Results 1,321-1,340 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: My Department is aware of the need for additional permanent school accommodation in the general Midleton area and, as the Deputy will be aware, Midleton has been identified by my Department's Forward Planning Unit as one of the areas projected to undergo increases in educational demand in the coming years. In that context, my Department is currently in the process of acquiring a suitable...

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (19 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I wish to advise the Deputy that I have consistently encouraged schools to put in place book rental schemes as the most effective means of lowering costs for all parents. In accordance with the Renewed Programme for Government, my Department issued funding to schools in June to enable them to provide assistance for school books. Details of the funding were notified to schools by circulars...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (19 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 — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (19 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: My Department will be commencing discussions with the relevant stakeholders, including trade unions representing staff in the VEC sector, in relation to the detailed implementation of this Government's decision to amalgamate the existing 33 Vocational Education Committees into 16 VECs. Many of the detailed aspects of the restructuring, including the location of the headquarters of the new...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (19 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 187 together. The data which the Deputy requires are set out in the table which gives both the number of schools under the auspices of each Vocational Education Committee as well as the number of pupils excluding Post-Leaving Certificate and Core VTOS students. Source: PEIP Date: 18 Oct 2010 PP Schools In Each VEC for the 2009/2010...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (19 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The figures for Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) enrolments which the Deputy requested are contained in the file below. These figures are extracted from the returns of recognised post-primary schools for 2009/10. This is the latest school year for which complete figures are available. Please note that in the case of Co. Laois in addition to the figures enrolled for post-primary schools there...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (19 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The most recent year for which full details of expenditure in VECs in relation to programmes and services under the auspices of my Department is 2009. I set out below for the Deputy's information a breakdown of current expenditure per VEC for that year. Current Expenditure per VEC (2009) VEC Current expenditure 2009 (€m) City of Cork 50.28 City of Dublin 150.54 City of Galway...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (19 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy is aware, VECs are statutory bodies which employ and pay their own staff. The information sought by the Deputy is being compiled by my officials and will be forwarded to him as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (19 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on my Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level for the current school year is the pupil enrolment at 30 September 2009. There are currently just over 8,400 wtes (whole time equivalent posts) allocated to the VEC sector. The document...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Currently there are 14 officials at my Department that work from a home base and my Department provides them with the necessary IT equipment to assist them in carrying out their duties. Under the terms of the Croke Park Agreement my Department will also be looking at options to increase the number of staff availing of e-working where feasible. As the Deputy will be aware this Department has...

Order of Business (19 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I told the Deputy so on Thursday.

Order of Business (19 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: It is.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: In September 2007 the school referred to by the Deputy was allocated a grant to provide one new mainstream classroom and two new resource rooms under the Department's Permanent Accommodation Scheme. The management authority of the school recently contacted my Department's Building Unit requesting additional funding and also indicated that they wish to change the scope of works from what was...

Written Answers — Procurement Policy: Procurement Policy (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Schools using state funds for the purpose of purchasing equipment are required to abide by the relevant public procurement requirements. The nature of the public procurement requirements varies depending on the size and characteristics of the contract to be awarded and the nature of the contracting authority. Guidelines on procurement policy and the relevant thresholds applicable for...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: 243 employees within my Department participate in the civil service worksharing scheme. The breakdown of this figure is 228 females and 15 males. The operation of the scheme is subject to the principle that the operating requirements of Departments are not adversely affected. All applications to participate in the scheme are considered in this context and while my Department makes all...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (14 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 — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: A project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The design team are currently working on completing a revised stage 2(b) submission which will be submitted to my Department for technical review. The school have recently advised my Department that the design team anticipate forwarding the submission later this month. Following...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: My Department is acutely aware of the need for additional permanent school accommodation in the general Naas area and to this end, my Department is currently in the process of acquiring sites in the Naas area for educational use. Pending the acquisition of these sites, the Deputy will appreciate that I am not in a position to say definitively whether the school referred to by the Deputy will...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: 2057In July 2008 Notifications of Intention to apply for recognition for two new primary schools in the Tallaght/Firhouse and Saggart/Rathcoole/Newcastle areas were received by my Department from the patron body referred to by the Deputy. A review of the procedures for the establishment of new primary schools is currently being carried out under the Commission on School Accommodation. In the...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (14 Oct 2010)

Mary Coughlan: 2057The 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...