Results 2,041-2,060 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2010)
Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for approving special classes for autism and allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such...
- Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (24 Jun 2010)
Mary Coughlan: As part of the expansion of the Permanent Accommodation Scheme 2007, a grant was allocated to the school in question to enable the management authority provide 3 additional mainstream classrooms. I understand that some difficulties arose between the school and the design team/contractor, however, as this is a devolved project it is a matter for the school authority.
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2010)
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. I have arranged for the details supplied...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (24 Jun 2010)
Mary Coughlan: My Department has provided funds for over thirty projects in Local Drugs Task Force areas, including the project specifically referred to by the Deputy. In the context of the budget for 2010 it was decided that funding for these projects was to be reduced from â¬3,643,000 in 2009 to â¬2,461,000 in 2010. Projects within the Dublin City area are administered by the City of Dublin Youth...
- Written Answers — School Libraries: School Libraries (24 Jun 2010)
Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy may be aware, 30 schools are currently included in the JCSP Demonstration Library project. I am pleased to say that the Librarians in those schools who are currently employed under the terms of Fixed Term Contracts will be retained for a further year.
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (24 Jun 2010)
Mary Coughlan: There has been ongoing engagement and discussion with the relevant education partners, including the INTO, involving my Department concerning general education matters and specific budgetary matters.In relation to the supply teacher scheme a decision was taken in Budget 2010 to cease this scheme from the start of the 2010/11 school year. It is expected that this measure will save â¬0.4m in...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (24 Jun 2010)
Mary Coughlan: An appeal has been received by my Department from the person referred to by the Deputy. The appeal is currently under consideration and a response will issue to the candidate as soon as the review process is completed.
- 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. 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 place in the school of their first choice. It is the responsibility of the managerial...
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (24 Jun 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The information requested by the Deputy is contained on the attached Table. The deputy might like to note that my Department is based in three main locations (Dublin, Tullamore and Athlone), in addition to a number of regional and local offices, which necessitates official travel between the various locations. Total Expenses claimed in respect of Secretary General between January 2007 and...
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (24 Jun 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The information requested by the Deputy is contained on the attached Table. The deputy might like to note that my Department is based in three main locations (Dublin, Tullamore and Athlone), in addition to a number of regional and local offices, which necessitates official travel between the various locations. Total Expenses in respect of Assistant Secretaries in the Department of...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Jun 2010)
Mary Coughlan: My Department recently received the Supplementary Tender Report for the school to which the Deputy refers. However, my Department is still awaiting receipt of some outstanding documentation from the preferred bidder. When this documentation has been received and assuming that there are no issues arising, the contract can be awarded and the project will progress to construction.
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Jun 2010)
Mary Coughlan: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the project to which he refers is currently out to tender. The closing date for receipt of tenders is 2nd July. Once the project goes on site, the expected duration of the construction phase is 12 months.
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Jun 2010)
Mary Coughlan: My Department recently received the Supplementary Tender Report for the school to which the Deputy refers. However, my Department is still awaiting receipt of some outstanding documentation from the preferred bidder. When this documentation has been received and assuming that there are no issues arising, the contract can be awarded and the project will progress to construction.
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2010)
Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. I have arranged for the details...
- Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (23 Jun 2010)
Mary Coughlan: At the meeting on 15th April last, the Taoiseach advised the religious congregations of the Government's view that it would be a fair and reasonable outcome in all the circumstances for the State and those responsible for the residential institutions, to meet the final costs of responding to residential institutional abuse, which are estimated to reach some â¬1.36bn, on a 50:50 basis. As the...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Jun 2010)
Mary Coughlan: Officials from my Department have held discussions with a number of representatives from the Church of Ireland, and wider Protestant community, concerning issues relating to their fee-charging schools. These discussions are continuing. My officials are willing to meet with representatives of the college to which the Deputy refers, if requested. I wish to assure the Deputy that I am...
- Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (23 Jun 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The staffing schedule is structured to ensure that, on average, one mainstream classroom teacher is allocated to schools for every 28 pupils. Improvements to the staffing schedule arising from the additional posts in the renewed Programme for Government mean that one mainstream classroom teacher is allocated, on average, for every 27 pupils in medium to larger schools as these schools are...
- Written Answers — Water Conservation: Water Conservation (23 Jun 2010)
Mary Coughlan: Rainwater harvesting systems were first introduced for major school building projects in 2008. Since then all major school building projects, where site conditions and circumstances allow and where economically viable to do so, can incorporate a rainwater harvesting system into their brief. While fitting the systems in new schools during construction is relatively straightforward,...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (23 Jun 2010)
Mary Coughlan: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school to which he 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 1 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (23 Jun 2010)
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. I understand from the NCSE that a...