Results 1,741-1,760 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

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

Mary Coughlan: Following publication of the Smart Schools = Smart Economy report in November 2009, ICT Infrastructure Grants amounting to â'¬22.3m were issued to more than 3,000 primary schools. Grants per school were comprised of a block amount of â'¬1,700 plus a per-capita amount of â'¬34.59 based on enrolments as at 30th September 2008. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that a second tranche of...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy will be aware all primary and post-primary schools have access to educational 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...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations and determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations. In view of this I have forwarded the Deputy's query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply...

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

Mary Coughlan: The specific information sought by the Deputy in relation to the number of schools that have a general purpose or physical education facility is not readily available in my Department. However, my Department recently launched an on-line inventory of school accommodation which is available to schools on the Department's Esinet portal. The system went live for all schools in May and schools...

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

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 682 and 692 together. The issue of patronage and governance of our primary schools is of significant national importance. Irish society will continue to change at pace over the years to come and our education system must therefore continue to adapt and change to reflect this. I have previously indicated that I recognise that there is a need to seek the input...

Written Answers — Garda Vetting Services: Garda Vetting Services (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The arrangements for vetting of teaching and non-teaching staff are set out in Department Circular 0094/2006 which is available on my Department's website. The specific data on vetting requested by the Deputy is not readily available from the Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU). Irrespective of the position on vetting by the GCVU, where facts or information comes to a board of management's...

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

Mary Coughlan: The statistics section of my Department's website contains information relating to primary schools including the number of teachers in each school and enrolment data for the school years 2006-07 to 2008-09. The primary census for the 2009-10 school year is currently under way and the final outcome will be made available on 1 September 2010. The public sector numbers for 30 June 2010 were...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (8 Jul 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 coming school year is the pupil enrolment at 30 September 2009. Pupil numbers at both primary and post-primary level continue to increase and this results in an increased...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The information obtained from my Department's payroll databases indicate that were 72 unqualified teachers employed in a temporary basis in primary schools and 24 in post primary schools in June 2010. The number of days worked by unqualified substitute teachers in primary schools reduced from 111,161 days in the period 1 January to 30 June 2009 to 58,919 days in the same period in 2010. The...

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

Mary Coughlan: The number of staff working in the Planning and Building Unit of my Department and the breakdown of areas of responsibility is set out in the following table. Staff Numbers (WTE*) - Planning & Building Unit (P&BU) Areas of Responsibility Manager / PO AP HEO EO SO CO Totals Schools Capital Appraisal & Architectural Planning 1 3 6 17.3 0 4.53 31.83 Construction & Developing Areas 1 1 2 6...

Written Answers — Education Grants: Education Grants (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The information is not currently available in the format requested by the Deputy for the end of the academic year. However, the number of new applications received by the awarding authorities as at 22 January 2010 is shown in the following table. Local Authority Number of New Applications as at 22 Jan 2010 Carlow Co Co 203 Cavan Co Co 333 Clare Co Co 619 Cork City Co 516 Cork Co Co...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: I am currently giving detailed consideration to the issue of VEC aggregation and I expect to bring the matter before Government in the coming period.

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

Mary Coughlan: Project Maths will begin in all second level schools in September 2010. The programme is designed to transform teaching and learning of mathematics at second level, so that students will develop instrumental understanding (knowing how), relational understanding (knowing why), the ability to apply their knowledge and skills in familiar and unfamiliar contexts, and analytical and creative...

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

Mary Coughlan: Below are the details of the number of teachers who have accessed support in Project Maths since September 2009. ATTENDANCE ANALYSIS FOR NATIONAL ROLL-OUT (2009-2010) Total Attendance WORKSHOP 1 4,709 Total Attendance WORKSHOP 2 4,432

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 provides for the suspension and dismissal of teachers by boards of management. Under the terms of Towards 2016 the parties undertook to review and revise existing procedures and to agree new procedures. The agreed procedures provide for two separate and independent strands which should be utilised in appropriate circumstances: Procedures relating to...

Written Answers — International Education: International Education (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The High Level Group on International Education is currently finalising a strategy and action plan to enhance Ireland's performance as a centre of international education. I understand that they are on course to submit the draft Strategy and Action Plan to me by the deadline of late summer. I expect that the strategy and action plan will be published in early autumn.

Written Answers — Departmental Strategy Statements: Departmental Strategy Statements (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: In December 2008 the Government published Building Ireland's Smart Economy: A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal. It centred on five key action areas: Securing the Enterprise Economy and Restoring Competitiveness; Building the Ideas Economy – Creating the Innovation Island; Enhancing the Environment and Securing Energy Supplies; Investing in Critical Infrastructure, and; Efficient...

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

Mary Coughlan: I can confirm to the Deputy that 29 new applications for large scale capital works in schools were received by my Department during the last school year. The progression of all large scale building projects, including these projects, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations and determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (8 Jul 2010)

Mary Coughlan: Currently my Department supports the following amount of broadband connections in schools Wireless: 760 DSL: 2158 Satellite: 935 100Mbit/s (pilot project - post primary schools): 78 There are 56 schools awaiting installation and 65 schools have declined a broadband service from the Department.