Results 9,501-9,520 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In view of the need to ensure that every child has access to a school place, the delivery of major school projects to meet the demographic demands nationally will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years. The five year programme announced on March 12th is focused on meeting those demographic needs. In that context, it was not possible to advance all applications...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand that the Deputy's question relates to the provision of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support at the school referred to by him. I wish to advise that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating SNAs to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 206 and 207 together. In December 2011, expressions of interest were sought, through the Public Appointments Service (PAS), from suitably qualified and experienced persons for positions on three Boards of State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, including the Qualifications and Quality Assurance Authority of Ireland (QQAAI). The deadline was extended to...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy 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, which now...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teaching support 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...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The staffing arrangements for the 2012/13 school year are set out in Primary Circular 0007/2012 which is available on my Department's website. This includes details of the reform of the allocation process which is designed to bring a more equitable distribution of existing posts between schools. The overall objective with the reforms is to enable the teacher allocation and redeployment...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Transition Year was introduced as a pilot project in September 1974, and was mainstreamed in September 1994. My Department is not in a position to provide the information requested by the Deputy going back to 1974. Schools offering transition year are provided with additional teaching and financial resources in respect of the cohort of pupils availing of the programme. In the current...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Transition Year (TY) is a one-year programme that forms the first year of a three-year senior cycle. It is designed to act as a bridge between the Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate programmes. It is available to all second level schools. Transition Year is optional for students in most schools. Some 28,500 students in 550 post-primary schools follow this option. Each school...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The management authority of each school carries responsibility for making decisions regarding the Transition Year (TY) Programme in that school. Based on information available to my Department the number of students enrolled in the Transition Year programme for the 2011/2012 school year is 30,536 with circa 1,600 whole time equivalent teaching posts allocated in respect of same.

Written Answers — Transition Year Programme: Transition Year Programme (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 215 together. The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. I have asked my officials to compile the information for the past five years and to forward it to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Transition Year Programme: Transition Year Programme (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: An evaluation of the Transition Year Programme was published by the ESRI in 2005. A key finding from this study was that school principals and teachers see the Transition Year programme as broadly successful, especially in developing personal and social skills among students. The evaluation showed that transition year students were 1.3 more likely to enter higher education, and achieved...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Information concerning the costs referred to by the Deputy is not available to my Department. The key aim of the Transition Year Programme is to provide for a strong focus on personal development, collaborative and experiential learning, learning in the community and work experience. The programme is also designed to enable students to experience a wide range of educational inputs, and...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos 219 and 220 together. The Transition Year (TY) is a one-year programme that forms the first year of a three-year senior cycle. It is designed to act as a bridge between the Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate programmes. It is available to all second level schools. Each school designs its own Transition Year programme to suit the needs and interests of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In view of the need to ensure that every child has access to a school place, the delivery of major school projects to meet the demographic demands nationally will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years. The five year programme announced on March 12th is focused on meeting those demographic needs. In that context, it was not possible to advance all...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In view of the need to ensure that every child has access to a school place, the delivery of major school projects to meet the demographic demands nationally will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years. The five year programme announced on March 12th is focused on meeting those demographic needs. In that context, it was not possible to advance all applications...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In view of the need to ensure that every child has access to a school place, the delivery of major school projects to meet the demographic demands nationally will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years. The five year programme announced recently is focused on meeting those demographic needs. In that context, it was not possible to advance all applications for...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the Board of Management of the school in question has advised that the recommendations of the HSE report have been implemented in full. My Department remains in regular contact with the school and my officials will continue to monitor the position. My Inspectorate visited the school recently. The Deputy will be aware that my Department's policy is...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to inform the Deputy that my Department has, as an exceptional measure, agreed to pay the full amount of grant aid in this case. The persons to which the Deputy refers have been notified of this decision.

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has considered a submission received from the school to which the Deputy refers in January 2012 in relation to proposed Budget measures. The staffing arrangements for the 2012/13 school year are set out in Primary Circular 0007/2012 which is available on my Department's website. This includes details of the reform of the allocation process which is designed to bring a more...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 227 and 246 together. The closing date for submission of appeals for the April meeting of the Staffing Appeals Board was 23 March, 2012. The Appeals Board meeting will take place on Wednesday 18 April, 2012 which will be prior to the release of the main redeployment panel and allow for any impact of the Board's decision on redeployment panels to be effected....