Results 501-520 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan
- Departmental Expenditure (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: That is the core of it. I believe there was discussion on this at the education committee on this issue, and I heard Deputy Quinn ask how many times did they not understand that the answer was "No". No means no. I pursued this issue. It is just not acceptable. The HEA did its utmost to ensure that these matters were addressed. That is why in the reform measures we will be bringing...
- Departmental Expenditure (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: FETAC had no sanction to grant those early retirement benefits and neither did the board.
- Departmental Expenditure (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: We got legal advice and I took it because it is a very serious issue that should never have happened. There has been an acceptance by the board and the CEO that the failure to ensure a statutory compliance was not deliberate, but that is beside the point.
- Departmental Expenditure (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: They accept there were serious failures to comply with legislative and administrative processes. The CEO accepts, as the accountable person, that there was a failure on his part to ensure that an early retirement package was fully compliant with all statutory requirements. In order to strengthen financial management and governance arrangements, the council is undertaking to put in place an...
- Departmental Expenditure (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: Both FETAC and my Department have received legal advice in respect of the unsanctioned benefits, and this is being considered.
- Departmental Expenditure (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: It is clearly my intention to proceed on that basis.
- Departmental Expenditure (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: Yes. I have gone after money in other organisations as well.
- Departmental Expenditure (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: I do not accept that there should be any waste of taxpayers' money.
- Departmental Expenditure (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: I have to be guided by the legal advice made available to me from the Office of the Attorney General. We have looked at innovative ways to deal with these issues this week in the House. The other issue that causes constraint to any Minister for Education and Skills is that our third level universities are autonomous.
- Departmental Expenditure (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: However, they must abide by the examination of the Comptroller and Auditor General of financial standards and governance.
- Departmental Expenditure (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The legislation for a new qualification authority has been nearly completed in my Department. I hope to publish it early in the new year.
- Third Level Education (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The Deputies are aware of the terms of reference and that the report considers the next 20 years of education into the 21st century. We must deal with many issues and challenges, including growth in participation, expansion of research and development, increasing importance of knowledge as the basis for enterprise development and economic growth, and how we want to support civic and social...
- Third Level Education (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: It is unfortunate that a leaked copy of an old draft was spread around the media. Those who were on the group were forthright and the lady who represented the institutes of technology was almost vilified when she would not tell them anything that was going on, as the students did not. That said, it is clearly my intention to publish the report early in the new year. No one in the...
- Third Level Education (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: Absolutely. That is exactly what I want to see. They are as entitled as children in primary school, who will now be part of the whole school evaluation and will have a view, as anyone else would.
- Third Level Education (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: No.
- Departmental Expenditure (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The 2011 gross Voted allocation for my Department is just under â¬8.855 billion. This is a reduction of â¬147 million, or 1.6%, on the 2010 allocation. In addition, the 2011 provision for expenditure under the national training fund of â¬362 million represents a reduction of â¬60 million, or 14%, on 2010, due mainly to a projected significant reduction in fund income. The â¬147 million...
- Departmental Expenditure (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The Minister for State has carried out a value for money review of school transport. It is fairly efficient. There is scope for greater efficiencies in the delivery of school transport through the school transport system, the rural transport system and in the support of those attending health clinics and hospital appointments. Several pilot schemes have taken place. I am aware of one such...
- Departmental Expenditure (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: At primary level, the average seat occupancy is 69% for the morning service and 64% for the evening service. At post-primary, the morning service is at 80% and the evening service is at 74%. Those are the statistics.
- Departmental Expenditure (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: Yes. It is more likely that there would be issues at post-primary level because people stay back at clubs and such things. Sometimes people use the service in the morning and then someone collects them in the evening.
- School Staffing (16 Dec 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No 2) Act 2009 determined the criteria for reducing the pay of public servants with effect from January 2010. However, when the Act was introduced there was a question as to how a public servant should be determined for the purposes of the Act. Subsequently, following receipt of legal advice, it was determined that all staff employed...