Results 9,641-9,660 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 342, 352 and 357 together. 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 the detail of the reform of the allocation process which is designed to bring a more equitable distribution of existing posts between schools. The new arrangements incorporate...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 343, 370, 378 and 379 together. My Department has provided funding to the organisation in question since 2001. Up to the end of 2006, my Department expended a total of €802,802 in relation to this organisation, which expenditure includes the costs of the associated co-ordinator. The annual funding provided over the last five years, from 2007 to 2011, is set...

Written Answers — Parliamentary Questions: Parliamentary Questions (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I answered 1,133 written Parliamentary Questions in the period January to the end of March 2012. Of this total, there were 35 Parliamentary Questions in respect of which it was not possible to provide a substantive response to the issues raised within the deadlines associated for answering Parliamentary Questions. This can arise for a number of reasons including the need for collation of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 349 together. 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...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Statistics section of my Department's website contains data at individual primary school level in county order for the 2010/2011 school year. The information includes the number of teachers and pupils in each primary school. See file called Class Size information at individual school level 2010/2011 at link http://www.education.ie/home/home.jsp?pcategory=17216&ecateg...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently awaiting the commencement of architectural planning. The brief for the project has been approved and the next step will be the tender process for the appointment of a design team to take the project through the stages of architectural planning. School building projects currently in or commencing architectural...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In excess of 520 m2 of new accommodation and facilities specifically for special needs students have been provided at the school to which the Deputy refers. The accommodation consists of general activities space, classrooms, multi-sensory room, para-educational room, practical activity room, and ancillary facilities.

Written Answers — National Behaviour Support Service: National Behaviour Support Service (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I would like to inform the Deputy that the National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS) is currently working with 91 schools. The number of schools who have availed of the NBSS since its establishment is as follows: 2006/2007 - 212007/2008 - 502008/2009 - 642009/2010 - 742010/2011 - 822011/2012 - 91. The NBSS was established in September 2006. National information sessions for schools were...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I refer the Deputy to the attached table which shows the total expenditure by my Department to mobile telephone companies during the period from 2007 to 2011. Payments were made to two companies, namely O2 and Vodafone, during this period. Both of these companies are eligible to provide mobile phone services to Government Departments under the Government Framework Agreement. The Deputy...

Written Answers — Religious Symbolism in Schools: Religious Symbolism in Schools (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that the recommendations of the Advisory Group Report broadly cover three areas: divesting patronage where there is a stable population and demand for diversity of schools; dealing with Irish-medium primary schools; and promoting more inclusiveness in all schools, including 'Stand Alone' schools where divesting patronage to another body is not an option. For...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations, determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations and making arrangements for the marking of work presented for examination. In view of this I have forwarded...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In 2010, the school referred to by the Deputy was allocated devolved funding for the provision of a new 4 classroom school building, including ancillary accommodation, under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme. The school sought additional funding for costs associated with abnormal works. The application is currently being examined by my Department and the school authorities will...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In October 2011 the General Scheme of an Education and Training Boards Bill was referred to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education. The General Scheme was also published at that time. Following discussions with my Department and relevant stakeholders, the committee prepared a report which I responded to at a meeting of the committee on 25 January 2012. The...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has an application with the Department for a major school project involving school refurbishment and the replacement of temporary accommodation. 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...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the enrolment of a child in a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools. My Department provides for a range of placement options and supports for schools which have enrolled pupils with special...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 373 to 377, inclusive, together. The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The school's Design Team are currently working on the Stage 2b Submission (Detailed Design) which, on completion, will be forwarded to my Department for review. The cost incurred in the design stages of...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 383 and 384 together. The curriculum in schools is devised on the basis that ICT is not a subject but rather a tool to be integrated into the teaching and learning of all subjects. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has developed an ICT framework which sets out a structured approach to ICT in curriculum and assessment. This sets out the...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I am aware of the results of the Eurostat study issued at the end of March 2012. I wish to inform the Deputy that the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment advises that ICT is not a stand alone subject but rather a tool to be integrated into the teaching and learning of all subjects. Computer literacy is seen to be a "necessity in a large majority of professions" (Eurostat news...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 386 together. Under the ICT in Schools Programme funding is made available for the provision of computers and other ICT infrastructure for schools. The provision of funding for ICT equipment is one strand of the ICT in Schools Programme. The Programme addresses four key themes: internet access for schools (broadband since 2005) teacher professional...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (18 Apr 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 388 and 390 together. The focus in schools is on using ICT (a) as a tool in learning and (b) to improve the quality of teaching and learning across the curriculum, guided by the ICT curriculum framework developed by the NCCA. This framework is supported by extensive digital resources on the Scoilnet website, by professional development programmes for teachers...