Results 7,401-7,420 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (11 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the table. An Foras Áiseanna Saothair (FAS) Name Date Appointed Renewal Date Michael Dempsey (Chair) 21/01/2010 21/01/2015 Tony Dempsey 22/01/2010 21/01/2013 Michael Moriarty 28/07/2011 21/01/2015 Emer Gilvarry 21/01/2010 21/01/2014 Martin Hogan 21/01/2010 21/01/2013 Annette Hughes 21/01/2010 21/01/2014 Paddy McDonagh...

Written Answers — Bullying in Schools: Bullying in Schools (11 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Responsibility for tackling bullying falls to the level of the individual school, as it is at local level that an effective anti-bullying climate must be established and at that level that actions should be taken to address allegations of bullying. Under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, all schools are required to have in place a Code of Behaviour and this code must be drawn up in accordance...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (11 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the public sector is being implemented following a decision by the previous Government in Mach 2009, and is binding upon all Government departments, non-commercial state bodies and agencies. No public service post, however arising, may be filled by recruitment, promotion or payment of an allowance for performance of duties at a higher grade. Where...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: In June of this year I announced that up to 40 new schools are to be established within the next six years, comprising of twenty new primary schools and twenty new post-primary schools to cater for the increase in school going population across these identified locations. It is not proposed to open a new primary school in the general Dundalk area as the demographics of the area do not support...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (11 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 166 and 167 together. 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 teaching staff and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to special schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (11 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: In November 2010, my officials sought information regarding head office accommodation from VECs the subject of merger proposals, including the VEC referred to by the Deputy. Information provided by Co Offaly VEC on foot of that request, indicates that its head office has 766.63 square meters of office space with capacity for a total of 44 staff, that the lease has approximately 15 years and...

Leaders' Questions (12 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Will the Deputy listen?

Leaders' Questions (12 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Deputy Ross should do himself a favour and stop while he is ahead.

Written Answers — Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education (12 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The National School Annual Census collects data on the age of children classified by the year of their birth. Data is not collected on the month of birth and hence the data requested is not available. I believe a breakdown of births by month may be available on the website of the Central Statistics Office at www.cso.ie. While this information may be helpful, I am informed by the officials in...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (12 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to clarify that the recruitment and deployment of SNAs within schools are matters for the individual Principal/Board of Management. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (12 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The provision of street lighting is a matter for the relevant local authority, and the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, under the Roads Act, 1993.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (12 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: 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 mainstream and special schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's policy in allocating this support. As the Deputy Principal at the school...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (12 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Correspondence issued to the management bodies in the primary sector (Catholic Primary School Managers Association, Church of Ireland Board of Education, Educate Together and Foras Pátrúnachta na Scoileanna Lán-Gaeilge Teo) on the 20 June 2011 regarding the Minor Works Grant 2011/2012 in addition to the notice on the On Line Claim System. The notice on the On Line Claim System reads:...

Written Answers — School Statistics: School Statistics (12 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested on the number of primary pupils by county is provided by the National School Annual Census and is available on the Department's website, in table 2.18 of the Department's Annual Statistical Report at http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/stats_statistica l_report_2010_2011.xls. Alternatively the data can be access through the Department's Education Statistics...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (12 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I regret that the economic circumstances of the country are such that I am not in a position to reverse or alter any of the changes to the student grant measures announced in Budget 2011 by the previous Fianna Fáil - Green Party Government. These changes included an increase in the qualifying distance criterion for the non-adjacent rate of grant from 24 kilometres to 45 kilometres. The...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (12 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The measurement of the distances for student grant purposes is a matter for grant awarding bodies - the relevant local authority or VEC. There has been no change as to how these distances are measured. As in the past for all cases, the shortest most direct route to the institution attended is measured. I understand that a range of mechanisms can be used, for example, online mapping such as...

Written Answers — Ombudsman for Children: Ombudsman for Children (12 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Office of the Ombudsman for Children was established under the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002 by the Minister for Health and Children. On 3rd June 2011 responsibility for the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002 was transferred to the Minster for Children and Youth Affairs. I understand that the Office of the Ombudsman for Children has been in contact with the Department of Children and...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (12 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 69, 70 and 71 together. Last week, I finalised and announced my decision in relation to the location of headquarters of the merged VECs. In arriving at this decision, I considered a range of factors including the need to ensure that the location of a VEC headquarters will, to the greatest extent possible, facilitate staff redeployment under a redeployment...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (12 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Anecdotal evidence indicates that there is an over supply of teachers currently and that there are newly qualified teachers not yet holding teaching positions in schools. My Department has introduced a circular which obliges schools to recruit unemployed teachers ahead of retired ones, in an effort to ease the difficulties for those who cannot find work in the profession. In addition, the...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (13 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I have no plans to introduce driver education, in the form of driving lessons in schools, and this is not the norm within the EU. Research available internationally is inconclusive on the benefits of teaching young people to drive at school. Particular issues highlighted include the gap arising between the time practical skills are learned initially and put into regular practice, and the...