Results 1,721-1,740 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I can confirm that the project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an early stage of architectural planning. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 645, 647, 649 to 653, inclusive, 659 to 661, inclusive, 664 and 665 together. I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of applications for large scale capital works from the schools to which he refers. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works, including...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I can confirm that the project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. Stage 2(a) for the project was approved in late December 2009 and the design team have been authorised to progress to stage 2(b) of architectural planning. Stage 2(b) involves applying for planning permission, fire certificate etc. and the preparation of tender documents....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently in the final stages of the tender phase. On 16th June 2010 my Department authorised the VEC to issue the letter of intent to the preferred bidder. The Design Team are currently compiling a supplementary tender report in accordance with the requirements outlined in the letter of intent. When this documentation is received by the Department,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the project to which the Deputy refers was included in the Ministerial announcement on 16 February 2010 of projects authorised to prepare tender documents. The project is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. Notification to grant Planning Permission was received in June 2010. In February 2010, a delegation from the school and its design team...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I can confirm that the project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department recently approved grant aid, subject to certain conditions, towards a sports hall at the school in question. I am not in a position to disclose the level of grant at this point, as to do so, may prejudice the tender process.

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has no record of receiving an application for large scale capital funding from the school to which the Deputy refers. Any application received will be considered in the context of the priority attaching to the application as determined by published prioritisation criteria, which were formulated following consultation with the Education Partners. Details explaining these...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The proposed extension/refurbishment project at the school to which the Deputy refers is in architectural planning and my Department has been in contact with the Design Team regarding the proposed design. The progression of all large-scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction, is dependent on the prioritisation of competing demands on...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has made an application to my Department for large scale capital funding. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published criteria for large scale capital projects and assigned a band 2 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with assessed applications for major capital works,...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: A total of €135.133m from the schools' capital budget for 2010 has been expended to date.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 667 and 669 together. The arrangements that I have agreed with the Minister for Finance for a limited derogation from the general moratorium on the filling of promotion posts of responsibility in schools are set out in Circular 0042/2010 which is available on my Department's website. I am conscious that the impact of the moratorium on middle management posts...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy is aware, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) were asked to carry out a review of the student charge in respect of all HEA institutions. It is expected that the review will identify the income and expenditure, and also the internal institutional allocation process associated with the charge. I understand that the report is currently being finalised by the HEA and that it will...

Written Answers — School Evaluations: School Evaluations (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The whole-school evaluation model (WSE) was introduced in the 2003-04 school year. Up to the end of 2009, 1,483 schools have had a WSE. To date in 2010, the provisional out turn is that 147 schools have had a WSE. Each of these schools has been inspected once under the whole-school evaluation procedure.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: There is a total of 146 staff currently assigned to the Inspectorate of my Department. Of this figure, 13 are administrative staff who provide secretarial assistance to the Inspectorate and the balance of 133 are inspectors. Some inspectors are assigned to work within other sections of my Department including the Teacher Education Section, the Planning and Building Unit and the Special...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Details of schools where rented prefabs have been purchased including information on the number of prefabs purchased in each case is, for the Deputy's information, set out in the following table. As negotiations are on-going on the buy-out of other contracts the individual amounts spent cannot be provided as this information is commercially sensitive. PURCHASED PREFABS County...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains information relating to class size in primary schools for the school years 2006/07 to 2008/09. The information includes the number of pupils in each class, the number of pupils in each class size range and the number of teachers in each school. The primary census for the 2009/10 school year is currently underway and the final outcome...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 674 and 675 together. Overall, the total number of whole time equivalent Language Support posts in the current school year is 1,180 at primary level and 365 at post-primary level. The challenge for schools is to ensure that this very significant resource is used to maximum effect. The number of whole time equivalent language support posts allocated to primary...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Jul 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 review of...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Jul 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 Deputy will...