Results 11,281-11,300 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. My Department completed a review of the initial Stage 1 Submission for the project. However the stage submission as presented could not be approved at that time. The School Authorities were advised to request their Design Team to submit a Revised Stage 1 Submission which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning. To ensure that every child has access to a school place, the delivery of projects to meet the increasing demographic demands will be the main focus for capital investment over the next 5 years, particularly in those areas where it has been identified that most future demographic growth will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The following table shows Education and Skills Expenditure on my Vote, as detailed in the annual Appropriation Accounts, for the years 1992 – 2011, including as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Direct comparison for the different years is difficult due to changes in the make-up of the Education and Skills Vote, which include, inter alia: (a) The transfer into my Vote in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Article 27(3)(a) of the Student Grant Scheme 2012 provides that the relevant distance will be measured in line with agreed guidelines. These guidelines require that the shortest most direct route between the applicant's normal residence and the institution where the approved course takes place should apply and that, in determining the shortest most direct route, the relevant awarding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I have accepted the recommendations set out in a report commissioned by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on the structures of initial teacher education. The purpose of the report, which I requested, was to identify new possible structures to improve initial teacher education in Ireland so that it is comparable with the best in the world. The international panel of education experts...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The proposal to purchase land adjacent to the school referred to by the Deputy was considered. While the purchase price of the land is nominal, the development of the land for use as car parking/set down area will incur significant costs. In view of the need to ensure that every child has access to a school place, the delivery of major school projects to meet significant demographic demands...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The initiative referred to by the Deputy came to an end last June. This Government does not plan to review the decision to end the modern languages in primary schools initiative. As the Deputy is aware the decision to end the scheme took account of a 2008 Report by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). The report identified serious issues with curricular overload at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: English Language Training Organisations (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Chinese students may attend any English Language Training Organisation (ELTO) recognised by the ACELS service of the NQAI, provided the student holds the appropriate visa and permission from the Department of Justice and Equality. 64 recognised ELTOs offer academic year programmes. My Department does not collect statistics on the number of students in ELTOs. However, Fáilte Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Physical Education Facilities (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. Due to competing demands on the Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic requirements it was not possible to include this project in the 5...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pyrite Remediation Programme Issues (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has recently appointed consultants to commence remediation work on the school to which the Deputy refers. Their work will include all necessary inspections and surveying, preparation of tender documents, procurement of a contractor to complete the remediation works, supervision of works and hand-over of school back to the Board of Management. It is not possible at this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is not included in the 5 year construction programme. The project is at an early stage of architectural planning. Due to competing demands on the Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Construction recently commenced on Phase 1 of school building project to which the Deputy refers. This phase will provide accommodation for circa 650 pupils. Subject to no issues arising, it is anticipated that this project will be completed in time for the start of the academic year 2013/14.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy was included in the 5 year construction programme announced in March. The project is at an early stage of architectural planning and is scheduled to proceed to tender and construction in 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 178 and 183 together. The Government announced as part of Budget 2012 that, pending completion of the public service-wide review of allowances, changes to teacher qualification allowances were being made with immediate effect. These changes affect new allowances payable to both existing teachers and to new appointees in the future. Under Budget 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (2 Oct 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 processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of such...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Department of Education and Skills does not collate data on the number of pupils at primary level who are able to speak a foreign language. At primary level, the Department's policy in relation to languages, as detailed in the Government's National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy (2011), is that pupils will learn two languages, English and Irish. The National Council for Curriculum and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I have asked my officials to compile the information and forward it to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Courses (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand that the qualifications concerned have recently been prescribed by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in accordance with the Building Control Act, 2007, and that holders of those qualifications can now be registered by the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland (RIAI), the regulating body of the architecture profession, under that Act. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Services Provision (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the Schools Broadband Access Programme the Department provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all primary schools that wish to avail of this service. All contracts under the Schools Broadband Access Programme were recently re-tendered. As a result of this the number of service providers has been expanded from 6 to 13 and this should lead to improvements in the quality of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Facilities (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 to 189, inclusive, together. " Towards a Higher Education Landscape" published in February 2012 initiated a process of engagement by the HEA with higher education institutions with a view to providing me with advice on the future configuration and development of the higher education system. As part of this process all publicly funded institutions were...