Results 7,921-7,940 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (24 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has recently received a cost estimate for the works concerned. A decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as this information has been assessed.

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (24 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: On 5th July last, I announced that the Government was proceeding with legislation to provide for the establishment of a statutory fund to support the needs of victims of residential institutional abuse, as endorsed by Dáil Éireann in the aftermath of the publication of the Ryan Report in 2009. The legislative proposals followed extensive consultations with survivors of residential abuse and...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (24 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy may be aware, there are 55 fee-charging schools in the State. Fee-charging schools do not receive capitation grants or related supports. The only current funding provided to fee-charging schools by my Department in 2011 is the Assistive Technology grant for students with particular special educational needs. Almost €22,000 was paid to fee-charging schools in respect of this...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (24 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: In 2010/11, on the basis of the annual returns made by schools, 13 of the schools considered to be all girls schools had a total of 73 boys enrolled. These boys were enrolled in special classes in the schools concerned.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) have been fully engaged in identifying placement options for the child in question. The NCSE has advised my Department that, irrespective of the assessed levels of ability of the child, there are schools placements available for this child. I also understand from my officials that the parents of this child have...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (24 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: All Contractors employed on school building projects are required to ensure that rates of pay and conditions of employment, including pension contributions, comply with all applicable law and that those rates and conditions are at least as favourable as those for the relevant category of worker in any employment agreements registered under the Industrial Relations Acts 1946 to 2004. My...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: It is understood that the Deputy's question refers to my Department's policy on the education of children with autism. My Department's policy is centred on an inclusive approach promoting the use of a range of autism specific interventions including TEACCH, PECs and Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA). Under this approach, each child can benefit from a number of different interventions to...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A replacement school building for the existing VEC post-primary school in Maynooth has been approved. Earlier this year I also published details of new procedures and criteria for the establishment of new second level schools and of the process for determining the patronage of such new schools. I also announced details of 20 new second level schools that would need to be established between...

Written Answers — Sports Clubs: Sports Clubs (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, it is my intention to lease the former community school site, including the sports complex, to the City of Dublin VEC. My Department has requested the VEC to ensure that the club referred to by the Deputy continues to have use of the sports complex following execution of the lease. I understand that the club and the VEC have held a number of meetings to discuss...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can inform the Deputy that all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) which is administered and paid for by NEPS. In common with many other psychological services and best international practice,...

Written Answers — Third Level Expenditure: Third Level Expenditure (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy has been previously advised, all of the information sought is not readily available in the University sector. The HEA is in contact with the seven universities with a view to obtaining as much information as is possible. This data is being compiled and I would hope to be in a position to forward it to you within the coming week.

Written Answers — Public Private Partnerships: Public Private Partnerships (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: One of the stated objectives for the Department's involvement in the Government's Pilot PPP Programme is foster usage of school buildings outside of school hours. The PPP programme endeavours to achieve this in two ways. Firstly, and most importantly, by providing each of the schools with a bank of 350 hours usage outside of the normal school day (8.00 to 18.00 Monday to Friday). This is...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will appreciate that many categories of applicant apply for funding under the student grant scheme. Information is not specifically collated on students who are ineligible on the basis of the residency criteria.

Written Answers — Infrastructure Investment: Infrastructure Investment (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: At its meeting on 11 April 2011, the Government approved the preparation of a new capital investment framework for the period from 2012, to be prepared by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. That Department wrote to my Secretary General on 28 April 2011 requesting a report on my Department's proposed overall capital investment programme for the period 2012-2016, to facilitate...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 Nov 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 — Infrastructure Investment: Infrastructure Investment (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: When I announced last June the requirement for 20 new primary schools and 20 new post-primary schools I indicated that the estimated cost of the establishment of these new schools would be in the region of €380m. The total capital allocation for my Department under the Government's Medium Term Infrastructure and Capital Investment Framework as announced on 10 November 2011 amounts to just...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: In general, students who previously pursued a course of study are not eligible for grant assistance for a second period of study at the same level, irrespective of whether or not a grant was paid previously. Subject to the conditions of the student grant scheme, grants are available where students are progressing to a course at a higher level. The objective of this policy is to assist as...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department seeking funding for ancillary accommodation in the school. This application is currently being assessed and my Department expects to convey a decision on this application to the school authority shortly.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: All contractors employed on major school building projects are required to ensure that rates of pay and conditions of employment, including pension contributions, comply with all applicable law and that those rates and conditions are at least as favourable as those for the relevant category of worker in any employment agreements registered under the Industrial Relations Acts 1946 to 2004....

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Hotel, Catering and Tourism is one of the vocational modules which may be taken by students as part of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme. Within Transition Year, there are also a number of optional modules including Good Food, the Irish Experience developed by Fáilte Ireland, the Fáilte Ireland Tourism programme, and Food Matters focusing on health food choices, the Irish diet...