Results 17,541-17,560 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (13 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Independent Apprenticeship Review Group, who were tasked with carrying out the Apprenticeship Review submitted their report to my Department in December 2013. The group made comprehensive recommendations both with regard to the expansion of apprenticeship into new industrial sectors as well as to the existing apprenticeship trades. The review group recommends that its proposals be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (13 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The school to which the Deputy refers applied to my Department for additional accommodation including a mainstream classroom, learning support/resource accommodation and ancillary accommodation. As the Deputy will be aware, my Department recently approved a significant devolved grant for 1 mainstream classroom and 3 learning support/resource rooms to allow the school to replace all of its...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (13 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The detailed supplementary assignment arrangements for SNAs for the 2013/2014 school year are set out in Departmental Circular 0037/2013 which issued on 1 July 2013 and which is available on the Department's website at the following address: . With effect from 1 May 2013 once an SNA with a minimum of one year's service is notified by his/her employer that he/she is to be made redundant then...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (13 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the number of pupils enrolled in Primary schools (including Special Schools) for the 2013/14 school year is 536,319 and the number of pupils enrolled in all-Irish primary schools in the current school year is 41,659 pupils. I wish to advise the Deputy also that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (13 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed that the student referred to by the Deputy has appealed the decision of the awarding authority to the Independent Student Grants Appeals Board. The appeal will be heard within the timeframe set out in the Student Support Act 2011 and the student will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (13 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed that the student referred to by the Deputy has appealed the decision of the awarding authority to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board. The appeal was considered by the Appeals Board on 4th March 2014 and the decision issued directly to the student on 5th March 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Commemorative Events (13 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73 and 74 together. The all-island schools' history competition is one of the measures adopted by my Department to mark the contribution of the education sector to the 'decade of centenaries' which covers the period 2012-2022. This competition has been organised in conjunction with the Department of Education in Northern Ireland. The closing date for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (13 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to advise that my Department has recently commenced the process of identifying and acquiring a suitable permanent site for the school to which the Deputy refers. This will involve engagement with Cork County Council in respect of identifying a suitable site. In view of the financial constraints imposed by the need, as outlined in the Five Year Plan, to prioritise available...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Information and Communications Technology Issues (13 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Since 1998, the national ICT in Schools programme has focused on building capacity across the schools system for integrating ICT into teaching and learning and developing pupils' digital literacy, the ICT in Schools programme must now address new policy challenges and opportunities arising from major developments in curricular reform, digital publishing, digital content dissemination tools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (13 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The independent Apprenticeship Review Group, who were tasked with carrying out the Apprenticeship Review submitted their report to my Department in December 2013. The group made comprehensive recommendations, both on the expansion of apprenticeship into new industrial sectors on the enhancement of the model in existing apprenticeship trades. The review group recommended that its...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (13 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: In 2012 there were 355 appeals lodged to my Department and 214 were heard by a section 29 committee. In 2013 there were 403 appeals lodged to my Department and 203 were heard by a section 29 committee. The information requested in respect of 2014 will be available at the year end. My officials have provided a breakdown of the information requested by the Deputy on the following table....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (13 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 81 to 83, inclusive, together. Under the terms of my Department's student grant and free fees schemes, students who are entering approved full-time undergraduate course in an approved higher education institution are eligible to be considered for grants and free tuition fees. In general, students who previously pursued a course of study are not eligible for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (13 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is not in receipt of an application in respect of additional accommodation from the school referred to by the Deputy. It is open to the school authorities to apply to my Department for additional accommodation by completing the application form which is available on my Department's website at www.education.gov.ie.

Topical Issue Debate: Student Grant Scheme Administration (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. The project to establish a single authority for student grants was of a very significant scale within the education system. It required the enhancement and development of systems, management and governance structures and new ways of working in order to progress the realisation of benefits both for grant applicants and the Government....

Topical Issue Debate: Student Grant Scheme Administration (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy for bringing the matter to my attention. Some 42% of third level students are receiving some grant. The amounts of money involved are substantial. If the fault in administration is clearly seen to lie with SUSI, not the applicant, the responsibility lies with it to make good on its promise and certification. It may need to change its procedures in this respect, but the...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 and 381 together. The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on the Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Assistance Fund (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The objective of the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) is to provide financial assistance for full-time higher education students who are experiencing financial difficulties whilst attending college. This includes students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds with ongoing needs for financial support, as well as students with other circumstances giving rise to short or longer-term...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 282 and 391 together. The allocation of teaching posts to schools is done in a transparent manner using published criteria. Unlike most other areas of the public service teaching vacancies are being filled in accordance with the published criteria. Normally, the staffing of schools is determined by the enrolments of the previous September. However, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: In June of 2011, I announced that some 20 new post-primary schools would be established over the coming years to meet demographic needs. Following on from that announcement, prospective patron bodies were invited to apply for patronage of the schools under new arrangements for determining patronage for the schools. These arrangements, which are overseen by the New Schools Establishment...