Results 9,901-9,920 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: How much time will I be allocated to speak now?

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Or even less to allow more speakers afterwards.

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Without going through individual contributions I thank the House for the welcome given to the report and the praise for those who put it together. It was a very serious exercise involving all of the stakeholders who participated in a very constructive way and I acknowledge this. I acknowledge the contribution of Senator Averil Power and her recognition of the work I have done. She spoke...

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The request for assistance in divestment has come from the Catholic Church. I will turn to the third category, namely, the 1,700 stand-alone schools, including all of the rural schools. This category comprises a part of the country in which there will be no new additional capacity in the schools' infrastructure. While there may be upgrading and improvement in quality, there will be no...

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to meet the 14 stakeholders who are the educational partners, that is, various patron bodies and others, such as the unions, to give a formal response to the patronage report. This meeting will take place in four or five weeks' time, as the Department is still working on its response. I will then invite them to consider how we might examine the divestment process in such...

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Allow me to put this in context. If, of the 250 schools in the aforementioned 47 areas, one school under the patronage of the Catholic Church in each area was to be divested in an orderly fashion, it would constitute less than 1% of the totality of schools. No one is pandering to any excessiveness of extremes.

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to come to that.

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Senator Barrett and others referred to the increase in population and noted there was not simply a significant increase in people of no religion or of no stated religion but there also has been an increase, because of the general population increase, of 8%. However, as an economist and a statistician, the Senator undoubtedly will be aware the quantum increase in real terms was with the...

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Yes.

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: If I may, I would like to also respond at this point to Senator Moran's question on education for primary school teachers. I am embarking on a review of the 22 institutions and the 40 courses in respect of primary and secondary school teachers. By contrast, Singapore has one such body, Finland has eight and the Province of Ontario has 13. There is massive duplication, the full extent of...

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: That is my understanding of it.

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In response to Deputy Mullen's question, we are investigating ways of assessing demand. When parents sign their children up for preschool places, they could be asked to indicate their preferences for denominational or other types of schooling. There have been cases of refusals. The reformed church, if I may give it that generic name, is growing in population. Church of Ireland schools...

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: According to the enrolment responses we have received, 80% of our schools at primary and secondary level, or approximately 4,000 schools, do not have to deal with issues of capacity and accommodation. There may be suggestions in certain areas that a child is better off in the local VEC school rather than a free voluntary school for reasons relating to special needs or educational...

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: This brings me to the question raised by Senators Hayden and Keane. Sometime in the 1960s our non-denominational system of primary education was turned into a denominational one. From the Stanley letter onwards, religion had to be taught at the beginning or the end of the school day or week. Schools had to remove religious symbolism from their walls while secular subjects were being taught...

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I know that but it was captured in the 1960s with the new rule book. The reason one cannot opt out of religious education is because the school can cite rule 68, which states that religion must vivify the entire school day. From what part of the school day can a student opt out? Faith formation is self-evident but if it is being done throughout the school day and one must respect the...

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Of course it will.

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Acting Chairman for his indulgence. The next step for the Department is to formulate a response to the report. This has been a useful debate in that regard. I will then bring our response to the Cabinet in order to outline how I propose to proceed formally. My intention is to implement the programme for Government by developing a White Paper on the subject. I will then...

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: We are talking about the five primary schoolteacher-training colleges and 17 colleges in the State system - not private colleges - which are providing HDip qualifications and equivalent. That entire sector needs to be reviewed and that will be announced. It is part of the overall Hunt report process and I hope we will have a report sometime in the autumn of this year.

Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Order for Report Stage (2 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (2 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Is the Deputy speaking to the correct amendment? I understand we are discussing amendments Nos. 4 and 5. The Deputy appears to be addressing a later amendment. If it is of any consolation, I do not propose to accept amendment No. 4 which would have the effect of deleting section 5(b).