Results 6,981-7,000 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Seanad: SPHE Curriculum: Motion (20 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: It was the end of civilisation.

Seanad: SPHE Curriculum: Motion (20 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Reducing the number of examination subjects.

Seanad: SPHE Curriculum: Motion (20 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: It is good to be back in this House again. It is even better to be back in a House that debates rather than reads scripts to each other. I have an excellent script which was prepared for me and which I intend to circulate to Members but it repeats much of the information that has been put on the record and I do not wish to insult the House by reading it. That is in no way a reflection on...

Seanad: SPHE Curriculum: Motion (20 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: It is a lot of money. The seven presidents, or their representatives, have agreed that they will consider admission systems. This September, there will be for the first time ever - it is incredible to think of this - a joint conference between the HEA and the NCCA to focus on this. Although we have a wide, exploratory primary school curriculum that is regarded as very positive by...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (21 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to inform the Deputy that there will be more Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts this year than there were last year. There is therefore no estimated budget saving. 10,575 whole time equivalent (WTE) posts are being provided for SNA support for the coming school year. This is a significant number of posts and unlike other areas of the public sector vacancies are being filled up to this...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (21 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: There are 739 post primary and 3336 primary schools connected to the Schools broadband network. In addition to this there are 78 post primary schools on the 100mb piloy project and 9 primary schools on the Hermes project. 4% of post primary and 3% of primary schools are not connected to the schools broadband network. I understand that many of the schools who have declined a connection from...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (21 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: There is a commitment in the Programme for a National Government, 2011-2016, to "update the out-dated drugs awareness programmes in schools to reflect current attitudes and reality of recreational drug use amongst teens". To meet this commitment, I have established a Working Group to examine the resource materials being used in the SPHE curriculum, especially those materials that are most...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (21 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Springboard provides 6,000 funded part time higher education places for the unemployed in public and private institutions throughout Ireland. The evaluation panel selecting the programmes used rigorous criteria of quality, industry and skills needs relevance, value for money as well as the need for a good geographical spread. While there are no instituions based in Cavan and Monaghan,...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (21 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The students attending the Aonad Lán Gaeilge in the school referred to by the Deputy receive the same language supports as those children attending post primary schools in Gaeltacht areas.

Written Answers — An Teanga Gaeilge: An Teanga Gaeilge (21 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Mar is eol duit, tá an rochtain ar ghairm na múinteoireachta i scoileanna aitheanta na hÉireann rialáilte. Is í an Chomhairle Mhúinteoireachta an tÚdarás sainithe atá inniúil an ghairm a rialáil agus caighdeáin a leagan síos d'oideachas múinteoirí. Tar éis phróisis fhada comhairlithe, d'fhoilsigh an Chomhairle le déanaí Policy on the Continuum of Teacher Education ó...

Written Answers — Psychological Services: Psychological Services (21 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that 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. This now...

Written Answers — Skill Shortages: Skill Shortages (21 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: There are a wide range of full and part time undergraduate and post graduate programmes available within the higher education system for students who wish to pursue careers in the IT indusrty and for professionls who wish to develop their skills. The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs plays a key role in advising on the future skills needs of enterprise. Its reports are disseminated to...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (21 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions 165, 166, 172 and 173 together. The provision of buildings and accommodation for the Department of Education and Skills, and the management of associated leases, is a matter for the Office of Public Works. In relation to schools, my Department generally grant aids school authorities who use the funds to rent temporary school accommodation. The terms of the leases...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Based on my Department's most recent statistics, it is expected that enrolments will increase nationally from a current enrolment at primary level of circa 509,652 pupils to circa 552,800 pupils by 2017 and at post-primary level from a current enrolment of circa 317,432 pupils to circa 342,300 pupils by 2017. My Department is currently examining all areas of the country to determine where...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 168 to 170 inclusive together. Information, including the current status of all projects on the 2011 School Buildings Works Programme, is available on my Departments website. The current status of projects on the programme is updated on a monthly basis as projects progress from one stage to the next. The website also provides information on all projects in...

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (21 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Strategy Group Report, Investing Effectively in ICT in Schools, 2008-2013, proposes a comprehensive agenda for pursuing the integration of ICT into teaching and learning in our schools and provides an essential strategic framework which has been invaluable to my Department in enhancing and refining the ICT in Schools Programme. As the Deputy may be aware, following publication of the...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (21 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I have no role in the case in question. Matters in this area should be dealt with in accordance with FETAC's published guidelines. The guidelines are available on the FETAC website, www.fetac.ie.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (21 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: No decision has been made in relation to the next phase of providing 100Mbps to schools. Any decision to extend the programme will be made having regard to the current budgetary constraints and other priorities of my Department. A pedagogical review of the pilot project is currently being prepared, the outcome of which will also inform future plans in this area.

Written Answers — Schools Building Programme: Schools Building Programme (21 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The new school to be provided in Co Leitrim, referred to by the Deputy, is one of eight schools which were approved for inclusion in the 3rd Bundle of schools to be procured via Public Private Partnership. This Bundle was handed over to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) in July 2010 to commence the tender procurement process. This process is ongoing with tenders received this...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (21 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy's question refers to a proposal for an academy for children with autism which was submitted to my Department for consideration by Achieve ABA. The Deputy will be aware that my Department had no direct funding arrangements with the group in question. Consideration of this proposal took account of my Department's policy in this regard, which is focused on ensuring that all children,...