Results 8,621-8,640 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

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

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have contacted City of Dublin VEC in this instance. I understand that an email issued to the student referred to by the Deputy from CDVEC on 24th January requesting additional specific documentation. As soon as the requested documentation has been provided to the VEC, it will be in a position to proceed with processing of the application. In addition to the grant...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (2 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011, which provides for the amalgamation of the NQAI, HETAC and FETAC into the new Qualifications and Quality Assurance Authority of Ireland, was published in July 2011 and Second Stage was taken in the Seanad in September. It is intended to secure the passage of the legislation and establish the new Authority in the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (2 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 112 together. My Department's focus is on implementing the staffing arrangements for the coming school year and I do not propose to divert scarce staffing resources to deal with individual queries from Deputies. My Department will be notifying schools in the coming weeks of the new staffing arrangements for the 2012/13 school year. At a time of great...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (2 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The scheme for the award of Incremental Credit for prior teaching service in a private second level school was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers' Conciliation Council, a body established in accordance with the terms of the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for Teachers. The Council is composed of representatives of the teacher representative bodies, school management, the Department...

Written Answers — Third Level Admissions: Third Level Admissions (2 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The higher education institutions have delegated to the CAO the task of processing applications to their undergraduate courses. Neither my Department nor the Higher Education Authority has any role in relation to the operation of the CAO including the setting of deadlines.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (2 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88 to 97, inclusive, together. I announced in the House on 11th January that my Department is to report to me within four weeks on the impact of the withdrawal of posts under these older schemes on DEIS Band 1 and Band 2 primary schools only. This report will detail the facts for each individual school affected by this measure, applying the most up to date...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (2 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I announced in the House on 11th January that my Department is to report to me within four weeks on the impact of the withdrawal of posts under these older schemes on DEIS Band 1 and Band 2 primary schools only. This report will detail the facts for each individual school affected by this measure, applying the most up to date enrolments for September 2011. In addition, the report will take...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (2 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 101 together. The details which the Deputy has requested are not readily available to my Department. Accordingly, my Department has requested the information from the Vocational Education Committees and this will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is received and collated.

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (2 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The details the Deputy has requested are not readily available to my Department. Accordingly, my Department has requested the information from the Vocational Education Committees. I will arrange for the information to be collated by my Department and forwarded to the Deputy.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (2 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is currently considering additional information provided in support of the request to lease accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy. A decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as this process has been completed.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (2 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The new simplified approach to the General Allocation Model of support for schools will make it easier to automatically update it annually in line with the changes in the number of classroom teachers in each school. Schools will also have autonomy on how to deploy the resource between language support and learning support depending on their specific needs. All schools are being treated...

Written Answers — Information and Communications Technology: Information and Communications Technology (2 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 to ensure it can continue to deliver essential services, notwithstanding an unavoidable reduction in the overall level of resources available....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Last December, I announced details of the education infrastructure plan for 2012. Details of this plan are available on my Department's website, www.education.ie. For the Deputy's convenience, I have attached copies of the announced lists of schools under construction (60 schools) or anticipated to be progressed to construction in 2012 (56 schools). I have also committed to announcing...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (2 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that primary and post-primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). Any school that does not have a NEPS psychologist assigned to it may avail of the SCPA, whereby it can have an assessment carried out by a...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (2 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 109 together. The decision to approve a job-sharing or career break application is a matter for the authorities of the employing school. In schools that have over-quota teachers, applications for job-sharing and a career break may be considered by the authorities of the schools concerned in the normal way. However if the school is over its staffing...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (2 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The matter referred to by the Deputy is currently the subject of discussions under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment on the matter at this time.

Written Answers — Modern Language Teaching: Modern Language Teaching (2 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Modern Languages in Primary Schools Initiative has been a pilot scheme involving approximately 550 schools that has operated since 1998. The decision to end the scheme took account of a 2008 Report by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). The report identified serious issues with curricular overload at primary level. The NCCA's advice recommended for the present...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (7 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Legislation providing for the dissolution of the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) and its amalgamation with the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) and the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) was published in July 2011 and is currently progressing through the Houses of the Oireachtas. In order to manage the transition of functions to the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 155 together. The Deputy will be aware of the Government's commitment to ensuring that all children with special educational needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network and a school placement is available for the child...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (7 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Department of Education and Skills participated in the work of the National Steering Group on Financial Education established by the Financial Regulator. The Report of the Group, Improving Financial Capability - a Multi-stakeholder Approach, was published in July 2009. The Group also developed a Financial Competency Framework which sets out a comprehensive set of learning outcomes...