Results 241-260 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Written Answers — Report Cards: Report Cards (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The report card templates developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment are available for schools to use and they provide a useful mechanism for schools to report to parents on the progress of their children. Circular Letter 0138/2006 requires schools to ensure that standardised testing is implemented on an annual basis in English Reading and Mathematics at the end of first...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 to 122, inclusive, and 124 to 129, inclusive, together. The process of assessing and paying third level or further education grants is a matter for the relevant local authority or VEC. I am aware that the timing of processing and paying of grants varies between the 66 awarding authorities depending on a number of variables including the volume of...

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: In 2002, agreement was reached to amalgamate the two primary schools referred to by the Deputy. The application for capital funding to facilitate this amalgamation was assessed and assigned a band rating of 1.4. The Department approached County Cork Vocational Education Committee seeking their assistance towards identifying a suitable site for this proposed amalgamation. County Cork...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: 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 interim it is not proposed to recognise any new primary schools, except in areas where the increases in pupil numbers cannot be catered for in existing schools and which require the provision of new schools. The Commission is due to report...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The design team lodged the planning application with the Local Authority in November last and have submitted applications for Fire Certificate and Disability Access Certificate (DAC). On receipt of the necessary statutory approvals the design team will complete and submit their stage 2(b)...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at tender stage. Upon receipt of the tender report from the Board of Management and assuming that no issues arise, the project will be authorised to proceed to construction. It is anticipated that the project will commence construction in the second quarter of 2011.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The project to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process. Subject to no issues arising, it is anticipated that construction will commence shortly.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy may be aware, it is intended to provide a 1,000 pupil permanent post primary school on a permanent site for the school to which the Deputy refers. Fingal County Council are leading the negotiations in relation to the acquisition of a site for the school in question, at my Department's request, in accordance with the Fingal Model Agreement. Fingal County Council have advised...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy is aware, my Department's review of policies and procedures for the provision of temporary classroom accommodation is well underway. The review incorporates the development of standard specifications for temporary accommodation, the development of new contractual terms to incorporate buy-out and relocation options to cater for individual local circumstances and appropriately...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No 2) Act 2009 (the Act) determined the criteria for reducing the pay of public servants with effect from January 2010. However, when the Act was introduced, there was a question as to how a public servant should be determined for the purposes of this Act. Subsequently, following receipt of legal advice, it has now been determined...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (18 Jan 2011)

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 — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy is aware, in accordance with Section 38 of the Teaching Council Act 201, the Teaching Council has a statutory role in relation to the review and accreditation of the programmes of teacher education and training provided by institutes of higher education and training in the State. The Council's role in reviewing and accrediting programmes of initial teacher education will allow...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No 2) Act 2009 (the Act) determined the criteria for reducing the pay of public servants with effect from January 2010. However, when the Act was introduced, there was a question as to how a public servant should be determined for the purposes of this Act. Subsequently, following receipt of legal advice, it has now been determined...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: I wish to advise the Deputy that in recognition of the emergent demands for school provision in the overall Lucan area, my Department has been in discussions with the South Dublin County Council with a view to seeking their assistance in securing additional capacity. An agreement, in principle, has been reached between my Department and the Council in relation to the acquisition of a circa 4...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: I have appointed two non-civil servant special advisers, Mr Michael Shovlin, Special Adviser, and Mr. Sean Perry, Press Adviser, since my appointment to the Department of Education and Skills on 23 March 2010. Mr. Shovlin and Mr. Perry served at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (now Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation) during the tenure of my appointment as...

Written Answers — Official Travel: Official Travel (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The only official overseas visit undertaken by me as Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills in 2010 and to date in 2011 was the Education Trade Mission to the United States in September 2010. This mission was organised and arranged by Enterprise Ireland and its primary purpose was to promote Ireland as a destination for full-time study by US students. With the exception of the cost...

Written Answers — Official Travel: Official Travel (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: A total of 411 trips were undertaken by officials in my Department in the years 2009 and 2010. No costs, as yet, have been incurred for 2011. It would not be administratively feasible to extract and provide the level of detail sought in respect of each of these trips. However, it is possible to provide aggregate information for travel by officials during this period, and if the Deputy is...

Written Answers — Official Travel: Official Travel (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The information requested is being compiled at present and will be forwarded to the Deputy shortly.

Written Answers — Official Travel: Official Travel (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: Travel by public bodies under the remit of my Department is an operational matter for the individual bodies themselves and the information is not collated centrally. It is the responsibility of all bodies operating under the aegis of my Department to ensure full compliance with the Department of Finance Foreign Travel Guidelines, published in 2009. The Guidelines have been brought to the...

Written Answers — Higher Education Strategy: Higher Education Strategy (18 Jan 2011)

Mary Coughlan: The new National Strategy for Higher Education which I published last week has been endorsed by the Government as the basis for the development of the higher education sector over the next two decades. The new Strategy affirms the importance of having institutions with a diversity of missions and provides a clear pathway of evolution for Institutes of Technology, which includes the potential...