Results 2,441-2,460 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (26 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: My Department is committed to reducing staff numbers in order to facilitate the Government's core objective of restoring the public finances to a sustainable position while at the same time ensuring to the greatest extend possible that the Department can deliver on its key services. In relation to the Government's moratorium on Civil Service recruitment/promotions the Personnel Section at my...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (26 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I can confirm that my Department has received an appeal from the school to which the Deputy refers in respect of their Summer Works Scheme application. The appeal is currently under consideration and a decision will issue to the school authority in due course.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (26 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy may be aware two new primary schools opened in Greystones in the 2008/09 school year to cater for increased demographics in the area. The Forward Planning Section of my Department has carried out a study of the country to identify the areas where, due to demographic changes, there may be a requirement for significant additional school provision at both primary and post-primary...

Written Answers — Bullying in Schools: Bullying in Schools (26 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: There is no requirement for local school authorities to report incidents or allegations of bullying to my Department, nor do I believe that this should be the case. Under the Education Act 1998, legally, all schools are managed, on behalf of the school Patron or Trustees, by school Boards of Management who employ the teachers at the school. Whereas as I, as Minister for Education and Skills...

Written Answers — Teaching Council: Teaching Council (26 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Teaching Council Act provides for expenses incurred by the Minister in the administration of the Act to be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas. The Act also provided for the Teaching Council to be funded by my Department for 2 years after the establishment day, which was 28th March 2006. Prior to the establishment day, my Department was involved in the setting up of the...

Leaders' Questions (25 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: That was not the matter raised by Deputy Alan Shatter last week.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (25 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy will be aware that the need for budgetary adjustment has made it necessary to discontinue the Millennium Partnership Fund from the 2010/11 academic year. The fund was disbursed by local Partnership Companies, mostly in the form of small grants to individual students to cover costs of items such as books and travel. Most students in receipt of support from the fund will continue to...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (25 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: In line with the requirements of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation and Department of Finance, FÁS discontinued funding for the Carrick-on-Suir Jobs Club on 21st November 2008 because it was unable to achieve the nationally agreed targets set up for these programmes. The two staff members were consequently entitled to a redundancy payment. The amount for both staff members...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (25 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: My Department submitted an application to the European Commission in October 2009 for co-financing support from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) towards the cost of a personalised package of retraining, upskilling, entrepreneurial supports and educational opportunities for workers made redundant at the S R Technics facility in North County Dublin. Earlier this year, the...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (25 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Placements under the Work Placement Programme are possible in the wider public service, subject to the agreement of the relevant parent Government Department. The placement of individuals under this scheme is not covered by the moratorium on recruitment in the public service. However, it is a condition of the Programme that any such placements should not displace an existing member of staff...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (25 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 413 to 416, inclusive, together. To date a total of 236 (104 Phase 5 and 132 Phase 7) redundant apprentices have been provided with placements with ESB Networks. Currently 99 (53 Phase 5 and 46 Phase 7) redundant apprentices are in training with ESB Networks. A further 65 Phase 7 redundant apprentices will commence in July 2010 and this will complete the...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (25 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Department of Education and Skills does not provide funding to support participation in programmes of this nature.

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (25 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Section 28 of the Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002 provides that both the Board and the Review Committee shall determine the disposal of the documents concerning applications made to them prior to the making of a Dissolution Order by the Minister, pursuant to section 3(3) of the Act. Any such Order requires a positive motion of each House of the Oireachtas.

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (25 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 419 and 430 together. A High Level Group is currently developing a new national strategy for higher education. That Group is examining how well Ireland's higher education system is performing, how it ranks internationally, how well existing resources are being used and how the system should be configured to best meet the many challenges it faces over the next...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (25 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations and determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations. I can inform the Deputy that the Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the...

Written Answers — Child Protection: Child Protection (25 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The primary statutory responsibility for child protection lies with the Health Service Executive. The role of my Department is to provide guidance and support to schools in implementing child protection policy and to refer any allegations the Department receives to the appropriate authorities for investigation. My Department has issued child protection guidelines and procedures to all...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (25 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The funding arrangements made by my Department for second-level schools reflect the sectoral division of our second-level system. At the core of all arrangements is reliance upon capitation as the principal determinant of funding. My Department provides funding to secondary schools by way of per capita grants, which affords schools considerable flexibility in the use of these resources to...

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (25 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has received an application for large scale capital funding to provide accommodation to cater for the amalgamation of the two primary schools in the town to which he refers. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band 1.4 rating. A technical...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (25 May 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 — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (25 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: My Department is committed to the provision, maintenance and modernisation of physical education and physical activity facilities in our schools for our children and young people. In a new school building or refurbishment/extension, PE facilities are included as an intrinsic part of the design. Curricula are in place for PE in primary schools and at Junior Cert level. Primary schools...