Results 17,341-17,360 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the Action Plan for Jobs initiative a review of the Irish Apprenticeship system commenced in 2013 to determine whether the current model of apprenticeship should be retained, adapted or replaced, taking into account the needs of learners, employers, the economy and the need for cost effectiveness into the future. An independent review group was established and the group's report was...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 322, 323, 327 and 331 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 previous Government capped the number...

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

Ruairi Quinn: It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. In this regard a Board of Management may find it necessary to restrict enrolment to children from a particular area or a particular age group or on the basis of some other criterion. The criteria to be applied by schools in such circumstances...

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

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has no record of the submissions to which the Deputy refers. The Deputy will be aware that 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 cater for increasing pupil numbers. In June 2011, I announced that up to 40 new schools are to be established up to 2017 to cater for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Back to Education Allowance Eligibility (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The objective of the student grant scheme is to help as many students as possible to obtain one qualification at each level of study. Given the level of demand on the student grant budget from first time students and students that are progressing with their studies to a higher level, there are no plans at present to change the arrangements in place. Eligibility for the Back to Education...

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

Ruairi Quinn: 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 the Plan. The primary aim at the core of the Five Year...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Provision (25 Feb 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: Bullying in Schools (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: In January 2013, my colleague, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, and I published the Action Plan on Bullying. Since then, good progress has been made on implementing actions designed to help prevent and tackle bullying in primary and second level schools. These actions focus on support for schools, teacher training, research and awareness raising and aim to ensure that all forms...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Applications (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: In November 2011 on the announcement of the Medium Term Education Capital Investment Framework, I indicated that it was unlikely funding would be available in future years to allow the issue of the Minor Works Grant to primary schools. In November 2013 funding was made available as a once-off payment of the Minor Works Grant in respect of the 2013/2014 school year. Future funding of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (26 Feb 2014)

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, including the allocation of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (26 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Primary school teachers have been working with pre-school children since the mid 1990s when the early start programme was established in 40 primary schools as a preventative measure for children at risk of educational disadvantage. Primary teachers also work with pre-school children with autism in units attached to primary schools. The remit of the Home School Community Liaison Service...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (26 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73, 74 and 77 together. The Deputy will be aware from the response to previous parliamentary questions including the one to which he refers that my Department's policy is to promote a child-centred approach to the education of all children with special educational needs including those with autism. The preferred approach is that children with autism are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (26 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 76 together. My Department provides for a comprehensive system of continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers in the area of special educational needs including teachers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Central to this is the Special Education Support Service (SESS) which was established in September 2003. The brief of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Contracts (26 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The staffing and redeployment process for the 2014/15 school year is currently under way in my Department. The information sought by the Deputy concerning CID applications is not readily available. My Department's Teacher Allocation Section is currently focussed on the allocation process for the coming school year and I do not propose to divert them from this work at this key time. While...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (26 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise that the policy of my Department is to secure the maximum possible level of inclusion of students with special educational needs in mainstream primary and post-primary schools, in order to ensure that as many children as possible can be educated with their peers within their own community. My Department therefore provides for a range of placement options and supports for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (26 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I will arrange for my Department to contact the Deputy directly regarding this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments Data (26 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 83 to 86, inclusive, together. The number of pupils enrolled in individual schools is provided in the National School Annual Census. Results from the Census for the current school year (2013/2014) are being finalised at present. Publication of all data at first level and a final list of schools and their enrolments will be on my Department's website by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has received an application for grant aid from the school referred to by the Deputy to provide equipment for a newly established multi-sensory room. Additional information was requested from the School Authority and this information was recently received. The application is now being assessed and the School Authorities will be advised of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (26 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: It is expected that the school to which the Deputy refers can accommodate approximately 600 pupils. The enrolment return from the school in September 2013 indicated that there were 572 pupils enrolled at that time. The Department does not hold information on applicant levels in schools. I can confirm that the school has not applied for additional accommodation to my Department and I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (26 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that my Department has received an application from the school, referred to by the Deputy, for funding to facilitate its growth to a third stream, i.e. a 24 classroom school. My Department is currently liaising with the Patron of the school and a decision will be conveyed to the school authorities when this process has been finalised. The Deputy will however appreciate that my...