Results 9,921-9,940 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

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

Ruairi Quinn: The effect of the amendments would be to delete section 5(b) and maintain the current position which is no longer appropriate. Section 2 of the Education Act 1998 has been amended to clarify the position that the delivery of health and personal services, including speech therapy, to students of school-going age, is not a support service to be provided by the Minister for Education and...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The Department of Education and Skills cannot compel an agency of another Department to do certain things, which was expressed in the original legislation. In effect, that turned out to be not practicable on the ground. That is why the cross-sectoral team, which is an ad hoc body working between the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Health, is trying to address both...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputies for their contributions. However, the effect of the amendments would be to introduce a general requirement that the Minister must consult and, in the case of Deputy Crowe's amendment No. 6, agree with the education partners any change in numbers, qualifications and terms of conditions of employment of teachers and other school staff. It would also continue the...

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

Ruairi Quinn: It is appropriate, therefore, that I should discuss it now. The existing legal provision concerns three aspects of the terms and conditions of teachers and other staff - their appointment, suspension and dismissal. It is limited to the procedures that apply or to be carried out in relation to these three aspects. The new provision will ensure legal clarity in carrying out recruitment,...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I am happy, in principle, to give that assurance to the Deputy and will put the letters of understanding and their interpretation in the public domain in order that everything will be clear.

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

Ruairi Quinn: I move amendment No. 10: In page 7, to delete lines 45 to 49 and substitute the following: "(a) the Teaching Council shall provide the Minister and each vocational education committee with information which is held by it in respect of each person who is or was a registered teacher, and". I understand that Deputy Crowe will speak first on this amendment.

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

Ruairi Quinn: To ensure section 30 is effective, we need to ensure the Department and the VEC only pay those who are registered teachers. Amendment No. 10 is largely technical in nature and is intended to ensure the Teaching Council can share information with my Department and the VECs, not only in respect of those who are registered with it but also those who were but are not currently on the register....

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

Ruairi Quinn: We are moving into new territory in regard to the employment of teachers. Under this legislation, only a registered teacher will be legally eligible to be paid by a school with moneys derived from the taxpayer by way of the Department of Education and Skills. Therefore, it behoves every prospective teacher, like every prospective voter, to ensure they are registered. What we are seeking to...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The amendment seeks to ensure that a person cannot be employed in place of a registered teacher without this being governed by ministerial regulation. As written, the provision states that where the Minister is satisfied that it is necessary to facilitate the urgent, temporary or occasional staffing needs of recognised schools, he or she may, from time to time, prescribe regulations...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I move amendment No. 13: In page 9, to delete lines 5 to 13 and substitute the following: "(a) a requirement that a person referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (8) be employed in the place of a registered teacher in a recognised school in a position remunerated, or to be remunerated, out of monies provided by the Oireachtas if, and only if, no registered teacher is available to...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I will be happy to review the matter. If the Deputy has specific details, he should bring them to my attention.

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

Ruairi Quinn: I move amendment No. 14: In page 9, to delete lines 14 to 16 and substitute the following: "(b) a limit on the length for which such a person may be so employed in place of a registered teacher;". The amendment provides that the regulations governing the employment of an unregistered person may include a limit on the length of time for which such person may be employed in the place of a...

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

Ruairi Quinn: There is a limit of five days; after that there must be a reapplication process. I was happy to make this amendment. It was central to the allaying of concerns expressed by unions and other representatives. One must remember, however, that this is mainly a problem in primary schools and it is principals in those primary schools, who are union members, who until now have been making the...

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

Ruairi Quinn: This matter was raised in the Seanad and on Committee Stage. The combined effect of section 30 of the Teaching Council Act 2001 with this Bill, when enacted, will be to prohibit the payment of a person employed as a teacher in a recognised school unless he or she is a registered teacher. The only exception to this will be where due to urgent temporary or occasional staffing needs, it is...

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

Ruairi Quinn: Section 8 cross-references the amendment of section 24 of the Education Act 1998 provided for in section 6 of the Bill. It is the view of the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel that it is legally necessary that the wording of section 30 of the Teaching Council Act 2001 contains a reference to the qualification of that section by the proposed section 24(8) of the Education Act 1998. It is a...

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

Ruairi Quinn: My understanding is that because I have accepted an amendment in the Dáil, I must return with the Bill to the Seanad in order to notify it of the change.

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

Ruairi Quinn: This is similar to receiving the all-clear from the television match official, TMO.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department's policy is focused on ensuring that all children 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. This facilitates access to individualised education programmes, fully qualified professional teachers who may draw from a range of autism-specific...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (2 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In order for a member of a pension scheme administered by my Department to claim pension payment it is necessary to make application to my Department. Specific application forms for this purpose are available on my Department's website or by writing to the Pension Unit of my Department. The Pension Unit has now issued the necessary application form to the person to whom the Deputy refers....

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

Ruairi Quinn: As outlined in the Five Year Plan, the delivery of major school projects required to meet demographic demand will be the main focus for capital investment in the coming years. Due to the financial constraints imposed by the need to prioritise available funding to meet future demographic demands, it has not been possible to advance all applications for capital funding concurrently. The...