Results 2,021-2,040 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Schools Vandalism: Schools Vandalism (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The information requested by the Deputy is a matter for each local school management authority. There is no requirement on a school to notify my Department of break-ins. School management authorities are required to have appropriate insurance cover in place to deal with such matters.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: My Department funds four maintenance grant schemes for third level and further education students. These are the Higher Education Grants (HEG) Scheme, the Vocational Education Committees' (VEC) Scholarships Scheme, the Third Level Maintenance Grants Scheme for Trainees (TLT) and the Maintenance Grants Scheme for students attending post leaving certificate courses (PLC). The decision on...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 599 and 605 together. The July Education Programme caters for pupils with autism or severe or profound general learning disability. It is available to all special schools and mainstream schools with special classes catering for children with autism. Where school-based provision is not available, parents may apply for home-based tuition. There has been a...

Written Answers — Youthreach Programme: Youthreach Programme (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The scheme for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers in second level schools was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers' Conciliation Council, a body established in accordance with the terms of the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for Teachers. The scheme is currently set out in consolidated format in Department Circular 29/2007. The person referred to by the Deputy is...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The funding provided by my Department to the National Parents' Council Primary in 2008 was €355,000 for core funding for the running of the council and €73,115 for training courses and information seminars. In 2009, €355,000 was also provided for core funding with €25,000 for training courses and information seminars. The indicative funding allocation for 2010 is €355,000 for core...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: In accordance with the renewed programme for Government and a commitment made in budget 2010, my Department has this month issued funding to schools to enable them to provide assistance for school books. Details of the funding were notified to schools by circulars 0041/2010 (second level) and 0043/2010 (first level). I have allocated this funding on a per capita basis as follows: Primary...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Jun 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 courses,...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: A written response to the Deputy's question issued from my Department on 28 June 2010.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The course referred to by the Deputy is an approved course under the terms and conditions of the PLC scheme. However, not all students attending this course would be deemed to be eligible for funding when previous academic attainment is taken into account as they may not be deemed to be progressing under the scheme. The PLC scheme prescribes the terms and conditions of funding in respect of...

Written Answers — Departmental Property: Departmental Property (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the property to which he refers has been fully accepted under the terms of the 2002 Indemnity Agreement. The property comprises a period building on c.6 acres of land. The property has been transferred to the ownership of the Health Services Executive and the plans for the future of this property is a matter for the HSE.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: A grant is payable for the normal duration of an approved course and is renewed annually subject to ongoing compliance with the terms and conditions of the third level grant schemes. Under the Higher Education Grant Scheme, the college referred to the Deputy has the following two courses approved for grant aid, both of which are of four years duration. BComm (Hons) combined with NUI Diploma...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school placement for their child. The NEWB has indicated that it will treat children for whom an appeal under section 29 has been unsuccessful as priority cases in offering such assistance. The Deputy may be aware that a...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I wish to inform the Deputy that an application for a new school building has been received from the school authority to which he refers. The school's application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria of my Department and the application has been assigned a band rating of 1.4. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project,...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 249 together. The Higher Education Grants Schemes operate under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. Under the Higher Education Grants Scheme an approved course is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of at least two years duration or a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one year duration pursued in an...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy will be aware that the 2007/2012 Programme for Government commits to the long-term funding for the centres that are currently in the ABA pilot scheme subject to agreement with my Department on standards that will enable them to be supported as primary schools for children with autism. I am pleased to advise that broad agreement has been reached on the core conditions to enable...

Written Answers — School Catchment Areas: School Catchment Areas (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The school referred to by the Deputy serves the Bruff and Hospital catchment area in County Limerick. There is one other post-primary school serving this catchment area. These two post-primary schools serve 14 primary schools within the catchment area. I attach for the Deputy's information a list of the post-primary and primary schools within this catchment. Bruff/ Hospital Catchment...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: My Department recently approved funding for the provision of 1 mainstream classroom at the school referred to by the Deputy. I understand that the School Authorities have informed officials in my Department's Building Unit and they will be submitting an application to have additional works carried out at the school. As soon as this application is received it will be considered and the school...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 253 and 257 together. 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 rating. Information in respect of the current school building...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy may be aware, the recognition of qualifications for teacher registration is now a matter for the Teaching Council, the body with statutory responsibility for establishing and maintaining standards in the teaching profession in the State. Any enquiry regarding the recognition of a particular qualification should, therefore, be made directly to the Teaching Council.

Written Answers — School Enrolment: School Enrolment (24 Jun 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools and my Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. This may result, however, in some pupils not obtaining a...