Results 16,801-16,820 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have been informed by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the students referred to by the Deputy have been refused a grant on the grounds that reckonable income was over the limit. Grant applications are means tested on gross income from all sources earned inside and outside the State within a specified reference period. The assessment of income from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Issues (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The State Examinations Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate examinations. Applications for such accommodations are submitted by schools on behalf of their students. Full details of the scheme are available for downloading...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Major Building Project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an early stage of Architectural Planning. The Board of Management and their Design Team have finalised the Stage 2A report and submitted it to my Department for review. Following this review and subject to no issues arising the project will be authorised to proceed to Stage 2(b) which includes obtaining...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 268, 269 and 276 together. The Deputy will be aware that this Government is committed to the protection of frontline services for pupils with special educational needs. The level of resources devoted to supporting children with Special Educational Needs has been maintained and increased for this school year. The provision now includes 10,745 Special Needs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: There are currently 44 major school projects on site. A further 124 major projects have been given approval to commence construction and are due to start on site this year. When all of these projects have been completed this will result in excess of 65,000 quality school places being provided. Details of all major school projects approved to commenced construction are available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, in June 2011, I announced that some 40 new schools are to be established up to 2017 to cater for increasing demographics across a number of locations. Many of these schools have commenced operation and plans are advanced to establish the remainder. The Forward Planning Section of my Department will continue to analyse demographic trends and to monitor enrolments...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Framework for Junior Cycle which is to be implemented from 2014, acknowledges the key role of entrepreneurship. In its principles the framework highlights the role of "creativity and innovation". There are 24 statements of learning which specify what students should know, understand, value and be able to do at the end of junior cycle. A number of the statements are relevant to enterprise...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: There are currently a significant number of initiatives which support enterprise in schools. In senior cycle students taking not only the Transition Year option but also the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme and the Leaving Certificate Applied are provided with specific opportunities to acquire enterprise skills. These programmes place a strong focus on active learning,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Our current configuration of small primary schools has been examined by my Department in a value for money review, which I am considering in consultation with my Government colleagues. There are many aspects to be considered in regard to school provision, apart from pupil enrolment. Among them are questions such as availability of diversity of provision, ethos of schools, parental choice,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Statistics section of my Department's website contains information relating to pupil teacher ratio (PTR) at primary and second level. Pupil Teacher Ratio in respect of all schools is only available at national level and not disaggregated by county or any other variable. The most recent statistics are for the 2012/13 school year. The national average class size is 24.7 pupils. However,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 and 280 together. The current status of all projects, may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie and this will be updated regularly throughout the year. The Deputy will be aware that the five year construction plan, that I announced on 9 March 2012, outlines the major school projects that will commence construction over the duration of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 281 and 282 together. I remain of the view that the optimum configuration for the two post-primary schools for Maynooth and, indeed, the best provision that can be made for the students in the area, is two fully vertical schools. The Deputy will be well aware of my reasons for this from our meetings on this matter and from my response to his recent...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (22 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 58 and 72 together. The Board of Management of each school is responsible for the care and safety of all of the pupils in their school. Schools should supervise and support children who are distressed or out of control until they have recovered and are able to re-engage in the classroom. Schools may seek advice from their local National Educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Momentum Programme Issues (22 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Momentum programme is managed by SOLAS and I have asked an official in SOLAS to provide the information directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (22 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Only in exceptional cases, where compelling evidence of estrangement from parents/guardians is provided, can candidates who are under 23 be assessed without reference to their parents/guardians income or address. The type of independent verification required is dependent on the person's individual circumstances. The verification or evidence should be provided in writing, in a formal...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Book Rental Scheme (22 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 62 together. I assume the Deputy is referring to primary schools. The Department will continue to provide a book grant as usual to all primary schools. This grant, can be utilised for the purposes of updating or expanding a school's existing book rental scheme. I want to commend all schools that have used it to help build up book rental schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Book Rental Scheme (22 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 63, 67 and 68 together. First let me clarify that the Department will continue to provide a book grant as usual to all primary schools. This grant, can be utilised for the purposes of updating or expanding a school's existing book rental scheme. I want to commend all schools that have used it to help build up book rental schemes over the years. Their efforts...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Data Retention (22 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department does not collect information in the format requested.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (22 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is due for completion shortly. The proposal, at this late post-contract stage of the project, to add accommodation that equates to approximately 26% of the overall accommodation being provided opens up considerable contractual risk and associated cost. The school authority has been informed that the devolved grant route is the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (22 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I can advise that the NCSE has confirmed that they have now written directly to the Deputy, on 20th January, 2014, regarding this matter and to advise that the pupil referred to by the Deputy has now been granted access to SNA support.