Results 11,001-11,020 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Third Level Funding: Third Level Funding (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: At my request the Higher Education Authority (HEA) completed an initial study late last year on sustainability of the current funding system for higher education. The report outlines the scale of recent reductions in funding and growth in student numbers, and provides some evidence on the possible impacts of this on quality of provision. However, the HEA has emphasised that the report is...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment provided its advice to me on Junior Cycle Reform in late 2011. Since then, consideration has been ongoing in relation to the implementation of reform. Reform will be introduced on a phased basis. There will be a combination of curriculum components including subjects and short courses. Schools will also have the option of providing locally...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My key priority in second level education is the reform of the Junior Cycle. I am aware that reform is also required in senior cycle. In this context, curriculum and assessment reform is well advanced in a number of senior cycle subject areas. Project Maths has been introduced to all schools now and the first examination incorporating Project Maths for the Leaving Certificate took place in...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I published the National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People 2011 to 2020 in July 2011. The Strategy contains 41 actions and almost 180 sub-actions across 6 key areas. A high level implementation Advisory Group has been established to monitor the implementation of the Strategy over its lifespan up until 2020. There has been significant progress in...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 177 together. The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures published under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998. Circular 31/2011, published in May 2011, details a cascade of measures for recruitment of teachers, prioritising unemployed registered teachers...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a formal role under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act, 2004 to advise me as Minister in relation to any matter relating to the education of children and others with disabilities. It is my intention that the significant resources to support children with Special Educational...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Firstly, I wish to reiterate this Government's commitment to the provision of resources for children with special educational needs. The Programme for Government sets out that education will be a priority for this Government and that we will endeavour to protect and enhance the educational experience of children, young people and students. Approximately 15% of the entire budget of my...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The total number of students that qualified for a postgraduate maintenance grant for the last five years are outlined in the attached table. The information contained in the table has been supplied to my Department by the grant awarding authorities – local authorities and the Vocational Education Committees. No. of Students who qualified for a postgraduate maintenance grant No. of...

Written Answers — Higher Education Courses: Higher Education Courses (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I attach a breakdown of the data requested by the deputy. I am informed that the number of postgraduate enrolments has been gradually increasing in HEA funded institutions over the last five years with an overall increase of 26% between 2006/07 and 2010/11. There has however been a slight decrease in full-time postgraduate enrolments (-1%) between 2009/10 and 2010/11. Part-time enrolments...

Written Answers — Value for Money Reviews: Value for Money Reviews (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As I committed to the House, I will ensure publication of the report at the earliest possible date which I expect will be shortly after the summer. I have discussed the progress of the report with my officials and realise that it has not proved possible to meet the original timeframe envisaged due to the amount of detailed technical work involved. Nevertheless, this detailed technical work...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 186 together. 73 small primary schools were originally due to lose a classroom teacher in September 2012 as a result of the budget measure to increase the relevant pupil thresholds. The Staffing Appeals Board provisionally upheld appeals from 41 schools subject to confirmation that their actual enrolments in September 2012 reach the required level....

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 187 to 189, inclusive, together. The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. I wish to inform the Deputy that statistics in relation to the Leaving Certificate examinations (2000 - 2011) including the number of school leavers who completed the Leaving Certificate can be...

Written Answers — Book Rental Scheme: Book Rental Scheme (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: For the first time ever, my Department undertook a survey of schools to establish the position regarding school book rental and loan schemes for the school year 2011/12 and their plans to operate such a scheme for 2012/13. This survey was completed in early 2012. The 3300 primary and special schools nationwide were asked in their annual returns to my Department if they operated a textbook or...

Written Answers — Schools Guidance Counsellors: Schools Guidance Counsellors (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 191 to 193, inclusive, together. All schools must continue to provide guidance to their pupils however from the start of the new school year guidance provision will be managed by schools from within their standard staffing allocation. Circular 0009/2012 issued by my Department while informing post primary school management and staff of the revised...

Written Answers — Third Level Staff: Third Level Staff (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 194, 195 and 197 together. Since becoming Minister I have written to the Chairpersons of University Governing Bodies requesting them to ask all relevant individuals, including Presidents, who earn in excess of €200,000, to make voluntary waivers of salary. While two individuals, one of whom is a university Head, have agreed to make personal arrangements...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The reality of the economic situation and the public expenditure corrections which must be made in the coming years present challenges across all areas of public expenditure, including higher education. The funding of our higher education sector is addressed as part of the budgetary process each year. The Government is committed to driving reforms to radically reduce costs across the public...

Written Answers — Third Level Staff: Third Level Staff (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department. Officials of my Department have asked the Higher Education Authority to contact each university seeking a response and I will forward the available data to you as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The attached table gives details of the Freedom of Information Requests received by my Department since March 2011. This information is divided between Personal and non-Personal requests. For the Deputy's information, the final cut-off date for late applications to the Redress Board was 17th September 2011. This resulted in a significant increase in the number of personal requests received...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: On foot of a request from the Committee of Public Accounts for a note in relation to allegations made by the former employee referred to by the Deputy, my Department requested a note from Co. Cork VEC on the matters raised along with appropriate follow up action to resolve each of the matters. Co. Cork VEC replied on 23rd April last advising that the former employee concerned is involved in...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The July Education Programme is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism who choose to extend their education services through the month of July. My Department also provides for a July Programme for pupils with a severe/profound general learning disability. Where school based provision is not feasible, home based...