grant awarding authority i.e. the applicant's local authority or VEC. Where a grant application is refused, the reason for the refusal is given by the grant awarding authority. An applicant may appeal the decision to the relevant local authority or VEC. Where the grant awarding authority...

Written Answers — School Patronage: School Patronage (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: I have not received a copy of the draft position paper by the organisation you mention. I understand that the document in question is a preliminary version of a submission which the organisation in question proposes to make to the Irish Human Rights Commission. The Irish Human Rights Commission has issued a discussion paper which explores the place of religion in education from a human...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: I am aware that the college the Deputy refers to is no longer offering courses and ceased trading in October 2010. Under the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, 1999, FETAC-registered providers, delivering programmes of three months duration or more on a commercial and profit making basis, are required to have policy and procedures for the Protection for Learners, aimed at ensuring...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The school referred to by the Deputy is included in the 2nd bundle of primary/post-primary projects being provided under my Department's PPP programme. The other schools in the bundle are Bantry Community College and Gaelscoil Bantry, Co. Cork, Abbeyfeale Community College, Co. Limerick, Wicklow Town Community College and Athboy Community School. The Macquarie Partnership for Ireland (MPFI)...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The recruitment and appointment of the Principal at the school referred to by the Deputy is the responsibility of its Board of Management. My Department has given its approval for this post of Principal to be filled from 1 February 2011.