Results 17,241-17,260 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments Data (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department currently shares information on post-primary students as provided by recognised schools to my Department with the Department of Social Protection for the purpose of verifying student identity as outlined in Departmental circular 47/2010. This is a Fair Processing Notice which explains how my Department processes the personal data of post-primary students in compliance with the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 139 together. I welcome the submission by the management bodies and the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) in relation to assessment and moderation which was made in the context of ongoing discussions with the education stakeholders. On January 17 a national working group of education stakeholders met to discuss issues...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Mainstream schools have been allocated some 5,520 additional teachers, through general allocation, to provide extra teaching supports for children with high incidence special educational needs and Specific Learning Disabilities, including Dyslexia. Schools utilise these resources to ensure that children with Dyslexia receive the help they require. My Department has provided guidance to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 133 together. I am aware that some Patrons have initiated consultation processes relating to amalgamation proposals that may involve primary school closures. I wish to advise the Deputies that the decision making authority for any school amalgamation belongs to the school's patron and this is subject to the approval of the Minister for Education and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: A major capital project for the school, to which the Deputy refers, involving an extension and refurbishment of the existing school building, which is a protected structure, is currently being advanced in architectural planning. I wish to advise the Deputy that a significant element of the architectural design work has been completed and the project is being advanced through the remaining...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Years Strategy Implementation (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The objective of the Síolta quality assurance programme (QAP) is to foster the development of an organisational culture which empowers both the setting and the staff to take ownership of and drive quality improvement as a continuous feature of everyday practice. The final report showed that the quality of early years settings improved through implementing the QAP but also identified the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: At the IPPN conference on Friday 24th of January 2014 I was asked what subjects I would take time away from in order to devote more time to literacy and numeracy. In response, I expressed my personal opinion that if I were a teacher who needed to spend more time on literacy and numeracy, I would take the time from religion. I did not say that the teaching of religion should be stopped in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Protection (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: With the assistance of the Attorney General, I have sought further legal advice on the implications of the European Court of Human Rights judgement for outstanding school child abuse cases. The State Claims Agency has informed my Department that there are 45 current day school abuse claims on hands. I have asked my Department, with the Attorney General's Office and State Claims Agency, to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has been in ongoing contact with the patron of the second level school in question in relation to its accommodation arrangements. For reasons of practicality and to ensure coherent communication with interested parties, while also taking account of commercial sensitivities, the appropriate channel of communication in such instances is with the school Patrons, who, in turn,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Protection (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The adequacy of child protection mechanisms is a central issue in the ECHR judgement to which the Deputy refers. The landscape in relation to child protection is very different today than it was 40 years ago. In that regard, there are now national child protection procedures in place that schools are obliged to follow. The Children First guidelines soon to be put on a statutory footing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Years Strategy Implementation (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: While the Department of Children and Youth Affairs is responsible for early years education outside the formal education system, my Department has a key role in supporting quality within the sector and works closely with the D/CYA. Working with agencies funded by the D/CYA, the NCCA produced an Aistear-in-Action toolkit which is a resource for use in early years settings showing how the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Under my Department's Free Fee Schemes the Exchequer meets the cost of tuition fees in respect of eligible full-time undergraduate students. Support is also available to eligible students under the Student Grant Scheme which may include maintenance, fees and student contribution. Funding is also provided to institutions for the Student Assistance Fund which assists students, who might...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff Recruitment (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The reality of the economic situation and the public expenditure corrections which continue to be required present challenges across all areas of public expenditure. It must be acknowledged that the higher education sector has accommodated significant increases in students numbers at a time when both funding and staff numbers have reduced. The economic circumstances of the country are such...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Tá mo Roinnse lán-tiomanta d'fhorfheidhmiú na Straitéise 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge. Go nuige seo, tá mo Roinnse tar éis díriú ar bhearta oideachasúla sa Straitéis 20 Bliain a cur i gcrích a bhaineann leis an gcuraclam, le measúnú agus le hoideachas múinteoirí. Mar shampla, tá obair a rinne an Chomhairle...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that schools have a responsibility under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, to have a Safety Statement in place in their schools. The Statement should identify potential hazards, assess the risks to health and safety and put appropriate provision in place to safeguard the safety and health of employees and pupils. The Safety Statement should be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child and Family Agency Remit (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Education Welfare Board (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (SI No. 215 of 2011) made by the Government on 10th May 2011 transferred a range of functions under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. These functions included statutory powers relating to school attendance, participation and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Reviews (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I regret the announcement by the ASTI and TUI of the fact that they are balloting their members on industrial action on the new Junior Cycle Student Award (JCSA). I have considered the concerns expressed by the unions and others in relation to the new JCSA. In that context, I have responded to their concerns in relation to the implementation of the Framework on Junior Cycle. I have slowed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware the Higher Education Authority (HEA) is undertaking a study on the future financing of the higher education sector. This study was initiated at my request and an initial report has been published which makes it clear that immediate work is required to prepare for a longer term approach to a system that can be maintained through a sustainable funding base which will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The staffing schedule is the mechanism used for allocating mainstream teaching posts to all schools. It operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. It currently operates on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 28 pupils with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools.The configuration of classes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I am aware that a consultation process is underway in Cork City relating to amalgamation proposals that involve the schools, referred to by the Deputy. However, I wish to confirm that I have not received any proposals in the matter from the Patron concerned. The Deputy will be aware that the decision making authority for any amalgamation or re-organisation of schools in an area belongs to...