Results 2,701-2,720 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Garda Vetting Services: Garda Vetting Services (11 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The arrangements for vetting of teaching and non-teaching staff are set out in Department Circular 0094/2006 which is available on my Department's website. The vetting arrangements were introduced in September 2006 for vetting of new teachers at the time of their initial registration with the Teaching Council. The vetting procedures also apply to prospective employees for posts that involve...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (11 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Following publication of the Smart Schools = Smart Economy report in November 2009, ICT Infrastructure Grants amounting to €22.3 million issued to over 3,000 primary schools last November. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that a second tranche of ICT infrastructure funding in the region of €20 million will be distributed to post-primary schools in the coming weeks. As the Deputy may be...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Athboy Community School is one of six schools 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 Bheanntrai, Co. Cork, Kildare Town Community School, Abbeyfeale Community College and Wicklow Town Community College. Macquarie Partnerships for Ireland (MPFI)...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (11 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I can inform the Deputy that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are on the Department's website. Where a NEPS psychologist is not assigned to a school, authorities therein may...

Written Answers — Bullying in Schools: Bullying in Schools (11 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Board of Management of each school is required to prepare a code of behaviour in accordance with Section 23 of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000. To assist schools in formulating such a code, the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) has developed guidelines for schools on Codes of Behaviour. My Department further requires each school to have in place a policy which includes specific...

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (11 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I am entitled to attend three Education Council meetings per annum. Including the meeting of today, 11 May 2010, and that of May, 2007, ten meetings have been held in the past three years. The Minister or a Minister of State at this Department attended seven of these meetings. In three cases, an official of the Office of the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU and/or an official...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (11 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Schools were invited to apply for funding for identified water conservation measures as part of the Summer Works Scheme 2010. As the Deputy will be probably be aware, I announced details of the successful applicants under the Summer Works Scheme on 19 April last. Applications for funds for water conservation measures are currently with my Department for assessment and I hope to announce...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The means test for an application under the student grant schemes is normally based on income in the last full financial year. Therefore, eligibility for a student grant for the academic year 2009/10 will be assessed on income from the 2008 financial year. However, if there has been a permanent change of circumstances at any time during the period 1st of January 2009 to the last term of the...

Written Answers — An Coimisiún um Chóiríocht Scoile: An Coimisiún um Chóiríocht Scoile (11 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Tá sé ar intinn agam Ceisteanna Uimh. 399 agus 400, a fhreagairt le chéile. Tá an Coimisiún um Chóiríocht Scoileanna chun tuairisc a chur faoi mo bhráid go gairid maidir leis an athbhreithniú ar na nósanna imeachta do bhunscoileanna a bhunú. I measc na gceisteanna atá faoi chaibidil mar chuid den athbhreithniú tá tábhacht na Gaeilge, ceist na héagsúlachta agus an chaoi ina...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (11 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: In the current school year, there are over 1,180 EAL teachers (English as an additional language) at primary level. The level of detail sought by the Deputy in respect of each individual school would take some time to collate within my Department. As I have previously indicated to the Deputy my Department's Teacher Allocation Section is currently focused on the initial work for the...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (11 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I am aware of the correspondence to which the Deputy refers and can confirm that a letter has recently issued to the person involved. The delay in responding is regretted.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (11 May 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. The Deputy will also be aware that the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The school to which the Deputy refers applied to my Department for capital funding for an extension project in September 2006. The application has been assessed in accordance with published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects and assigned a band 3 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works,...

Written Answers — Schools Patronage: Schools Patronage (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy will be aware that Section 10 of the Education Act 1998 deals with the recognition of new schools and sets out the factors that I, as Minister, must take into account when considering such applications. My predecessor previously outlined to the House that given the changing nature of Irish society and the projected need for a number of post primary schools to open in the medium...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: There has been unprecedented investment in providing supports for pupils with special needs in recent years and Special Education continues to be a key Government priority. Over €1 billion is being spent in supporting special educational provision this year. The Deputy is aware that schools apply to the National Council for Special Education for supports for pupils with special...

Written Answers — Schools Patronage: Schools Patronage (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The issue of the Catholic Church divesting itself of certain schools was originally explicitly raised by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin. In discussions on this matter, senior representatives of the Catholic Church and my Department agreed that it was essential to engage in planning for change. In order to advance the matter, my Department agreed that it would examine a number of initial...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: My Department is fully committed to strengthening the quality of science teaching and learning, promoting increased scientific literacy and encouraging more students, both girls and boys, to choose science subjects. Science was introduced as a key component on the revised Primary School Curriculum and has been implemented in all schools since September 2003. An evaluation of implementation...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I am familiar with the issues raised by some members of the Protestant community concerning issues relating to Protestant fee-charging schools. I wish to assure the Deputy that I am committed to supporting Protestant education, while at the same time ensuring that funding arrangements for schools under Protestant management are in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. Officials...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The OECD PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) 2006 survey of 15 years olds across 57 countries showed that Ireland's mean score in mathematics was not significantly different from the OECD average. We ranked 16th of 30 OECD countries and 22nd of 57 countries. There were fewer lower achievers and higher achievers than the OECD average, with the majority of pupils scoring in...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (6 May 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Iam aware of the recent ASTI report referred to by the Deputy which is based on responses from 334 teachers of Junior Certificate science. It should be noted that school changes in subject offer is a regular occurrence. The data for schools discontinuing a science subject in the 2007/08 school year - before the increase in the pupil teacher ratio - is largely the same as the numbers...