Results 2,661-2,680 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan
- Order of Business. (13 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: As Deputy Kenny will be aware as a former teacher, we must wait until such time as final decisions are made by those in current teaching posts-----
- Order of Business. (13 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: -----as to whether they will retire. The analysis within the Department is that approximately 930 teachers need to be appointed.
- Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (12 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: I am investigating the feasibility of providing this information and will reply to the Deputy in the matter as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (12 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: I am investigating the feasibility of providing this information and will reply to the Deputy in the matter as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (12 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has made an application to my Department for large scale capital funding for an extension and refurbishment project. The application has been assessed in accordance with published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects and assigned a band 2 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (12 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: A Special Needs Unit (SNU's) forms part of the brief for the school in Donabate to which the Deputy refers. With regard to the schools in Swords there are no plans to provide SNU's as there is sufficient SNU provision in the Swords area.
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (12 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The amount paid in each of the years 2005 to 2009 for IT Services by my Department is set out in the following table: Year Total Expenditure on IT Services 2005 â¬3.7m 2006 â¬3.5m 2007 â¬4.7m 2008 â¬4.6m 2009 â¬2.5m This includes expenditure in respect of a range of services including application development and support, hosting, hardware and software maintenance, specialist expertise,...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (12 May 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 — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (11 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: Superannuation schemes in Vocational Educational Committees are administered by each Vocational Educational Committee, while my Department has responsibility for the regulation of these schemes. In order to have an entitlement to superannuation benefits at retirement a member must have 2 years of scheme membership. Where a member has less than 2 years service a refund of contributions less...
- Written Answers — Educational Projects: Educational Projects (11 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: I am not aware of any proposal from the Commission to cease funding for these scholarships. The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (no. 2) Act 2009 has determined the criteria for reducing the pay of public servants with effect from 1st January 2010. In this Act, a "public servant" is defined as a person who is employed by, or who holds any office or other position in, a...
- Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (11 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: My colleague the Minister for Labour Affairs and for Public Service Transformation set out in his reply to the Deputy on 25th March 2010 that the matter in question is a day-to-day staffing one for FÃS as provided for in the Labour Services Act, 1987. I understand that FÃS, at the request of the said Minister, has since written directly to the Deputy on this matter.
- Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (11 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The individual case referred to by the Deputy is a day-to-day matter for FÃS as provided for under the Labour Services Act, 1987. Following the December 2009 Budget the payment of FÃS training allowances is now aligned to a person's entitlement to supports for jobseekers and Department of Social Protection rules. Consequently, where a trainee is entitled to a welfare payment at the...
- Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (11 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 354 to 356, inclusive, together. The Work Placement Programme provides up to 9 months work experience for up to 2,000 unemployed individuals, including graduates. 153 Public Sector bodies applied and were approved for the Work Placement Scheme in 2009. 752 Private Sector employers applied and were approved for the Work Placement Scheme in 2009. As at 7th May...
- Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (11 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: I am investigating the feasibility of providing this information and will reply to the Deputy substantively in the matter as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (11 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) is a third-level admissions scheme for students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. The scheme is operated by a number of higher education institutions and not by my Department. Admissions to the institutions are regulated by the institutions themselves. The Deputy may wish to contact the Irish Universities Association in this instance.
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (11 May 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 (SENO) for allocating special needs supports to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. SENOs also make recommendations to my Department where...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (11 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The costs associated with the change in title of my Department will be funded from my Department's administrative budget allocation. Arrangements are currently underway to effect the change to my Department's website title and associated stationary and these changes will be completed within the next few weeks. My Department is mindful of the need to keep all costs in respect of the...
- Written Answers — Vocational Educational Committees: Vocational Educational Committees (11 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: I can confirm for the Deputy that my Department has corresponded with the CEO of Co. Cork VEC regarding this matter. The CEO has furnished a detailed response, which is being considered by my Department.
- Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (11 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 362 and 364 together. The school to which the Deputies refer applied for funding under the Summer Works Scheme 2010 for a toilet upgrade and to install a rain water recycling system. I am pleased to inform the Deputies that funding has been approved for toilet upgrade works. The school will be aware from the Governing Circular Letter that rain water recycling...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (11 May 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The Higher Education Grants Scheme operates under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. Under the 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 approved institution. There are no plans at present to extend the scope of...