Results 17,841-17,860 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (8 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. The assessment of means under my Department's student grant scheme is based on gross income from all sources. Therefore, all income is assessed from the same starting...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (8 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy should be aware that while the current Primary School Curriculum was introduced into schools in 1999, the inclusion of local history has been a feature of the history curriculum since 1971. The introduction to the Primary School Curriculum states that "The exploration of local history remains a central element of the curriculum at all levels, but as children mature they encounter...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (8 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As my answer to your Parliamentary Question Number 141 of 11 March made clear, it is a matter for each Board of Management of a school to decide in its own school policy in relation to the use of workbooks. Any decisions of the teaching staff in relation to the use of workbooks must be in line with the school policy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (8 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: There should be no assumption by the Deputy that I consider that there a need for workbooks in schools. In fact, the Guidelines for Developing Textbook Rental Schemes that I commissioned state clearly that "A number of strategies can be used to avoid the need for workbooks".

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (8 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Primary History curriculum delineates historical skills that are to be developed progressively by children and a number of strands which outline the historical topics and periods to be explored by the child. The strands have been designed to ensure that children experience a broadly balanced history programme. They reflect major historical periods, important genres of historical enquiry...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelscoileanna Issues (8 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 234 and 235 together. In June 2011, I announced that some 20 new primary schools are to be established up to 2017 to cater for increasing demographics across a number of locations. That announcement did not include a proposal to establish a new school in any of the areas referred to by the Deputy. My Department continues to analyse demographic data on a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (8 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the decision making authority for any amalgamation belongs to the Patron of a school, subject to the approval of the Minister for Education and Skills. My Department's role is to facilitate any such proposal or discussions between the relevant parties. The initiative for any amalgamation may come from a variety of sources, such as parents, staff, Board of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (8 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the Education Act 1998, it is the duty of the patron to appoint, where practicable, a Board of Management. The agreed procedures for the appointment of Boards of Management of primary schools are set out in my Department's publication "Constitution of Boards and Rules of Procedures 2011". The booklet is available on my Department's website www.education.ie. This booklet also sets...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (8 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: It is envisaged that the property portfolio of Dublin Institute of Technology shall be disposed of with proceeds utilised against the overall costs of development of the Grangegorman site.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Responsibilities (8 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I refer the Deputy to the provisions of the Protected Disclosures Bill, 2013 which is currently being considered by the Oireachtas. Under Section 8 of the Bill a disclosure can be made by any worker who is or was employed in a public body to a Minister of the Government on whom any function in relation to the public body is conferred or imposed any enactment. It is my understading that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Examinations Reviews (9 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 4 together. The junior cycle student award, JCSA, will no longer be a terminal exam with high stakes. Treating it as such has been shown to have an unintended negative backwash effect on teaching and learning in the classroom and can, in some cases, lead to an unnecessary focus on rote learning. Our 15 year olds do not need a State-certified...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Examinations Reviews (9 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy for his question and his support in this matter. Nobody is suggesting that we should go back to the primary certificate examination that was done away with in 1967. It is, in the same vein, a political decision to do away with the State examination for 15 year olds. That decision is my responsibility. In terms of how it is implemented, I am, of course, open to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Examinations Reviews (9 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As Minister for Education and Skills, a responsibility the Deputy may well have himself some day, with a mandate from the electorate and accountability to other Deputies, one cannot be put in a position in which a stakeholder simply says "No, you cannot change the status of exams." That is what the unions have said. The two unions have said they are ultimately opposed to removing the State...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Examinations Reviews (9 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: We are tight for time. In fact, we lost the summer months for discussion as one of the unions was re-balloting its members in relation to Haddington Road, a separate issue altogether. I confirm to the Deputy that I have not received formally and in writing from the unions notice of the extra resources they want. We have received from management bodies at post-primary level suggestions...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Examinations Reviews (9 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Yes. They are still engaging in that forum and we are still making progress.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Residential Institutions Issues (9 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand from Caranua that between 6 January and the end of March it received 2,345 applications. The first part of the application process is to verify that an applicant is eligible to apply. To the end of March, 2,145 applications have been verified as eligible and 20 deemed ineligible. The remaining 180 applications are still being examined. Following the initial assessment,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Residential Institutions Issues (9 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As with all new organisations, there were some teething problems in the establishment of Caranua. The chairperson of the board had to step down for personal reasons. Notwithstanding that, we have a director in place and approximately 15% of the potential 15,000 eligible persons have applied. I will discuss with the board whether the information provided to the interest group has been...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Residential Institutions Issues (9 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: If the Deputy wishes to give me the details of the case, I will explore it within the context of the independence of the organisation itself.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Teachers' Panel Rights (9 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: At primary level, a teacher exchange scheme exists whereby a teacher may voluntarily exchange with a teacher in any other school. The minimum period for which an exchange may occur is one year and the maximum is five years. There are 25 exchanges involving 50 teachers currently in place in primary schools. Given that such exchanges are for limited periods of time, it is not appropriate for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Teachers' Panel Rights (9 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I must confess that suggestion has not crossed my desk. However, in the light of the Deputy's question, I am happy to consider it. I will review the position and write to him. The initiative is probably with the teachers' unions and representatives, but I will send a more comprehensive answer to the Deputy. He can then decide on the best way forward.