Results 8,601-8,620 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I will clarify the matter on Report Stage.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I do not have anything to add to what I have said. We will come back to the matter on Report Stage. There are precise legal niceties involved and I want to be well briefed on them in order to clarify the points.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: If the House will bear with me on the matter, there is a further technical amendment to section 6(12), which I am advised may not proceed as an administrative amendment and must be tabled for the approval of the House. I will revert to the issue on Report Stage. I apologise for confusing the House.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Senator is free to resubmit the amendment on Report Stage. I would prefer not to recognise some of the educational partners.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The trade unions are also handsomely represented on the Teaching Council. I do not think it is necessary. They nominate their own members either by direct elections or by nominees in addition to that. The amendment is not necessary. I am happy to examine the matter in detail and to revert to the Deputy on Report Stage.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Subject to confirmation, I understand the Teaching Council has been consulted on this issue, but I will take on board the spirit of the Senator's comments. These days, one can apply online, regardless of where one is. For example, one could use an Internet café.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I will check, but my understanding is that the Teaching Council was consulted on the matter. Given that the Senator has raised the issue, we will have an opportunity to revert to the House on Report Stage.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I am advised that the Teaching Council maintains the practice that Senator David Norris advocated, in that it sends reminders. Considering the matter again, therefore, would be unnecessary.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: If I understand the spirit of Senator Martin Conway's comments, it is a matter for the Teaching Council which represents 60,000 teachers. We should not prescribe in primary law-----

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Teaching Council must be re-established by the end of March and I am sure those seeking election to it can address this matter.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Teaching Council will undoubtedly be monitoring this debate, but I will bring the matter to its attention. In my profession there is a category of unemployed or retired architects. The same applies in other professions. One's qualifications are not in any way invalidated but one's income status, to which Senator Martin Conway referred, is registered. The Teaching Council will make its...

Seanad: Official Engagements (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The tradition is for the Minister for Education and Skills to be invited to open a new school. However, I hold the view that a community should celebrate a new school's opening - possibly the continuation of a school tradition - by inviting a prominent person from that community. It reflects a centrist attitude among schools that their only relationship is with the Department of Education...

Seanad: Official Engagements (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I visit some schools. I do not want the impression conveyed that I have made a liar out of anybody. I could spend three days a week visiting schools. How do I decide which schools to visit? I do not see my function as one of visiting schools, except where doing so is necessary or appropriate. I have on occasion been asked to visit a school and open a new extension and have referred such...

Seanad: Schools Staffing (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I appreciate Senator Conway's remarks. We are in the difficult situation of having to reduce our expenditure, a message that must be repeated on a daily basis as people tend to forget it. In looking at reduction of resources in the secondary school sector I was faced with the option of disimproving the general pupil-teacher ratio. What persuaded me against that was that, unlike in the...

Written Answers — Second Level Fees: Second Level Fees (1 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The student immigration system stipulates that non-EU persons with student immigration permission can only access fee charging post primary schools. The level of fees charged is a matter for the schools themselves. Immigration permission is not granted for students intending to enrol in non-fee charging schools. In addition to the student immigration position, it should be noted that...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (1 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Further information in relation to its application for additional accommodation has been received in recent days by my Department from the school, referred to by the Deputy. A decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as this information has been assessed.

Written Answers — Departmental Applications: Departmental Applications (1 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I will arrange for a reply to issue direct to the Deputy in relation to the case that he has referred to.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (1 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My priority as Minister for Education and Skills is to preserve access to undergraduate higher education courses despite the difficult circumstances in our public finances. As a result, no changes were made to the eligibility criteria for undergraduate students in the recent Budget. It is also worth emphasising that 41% of all undergraduate students currently receive a grant and pay no...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (1 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As I am sure the Deputy will appreciate, the need to ensure value for money in public expenditure is greater than ever. In common with many other State-funded initiatives, the ICT in Schools programme has needed to re-evaluate its spending priorities in order to ensure that it can continue to deliver essential services notwithstanding an unavoidable reduction in the overall level of resources...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (1 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Education Act 1998 listed the planning and co-ordination of support services (including speech therapy services) as a function of the Minister for Education and Science. In actual fact speech therapy services are provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE) who receive the financial vote for the provision of such services. There are therefore no services currently being provided by my...