Results 8,681-8,700 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Is it in order for me to reply?

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I can accept the amendment on Garda vetting, which was a drafting amendment. Unfortunately, I am advised I am not in a position to accept the Senator's second amendment, on retired teachers. I am told it is covered elsewhere by the Chief Parliamentary Counsel.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Amendment No. 10.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: On a point of order and for clarity, I believe both Senator Power and Senator Gilroy used the term "teachers' conciliation council". I referred to the Teaching Council which, though similar, is a different body.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Then I misled the House.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: On Committee Stage I accepted an amendment from Senator Power, which allows the Minister of the day, in making regulations on the use of unregistered people, to impose a requirement that they be vetted by the Garda.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Yes, but it originated from a Committee Stage amendment tabled by Senator Averil Power from the Fianna Fáil Party. There is a new regime in this office. Senator Power proposed an amendment which allows the Minister of the day, in making regulations on the use of people to impose a requirement that they be Garda vetted. The purpose of my amendment, on advice from the Parliamentary Counsel,...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: On Committee Stage I made a commitment to reviewing this amendment and indicated my agreement in principle to the inclusion of provisions for determining the terms and conditions of registered teachers who are in receipt of an occupational pension and are re-employed in our schools. I have examined the issues on this provision and my officials have engaged with the Office of Parliamentary...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My advisers share my opinion that this amendment, which has been tabled by Senators Mullen and Quinn, would have the effect of encouraging schools to indiscriminately dismiss teachers whose registration with the Teaching Council has lapsed. We consider that this proposal is disproportionate and overly indiscriminate. Therefore, we do not intend to accept it. The provisions of this Bill,...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I will consider what the Senator has suggested and communicate with him thereafter.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (7 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank Senators for their compliments and join them in complimenting the backup staff the Department has provided for me in respect of the Bill. Subject to the agreement of the Whips, I will soon introduce Committee Stage of the qualifications legislation, that is, a Bill to merge the three qualifications bodies in one entity. There was a delay in finalising amendments to the Bill because...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 72 and 73 together. Details of the person to whom the Deputy refers have been brought to the attention of officials in my Department who are liaising with the appropriate state agencies in this regard. The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) is...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (8 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...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (8 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I would like to assure the Deputy that the Government is fully conscious that maintaining a network of schools is important if students from minority denominations are to be enabled attend a school that reflects their denominational ethos, while at the same time ensuring that funding arrangements for those schools are in accordance with the Constitution. In order to inform future policy on...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for a school building project. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works, including this project, is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie. The progression of all large scale...

Written Answers — University Staff: University Staff (8 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the Universities Act 1997 universities are autonomous statutory bodies. As provided for in the Act the recruitment and appointment of staff is the responsibility of the university's management authorities.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The school to which the Deputy refers has recently submitted an application for capital funding to my Department. The application is being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as this process has been completed.

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains extensive data at individual school level in county order. The most recent information available relates to the 2010-11 school year. Statistical information in respect of the current school year is currently being compiled in my Department and is due for publication in September 2012. The criteria used for the allocation of...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I fully acknowledge that the reduction in resources to second level schools will be challenging for schools. However, the change must be seen in the context of the major challenges we have as a Government in trying to shelter public services to the greatest extent that we can in these exceptional times. The net impact on overall teacher numbers in our schools has been minimised to the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: On the 19th December 2011, I announced details of 56 major school building projects to commence construction in 2012 as part of the €430 million education infrastructure plan for 2012 representing the first phase of a €2 billion five-year plan for major school building projects. Information in respect of the plan for 2012 along with all assessed applications for major capital works is...