Results 1,261-1,280 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Order of Business (21 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Minister is working on that legislation. It was raised last week and I asked the Minister to revert to the Deputy directly. I will check it out.

Order of Business (21 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I will have to revert to the Deputy about the secondary legislation under the Fines Act.

Order of Business (21 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: No. 19 will be introduced in this session.

Order of Business (21 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: It is proposed to take No. 4, Criminal Law (Defence and the Dwelling) Bill 2010 - Second Stage (resumed), to adjourn at 1.30 p.m. if not previously concluded; No. 17 - Statements on the Food Harvest 2020 report. It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the following arrangements shall apply with regard to No. 17 - the statement of a Minister or Minister of State and...

Order of Business (21 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I agree with the leader of the main Opposition party. We agreed to clear the decks and I believe the Whips will be meeting later this afternoon to finalise arrangements for the debate next week. The Government will be meeting on Monday and Tuesday, and it is because of this that we wish to return on Wednesday morning. It is a very serious issue. It is clearly our intention to discuss our...

Written Answers — Skills Development: Skills Development (20 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: A high quality higher education system that is well regarded and trusted both nationally and internationally is essential for Ireland's economic and social wellbeing and it is important that graduates emerge from the system with the appropriate breadth and depth of knowledge and range of skills that will allow them to flourish in the workplace. There are a range of specific courses and...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (20 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the relevant grant awarding authority i.e. the applicant's local authority or VEC. Where a grant application is refused, the reason for the refusal is given by the grant awarding authority. An applicant may appeal the decision to the relevant local authority or VEC. Where the grant awarding authority...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (20 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy will be aware 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). Schools that do not currently have NEPS psychologists assigned to them may avail of the SCPA, whereby the school can have an assessment...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (20 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Speech and language support therapy is provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to school children who have been assessed as having communication difficulties. The Education (Amendment) Bill 2010 provides for an amendment to the Education Act 1998 to clarify the position in relation to the delivery of speech therapy and other health and personal services to students of school-going age....

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (20 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The amount of money expended on capital works to Primary and Post-Primary schools at the end of September was €299.45m. It is anticipated that the full capital allocation will be spent before the end of the year.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (20 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Summer Works Scheme (SWS) covers projects in school buildings such as gas, electrical and mechanical works, roof replacements and repairs, window replacement, toilet upgrades, structural improvements and access works that, ideally, can be delivered during the summer months. Projects that involve a new build with the exception of toilet facilities are considered outside the scope of the...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (20 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy is aware, under Section 7 of the Teaching Council Act 2001, it is a function of the Teaching Council to establish procedures and criteria for the probation of teachers, including periods of probation. While this aspect of the Teaching Council Act has not yet been commenced, the Department has been working with the Council to facilitate a smooth transition of responsibilities...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (20 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the accompanying table. While identifying the numbers of staff employed in Inspections, IT, HR and Legal Services is relatively straightforward there are staff across a number of sections who spend a percentage of their time on processing of benefits/entitlements/grants. In addition, while there is one person in Corporate Services...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (20 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule for the 2011-2012 school year will be published on my Department's website in early 2011. The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools who are...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (20 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: My Department recruits all new permanent staff through the Commission for Public Appointments Service (PAS), by Inter-Departmental competitions or transfers between other Government Departments In instances were the Department advertisesand recruits temporary clerical staff directly it does not utilise the services of recruitment agencies. Any direct temporary recruitment competitions are...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (20 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The syllabuses were issued as soon as was feasible following receipt of print ready versions. They were issued in September to all schools, and the inconvenience caused by the delay is regretted. The revised syllabuses build heavily on the existing programmes which will be examined for the last time in 2011. The updated syllabuses make fuller reference to the potential of the print and...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (20 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: When the moratorium was introduced the Government exempted Principal and Deputy Principal posts in all primary and post-primary schools and these continue to be replaced in the normal manner. The impact of the moratorium is therefore limited to the Assistant Principal and Special Duties allowances payable to teachers on promotion. Vacancies at Assistant Principal and Special Duties level...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (20 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Deputy will be aware that the 2007 Programme for Government committed to the long-term funding for the centres in the ABA pilot scheme subject to agreement with my Department on standards that will enable them to be supported as primary schools for children with autism. Agreement on transitional arrangements for the pilot centres was reached following a long process of discussions and...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Forward Planning Section of my Department has carried out a study of the country to identify the areas where, due to demographic changes, there may be a requirement for significant additional accommodation in future years. Following this detailed analysis it appeared prudent to plan for the establishment of new schools to commence operation in September 2010 to meet increasing demand in...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (20 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Government considered a range of demands for the Residential Institutions Redress Scheme to be extended, including that to include Bethany House, and decided not to extend the scheme. Bethany House was certified as a place of detention for offending female, non-Catholic children and young persons, under 17 years of age, by the Minister for Justice in 1945, under section 108 of the...