Results 17,721-17,740 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I have accepted the recommendations set out in an International Review Panel report commissioned by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on the structures of initial teacher education (ITE). The report recommended that teacher education be provided in six "centres for teacher education" and that Church of Ireland College of Education would be suitably positioned to join a number of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks Rental Scheme (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Budget 2014 announced that additional funding was provided to the Department which involved an investment of €15 million to support the establishment of book rental schemes in primary schools that do not currently operate them. With the limited funding available, I believe that targeting this funding to make sure that every parent in Ireland has access to some level of a book rental...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Placement (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The selection and enrolment of pupils in schools is the responsibility of the authorities of the individual school. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. As schools may not have a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (2 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: This is an operational matter for SOLAS and the query has been forwarded to SOLAS for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Sick Pay Scheme Reform (2 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Following a review of sick leave arrangements and binding Labour Court Recommendation No. LCR20335, Regulations for a new Public Service wide Sick Leave Scheme came into operation on 31st March 2014. However, in so far as they relate to teachers, these Regulations will come into operation on 01 September 2014. My Department is currently preparing a detailed consolidated circular letter for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (2 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 83 to 85, inclusive, together. The process of identifying primary and post-primary schools for participation in DEIS was managed by the Educational Research Centre (ERC) on behalf of the Department and supported by quality assurance work co-ordinated through the Department's regional offices and the Inspectorate in 2005. DEIS includes a commitment to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (2 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. Under the terms of my Department's student grant schemes, students who are entering approved full-time undergraduate course in an approved higher education institution are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (2 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 87 to 89, inclusive, and 91 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department allocates significant resources to ensure that pupils with special educational needs, including pupils with Down syndrome, can participate fully in education. Pupils with Down syndrome may receive additional teaching support in schools, either from a school's general...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (2 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware of this Government's ongoing commitment to ensuring that all children with special educational needs can have access to an education appropriate to their needs. My Department allocates significant resources to ensure that pupils with special educational needs, including pupils with Down syndrome, can participate fully in education. Supports are provided for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Remuneration (2 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that agreement has been reached under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission on terms of reference for an internal job evaluation exercise to be carried out within a specified timescale in UCC to establish the correct rate of pay for the employees of all grades within the Tyndall National Institute. In the light of this development it would be inappropriate for my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: EU Funding (2 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Ireland's allocation under the EU cohesion policy for the period 2014-2020 in current prices is €951.643 million. The breakdown between the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund will be decided in the context of the discussion between Ireland and the European Commission on the Partnership Agreement. It is expected that the draft Partnership Agreement will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: EU Funding (2 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: It is currently intended that the Department of Education and Skills will be the contact Department in respect of the ESF 2014-2020 operational programme. Relevant contact information will be published on both my Department's website and the ESF website (www.esf.ie) once final details regarding the content and allocations in respect of the programme have been decided during 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (2 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the school to which he refers applied to my Department for additional mainstream accommodation and ancillary accommodation. Given the current financial constraints within which my Department is operating, the position is that priority is being given to school applications for essential mainstream classroom and special education accommodation. In this regard,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (2 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that on 20th March last, I announced that 386 schools have been approved funding under the Summer Works Scheme to undertake school improvements. This first round of funding will allow schools to carry out small and medium scale building works across three categories of projects - Gas, Electrical and Mechanical. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the application...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (2 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As I previously advised the Deputy the Model concept became outdated in that it refers to specific models of provision. It was recognised that the model concept was complex and multipurpose. It was determined that parents of children with autism should have three distinct choices available to them; their child could either attend a mainstream class in their local school with additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (2 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department's policy on the education of children with autism resides within the overall policies on the education of children including those with special educational needs. The relevant circulars are available on www.education.gov.ie. Boards of Management and School staff are also supported in this regard by the Special Education Support Service, the National Educational Psychological...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (2 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As I previously advised the Deputy the Model A document in question became outdated in that it refers to specific models of provision. I do not have a specific date from which the prescribed model became outdated. However from 2006/2007 it was recognised that the model concept was complex and multipurpose. It was determined that parents of children with autism should have three distinct...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (2 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy is aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is currently preparing Policy Advice on the Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The NCSE has advised that the policy advice will be delivered in the spring of 2015 and will draw upon findings gathered from an extensive consultation process which has already commenced. As I previously...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (2 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department's policy on the education of children with autism resides within the overall policies on the education of children with special educational needs. In the main these policies are non-condition specific. However my Department is conscious of the on-going need to adapt policies and to develop new policies as new research or learning becomes available. As the Deputy is aware a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (2 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The school to which the Deputy refers has submitted an application to my Department for large scale capital funding for a new school. In that regard, in view of the financial constraints imposed by the need, as outlined in the Five Year Plan, to prioritise available funding for the provision of essential additional school places to meet demographic demand, my Department is not in a position...