Results 261-280 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan
- Written Answers — Higher Education Strategy: Higher Education Strategy (18 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: Best practice quality assurance processes involve the capturing of student feedback and complying with quality assurance procedures are the responsibility of the higher education institutions in the first instance. A range of student feedback arrangements are in place across higher education institutions. At a policy level, my Department has regular engagement with the Union of Students in...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Strategy: Higher Education Strategy (18 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: A key recommendation in the new Strategy for Higher Education which I published last week is that higher education institutions should ensure that all teaching staff in the third level sector are qualified and competent. It is acknowledged that while significant advances in teaching and learning in our higher education institutions have been seen in the past number of years, it is important...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (18 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: As previously outlined to the Deputy all centres participating in the ABA pilot scheme funded by my Department have been granted recognition as special schools for children with autism. I am pleased to update the Deputy that following their recognition the new schools are currently progressing well in the transitional phase. The majority of them have appointed Principal Teachers and have...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (18 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is an independent agency with responsibility for determining the appropriate staffing levels in relation to the support of pupils with special educational needs in all mainstream and special schools. This includes determining the level of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support in schools. The NCSE operates within...
- Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (18 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: As the Deputy will be aware, Fingal County Council carried out 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. Under this Model agreement, Fingal County Council identify and secure the purchase of the necessary sites required for school purposes and for the provision of community...
- Written Answers — Charities Regulation: Charities Regulation (18 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: My Department does not collate statistics under the heading of Investment in Charities. While my Department provides funding to a number of bodies which may be registered charities, such funding is based on criteria other than charitable status and accordingly details of amounts paid to charitable organisations are not held.
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (13 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is an independent agency with responsibility for determining the appropriate staffing levels in relation to the support of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream and special schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's policy in allocating this support. The NCSE has advised my Department that the...
- Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (13 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: The following are the details of appointments made by me between the dates mentioned. In accordance with Section 6(2) of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 the ten Residential Institutions Redress Board (RIRB) members listed as follows were re-appointed with effect from 1st January 2011. These members were initially appointed following a competitive interview process. - Dr Helen...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: My Department is currently undertaking some preliminary work on the project for the school to which the Deputy refers. My officials have been in touch with the school authorities and will make further contact shortly, in relation to progression of the project.
- Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (13 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: It is proposed that a first call for proposals for â¬5m under the new â¬20m multi-annual higher education labour market fund will be published in the coming weeks. The purpose of the Fund is to enable higher education providers to offer part-time and flexibly delivered education opportunities to unemployed people, leading to awards at Levels 6-9 on the National Framework of...
- Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (13 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: Funding for Emergency Works are made available to those schools most in need of resources as a result of unforeseen emergencies of a capital nature that may arise during the school year. The school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application for funding under this scheme to my Department and this application is being assessed. A decision will issue to the school as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for an extension. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a Band 2 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for a new school. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band rating of 2. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital...
- Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (13 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: The School Authority contacted officials in my Department in December 2010 in relation to damages to a roof caused by inclement weather. They were advised to submit an Emergency Works application for funding to have the roof repaired and to have improvement works carried out to the school's sewerage system. There is no record of any Emergency Works application having been received for these...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (13 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: An allowance is payable to a teacher who has been awarded a Graduate or Higher Diploma in Special Educational Needs. Teachers who are redeployed by school management from a special educational needs post to another post within the school within 4 years of receiving the allowance are not entitled to retain the allowance. A teacher who is redeployed by school management from a special...
- Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (13 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: The scheme for the award of incremental credit on the common basic scale for post-primary teachers forms part of their terms and conditions of employment. The criteria for the award of such credit flow from agreements reached at the Teachers' Conciliation Council. It is possible for teaching experience in private educational settings to be recognised for the purposes of incremental credit....
- Order of Business (13 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: What we are dealing with are issues that were raised by the media. There were media reports of which I am aware to the effect that the EU was considering the question of reduction in interest rates charged to Ireland, but this is based on speculation. At the December Council, the Finance Ministers were asked to work on a proposal to come forward by March of this year to finalise work on the...
- Order of Business (13 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: I appreciate the enthusiasm of Deputy Burton-----
- Order of Business (13 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: -----but I must say she is losing the run of herself.
- Order of Business (13 Jan 2011)
Mary Coughlan: She indicated that she agrees to the discussion of this legislation on Wednesday next, and I thank her for it. The Whips will decide what time it will be taken.