Results 521-540 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

School Staffing (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: A previous Minister was of the view that these people were not public servants. Legal advice was sought to get a determination of "public service" on the basis that if one is determined as a public servant in this country other entitlements arise. As a result of this legal advice it was determined that all persons employed by a recognised school or VEC come within the term "public servant"...

School Staffing (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: A reduction in the capitation and ancillary grants has taken place on the basis of the legal advice available to the Department. Its view was that these people were exempt from the legislation. However, legal advice indicated that they were no longer exempt. Therefore, a circular on adjustments of salary had to be brought forward for January 2011 to all relevant staff, similar to the...

School Staffing (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: If Deputy O'Dowd were sitting here, he too would have difficulties coming up with savings in the Department of Education and Skills. We are all curtailed in the ways we can obtain savings in a Department in which the majority of its Vote is expended on pay and pensions. That leaves one with little room for manoeuvre. There is an increase in the number of young people coming into the...

Teaching Qualifications (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Section 12 of the Education (Amendment) Bill provides for the amendment of section 30 of the Teaching Council Act 2001 to allow for the employment in certain exceptional and limited circumstances of persons who are not registered teachers under the Act. This matter has been debated at length in the House. To safeguard the standards and quality of education in schools, it is the policy of...

Teaching Qualifications (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: That can be considered for the existing personnel who for one reason or other are not registered. There is no regulation in place with regard to this matter. I will set down strict regulations. On the basis people are not adhering to the circular on the non-employment of retired teachers, I will add another legislative measure to prevent this happening. The INTO does have a list system to...

Teaching Qualifications (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I could consider that approach. I want to see if there is any possibility to get this legislation through the House before the general election.

FÁS Training Programmes (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I first became aware of FETAC's decision to place a hold on the issuing of certificates to FÁS on 18 November. I understand that FÁS, in the implementation of its new training standards system, discovered processing issues in the north east which gave rise to errors on requests which had been made by FÁS to FETAC. Certificates for 53 learners on six courses were involved but the...

FÁS Training Programmes (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: To clarify, following on from the reports initiated by me and by FÁS as regards the issues that arose in the north east, a number of recommendations were made. One of them was to the effect that we would have to change the way in which we inputted the results. That new system commenced in September this year and is known as the new training standards system. Another issue that arose was...

FÁS Training Programmes (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: In the main, these are not assessment-related issues. They are inputting, processing and administrative issues. However, I do not want to mislead the House since I do not have the full report to hand, as yet. It will be published and any issues that arise from it will then be dealt with forthwith. As regards the 53 persons who still have not had the finalisation of their examinations,...

FÁS Training Programmes (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Anybody who did not turn up for an exam will not get accreditation.

FÁS Training Programmes (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: This question is as regards the FETAC examination and I do not wish to mislead the Deputy or be inaccurate in what I am saying. However, I will revert to the Deputy and I appreciate that he has looked for further information. I have asked my officials to ensure that this information will be made available to him, forthwith.

School Patronage (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy will be aware that in July this year I announced a significant reform of the process for recognition of new second-level schools. The new framework to be established will involve the setting out of clear criteria against which new second-level school applications are to be assessed and will increase the transparency of decision making, with the establishment of a small expert...

School Patronage (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I believe in parental choice. Arising from the survey that took place in Gorey, 65% of respondents expressed a preference for County Wexford VEC as patron of the new school, with 35% expressing a preference for Educate Together. The results of this survey were part of the decision making process. The advisory group will be set up quickly. We have already set down formal criteria in respect...

School Patronage (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Gorey post-primary school is a community college and not a VEC school.

School Patronage (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: No. The patron is the VEC and the Orders. The existing school in Gorey is-----

School Patronage (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: -----an amalgam of a number of schools that came together. I gave a commitment to the people in Gorey that we would address their concerns for next year. It was on this basis a number of children were allowed to attend the school. I gave a financial package to the community college at that time in order to address its immediate needs. I also gave an undertaking in regard to the patronage,...

Literacy Levels (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 and 4 together. The results of the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment 2009 were published last week. The test results of Irish students were mixed. They scored above the OECD average in science, at the OECD average in reading and below the OECD average in mathematics. Comparisons take place against the last year the subject area was...

Literacy Levels (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: There is nothing in the studies carried out by the Department to show that socioeconomic issues are relevant to the outcomes. I will give a simple example of what has been happening. We have low levels of literacy because of the lack of reading material in homes, yet the majority of pupils had a television in the bedroom. The issue is what is prioritised, not money. Is it books or...

Literacy Levels (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: First, following the appointment of the new chief inspector, I looked at probation on the basis that it is too late to deal with underachievers in the system when they have 20 years experience. Teachers must be assessed in their first year as to whether they have the acumen and capacity for the work and to ascertain how they can be supported. There is a need for greater leadership in...

Literacy Levels (16 Dec 2010)

Mary Coughlan: It is happening now because I am driving it. As a parent and as someone who has a great regard for the teaching profession, we must not be seen to undermine it. I agree with Deputy Clune that we must analyse the outputs and we are undertaking other reforms in curriculum development.