Results 17,941-17,960 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Application Numbers (9 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: At the close of business on 6th April 2014, SUSI has provided the following data in relation to new applications for the 2013/2014 academic year. A total of 68,570 applications were received, of which 68,221 assessments were completed. 42 applications are awaiting assessment. SUSI are awaiting documentation in relation to 307 applications. In relation to the 68,221 assessments, 39,014 are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools (9 Apr 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 prevent and tackle bullying in schools. These actions focus on support for schools, teacher training, research and awareness raising and aim to ensure that all forms of bullying, including cyber...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions Entry Requirements (9 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The MSAP (Mature Students Admission Pathway) is designed to assess a range of competencies considered important for success in tertiary study. I understand that mature students applying for specific courses in UCC, UCD and NUIG are required to have a MSAP result. Universities are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997 and the management of their academic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: SOLAS Training and Education Programmes Provision (10 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: This is a day to day operational matter for SOLAS. I have asked SOLAS to contact the Deputy directly to set out these procedures.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (10 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 46 together. My Department provides for a comprehensive system of continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers in the area of special educational needs. Central to this is the Special Education Support Service (SESS) whose brief is to enhance the quality of learning and teaching of students with special educational needs through the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (10 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that as part of the Budget 2012 decisions, there is a phased increase in the number of pupils required to gain and retain a classroom teaching post in small primary schools with four teachers or less. The first phase of the budget measure took effect from September 2012. The final phase of the budget measure takes effect from September 2014. An appeals process is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (10 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: July Provision is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism that choose to extend their education services through the month of July. My Department also provides July Provision for pupils with a severe/profound general learning disability. Where school based provision is not feasible, home based provision may be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland Administration (10 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have been informed by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy was not eligible for a grant under the nationality criteria. Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, previous...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Abuse Issues (10 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Claims Agency is reviewing its day school abuse cases to identify those that come within the parameters of the judgment of the ECHR in this case. I expect to receive this review very shortly following which I will be reporting back to Government on the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (10 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I am advised by the school in question that the Employment Appeals Tribunal has not as yet issued a decision in the case referred to by the Deputy. When the Tribunal issue a decision, I will consider the implications of that decision.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (10 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The school referred to by the Deputy was included on the list of projects, announced in March 2012, to commence construction in 2015/16 and I can advise the Deputy that there has been no change on the list in relation to the school concerned. This list is available on my Department's website. As previously outlined, my Department is working in conjunction with Cork County Council towards...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (10 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the school to which he refers has recently been approved a significant devolved grant for the provision of two ensuite mainstream classrooms and three resource rooms to replace existing temporary accommodation. This level of replacement accommodation will meet the schools immediate accommodation needs.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (10 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: 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 an amalgamation may come from a variety of sources, such as parents, staff, Board of Management and Patron. The schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (10 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently out to tender. Tenders are due back towards the end of this month. Following completion of the tender process and subject to no issues arising, it is anticipated that works will commence in the coming months.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Grants (10 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Those who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the Student Grant Scheme are eligible to have their post-graduate tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit of €6,270. Otherwise a postgraduate student may qualify to have a €2,000 contribution made towards the costs of their fees if he/she meets the income criteria. The income threshold for this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (10 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The project referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning and a design team has recently been appointed to commence the architectural planning process. Due to competing demands on the Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Momentum Programme Issues (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: This is a day to day operational matter for SOLAS who manage the Momentum programme. I understand from SOLAS that 6,061 participants started Momentum projects in 2013. 396 have started in 2014 to date.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: SOLAS Training and Education Programmes Places (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: This is an operational matter for SOLAS. SOLAS have been requested to provide the information directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. I understand that the pupil in question has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 216 to 219, inclusive, together. The focus of my work on curriculum reform spans primary, junior cycle and senior cycle. There are a number of immediate areas of national priority. At primary the NCCA is currently working on the development of an integrated language curriculum for infants to 2nd class. I expect to receive advice on this in the...