Results 1,061-1,080 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan
- Departmental Agencies (9 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: I listened carefully to what has been said by Deputy O'Dowd. He indicated two or three weeks ago that he did not want to see private provision of services through FÃS and now part of his new documents is that FÃS should be abolished and we should provide its services only through the private sector.
- Departmental Agencies (9 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The monitoring and quality control of programmes, and their relevance, have been changed. That has been done. We are working through a number of historical issues that will be dealt with fully.
- Departmental Expenditure (9 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The Exchequer expenditure figures for October 2010 were published last week. Education capital expenditure of â¬456 million is running â¬102 million behind profile at present. The school building budget is less than â¬50 million behind profile. The substantial reduction in construction prices has meant that my Department is achieving greater value for taxpayers' money. Contract prices...
- Departmental Expenditure (9 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: Clarity must be given in that there is a â¬50 million underspend on schools at present. There were timing issues and all Members of the House are acutely aware of this because they speak to me about these issues and the frustrations in the delays in a number of projects either through planning or other issues which frustrate the process by which the delivery programme takes place. A total...
- Departmental Expenditure (9 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: There are a number of programmes. I believe there is capacity in smaller schools to deliver devolved programmes. I also believe in the capacity of other public authorities in the delivery of devolved programmes of a larger size. This will happen; it is part of the new initiative I have in the new methodologies of delivering these programmes. I am sure the Deputy is familiar with a number...
- Departmental Expenditure (9 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The committee has been familiarised with this issue.
- Teaching Qualifications (9 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: It is the policy of my Department that schools should only employ people who are on the register of teachers maintained by the Teaching Council. An integral part of the registration process is an assessment of a person's qualifications. Unqualified personnel should not be appointed except in the most exceptional circumstances and then only when all avenues for recruiting qualified personnel...
- Teaching Qualifications (9 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: There is currently no regulation and this means that unqualified and unregistered teachers can teach. We are introducing legislation to stop this. Many Members opposite are members of the teaching profession and know that the situation can arise where a qualified teacher is not available at short notice. I am proposing regulations arising from the discussions in the House on the Education...
- Teaching Qualifications (9 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: It would be very easy for me to sign off on the amendment to the Education Act but I would then have a problem with regard to schools because of the legacy issue of a number of teachers as regards their employment rights-----
- Teaching Qualifications (9 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: It is not a lot of teachers; it is a number of teachers. This matter will be dealt with through the historical situation-----
- Teaching Qualifications (9 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: I am not undermining it . I am regularising the situation because it is not currently regulated. I will be particularly specific on the time and circumstances when an unqualified person will be allowed to teach. Every effort must be made to ensure that a qualified teacher is available.
- Teaching Qualifications (9 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: I have heard the Deputies opposite say over the years that situations can occur when unqualified persons are employed as teachers. I do not wish to send children home and I am sure none of the Deputies opposite want that either.
- Teaching Qualifications (9 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: It is not the Minister or the Department who employs retired teachers.
- Teaching Qualifications (9 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The principal or the board of management-----
- Teaching Qualifications (9 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: I have done so. I have issued a circular. A number of boards of management are not particularly enamoured with my circular that retired teachers, in the main, should not be employed. There is an abatement of their pay. I do not think there is a man or woman in this House who disagrees with the fact that younger teachers who are unemployed should be -----
- Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (4 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: The Redress Scheme was established in 2002 as an exceptional measure to address abuse in specified residential institutions and to quote the then Minister from the Second Stage Debate on the redress legislation "It is not, and was never intended to be, a panacea for every injustice committed on children". The inclusion of children abused in foster care was raised during the passage of the...
- Written Answers — Skills Development: Skills Development (4 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: Learning can take place in a wide variety of settings, potentially including family contexts. There is demand for assessment and recognition of such prior learning and training from individuals and learners who wish to receive an award or gain credit against a formal programme of education or training. The term 'Recognition of Prior Learning' refers to the process of recognition of the...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (4 Nov 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 (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The allocation...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (4 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: To qualify for the special rate of grant, an applicant must qualify for the ordinary grant in respect of the 2009/10 academic year. In addition, total reckonable income must not exceed a specified amount, which is â¬22,308 in the 2008 tax year. Finally, on the operative date, 31st December 2008 for the 2009/10 academic year, the reckonable income must include one of the eligible long-term...
- Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (4 Nov 2010)
Mary Coughlan: At primary level, the curriculum in Physical Education includes six broad strands featuring Athletics, Dance, Gymnastics, Games, Outdoor and adventure activities and Aquatics. While five of the strands are designed to be implemented each year where possible, the Aquatics strand is outlined for implementation at any level, depending on the availability of facilities in the area. The Physical...