Results 14,441-14,460 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the facility which she refers to in her question provides a two-year pre-school programme which caters for 3-5 year old children. The Pre-School project referred to is not a designated Primary or Special School, but a stand-alone project in receipt of an individual resourcing mechanism which is separate to the resourcing arrangements which apply to mainstream...

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I have wanted to come in particularly to speak on this motion because of the confidence I have in the Minister, Deputy Shatter. I have known the Minister for a couple of decades. We have worked together in the past but never as closely as in Cabinet. He has brought a sense of dynamism and energy to the Department in a consistent and clear way and I can think of very few of his predecessors...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department will fund over 430,000 part time and full time education and training places across the range of provision in the higher education, further education and training sectors in 2013. Unemployed participants are prioritised for places in further education and training. In line with commitments under the Pathways to Work initiative, over 51,000 places across this provision will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Services Provision (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the Schools Broadband Access Programme the Department provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all recognised primary schools. All contracts under the Schools Broadband Access Programme were re-tendered last year under a public procurement competition. As a result of this the number of service providers has been expanded from 6 to 13 with the aim of ensuring that where...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Reform (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The position is that the issue, as referred to by the Deputy, is still under consideration by my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The International School of Martyrs (ISM) is a private educational institution located in Tripoli, Libya. The Irish Leaving Certificate examination is offered each year to candidates in the school. The role of the State Examinations Commission (SEC) is to provide examinations to candidates who have been entered for either the Junior or Leaving Certificate and in this regard I am informed by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: An appeal from the persons in respect of whose details were supplied by the Deputy was received in my Department on 7th May 2013 and is due for consideration by the Independent Student Grants Appeals Board on the 18th June 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pension Provisions (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: There are 9,697 retired voluntary secondary and community and comprehensive school teachers in receipt of pension from my Department's retired teachers' payroll. The percentage details in respect of this group of retired teachers are set out in the attached table. Table of Retired Voluntary Secondary and Community and Comprehensive School Teachers Category of Pension percentage retired...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pension Provisions (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The pensions of some retired public servants, including some teachers, are coordinated with social welfare benefits where the pensioner had paid full rate Class A PRSI during some or all of his/her employment. Class A rate PRSI payment brings with it an entitlement to a State pension payable by the Department of Social Protection. The State pension becomes payable at age 65. As some public...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I can inform the Deputy that, since his previous question on this issue, QQI have published a number of Green Papers on various policy areas which are available on the QQI website, dealing with subjects such as Awards and Standards, Certification, Access to Programme Accreditation, Recognition of Prior Learning and Quality Assurance. The purpose of these Green Papers is to inform the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I will be looking at different assessment methods in the context of the work currently taking place at primary and post-primary - both junior cycle and senior cycle. My Department will evaluate the different options in the context of their educational content and their relevance to the quality learning experience for students in the first instance. However, no specific decision has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Programmes Provision (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: It is open to all public, private and not for profit higher education providers to submit proposals for courses to be funded under Springboard. All courses approved for funding are selected by an independent panel with industry and educational expertise, having regard to published selection criteria and following a competitive tendering process. A call for proposals for courses to be run...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides for a continuum of special educational provision to be made available for children with special educational needs, so that regardless of the level of need of the child, educational provision can be made for them. My Department provides for a range of placement options and supports for schools which have enrolled pupils with special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports. Pupils with Down syndrome attending mainstream schools may receive additional teaching support in primary schools, either under the terms...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Proposed Legislation (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware, I announced at the Easter Teacher Union Conferences that I will shortly bring to Government draft heads of a bill – the Education (Admission to School) Bill 2013. Work on the draft legislative proposals is largely completed and the proposals are being legally proofed at present. When this process is completed I intend to bring the proposals to Cabinet. I will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides an extensive range of supports for pupils with Specific Speech and Language Disorder (SSLD) including provision for the establishment of special classes for Specific Speech and Language Disorder in primary schools. Applications to establish such classes are considered by the school's assigned Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: European Council Meetings (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Council formation in which I participate is the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport (EYCS) Council. Since the start of the Irish Presidency on 1 January, there have been two meetings of the Education component of this Council formation: 15 February and 16 May. I attended as President of the Council at both meetings.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Parliamentary Questions Numbers (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy had 28 questions answered by this Department between January to May 2013. There was no additional information to be forwarded to the Deputy in relation to any of these questions.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 110 together. The major building project at the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of Architectural Planning. The Board of Management and their Design Team have recently been authorised to proceed to complete Stage 2A of Architectural Planning, which is the Developed Sketch Design Stage. Due to competing demands on my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Administration (29 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 109 together. My Department's over-riding objective is to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to cope with increasing pupil numbers. To ensure that this is achieved, the delivery of major school projects to meet significant demographic demands nationally will be the main focus for...