Results 18,801-18,820 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (3 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the school in question submitted an application for additional accommodation which was mainly of an ancillary nature. My Department's over riding objective is to prioritise available funding to meet demographic demand and to provide essential classroom accommodation where additional teachers are approved. Given that there is no deficit of permanent mainstream...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (3 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the first school to which she refers submitted an application for Structural Improvement works under the 2014 Summer Works Scheme. Commensurate with the level of funding set aside for the Scheme, applications were assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the Circular accompanying the Scheme. Unfortunately, due to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Sick Leave (3 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested by the Deputy for the period in question is provided in the attached tabular statement. Detail 2011 2012 2013 2014 Total Sick Leave 14633.22 13998.65 12673.37 5084.14 Total Certified Sick Leave 13375.73 12837.97 11805.3 4629.51 Days lost => 28 Days 7480.58 7322.43 6397.3 2064.44 Days lost < 28 days 5895.15 5515.54 5408 2565.07 Self- certified...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Consultancy Contracts Data (3 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As indicated to the Deputy earlier this year, details in relation to consultants engaged by my Department are compiled annually in respect of the previous year and in this regard I attach details in respect of the years 2011 to 2013 inclusive. Details in respect of consultants engaged in 2014 will not be compiled until January 2015. Total amounts paid by the Department of Education and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Quality and Qualifications Ireland Accreditation (3 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: ACELS (Accreditation and Co-ordination of English Language Services) is a voluntary scheme currently operated by Quality & Qualifications Ireland which grants recognition to English language teaching (ELT) organisations annually. There are currently 91 ELT organisations nationally holding 2014 ACELS recognition. These include sole English language teaching organisations operating...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (3 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: 30 small schools were due to lose a classroom post in September 2014 as a result of the final phase of the Budget 2012 measure. 2 of these schools are closing, 1 is amalgamating and, following the appeals process, the number of schools losing is now reduced to 12 schools. Additionally, there are 48 small schools with a reduction in enrolments which means they are due to lose a teacher in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (3 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: There are currently 195 schools designated as DEIS Band 1 schools. The DEIS Programme was introduced in 2006 at which time there were 180 DEIS Band 1 schools with the remainder being designated over the period 2006 to 2009.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Bodies (3 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I set up a National Working Group for Junior Cycle last January, as a forum to proactively address identified challenges and opportunities as they arise over the phased implementation time schedule for the Junior Cycle. My officials, through this National Working Group, have engaged in meaningful discussions with all the education stakeholders, including the second level teachers unions....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (3 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: In accordance with the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the appointment of a Board of Management of a school is a matter for the relevant school patron. Under the provisions of this Act, where a Patron determines that the appointment of a Board is not practicable, or where the Patron, with the consent of the Minister, has dissolved a Board of Management, the Patron may appoint a manager...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that all children with Down syndrome will have access to resource teaching support for the coming school year, either through a schools General Allocation Model, if the child has Mild General Learning Difficulties, or via an allocation made to school by the National Council for Special Education, if the child is in the low incidence special educational needs range,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (3 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I would like to assure the Deputy that the inclusion of children with additional needs at all levels of the education system is a key tenet of Government policy. Early Childhood Ireland are looking for a funding stream of €36 million for the provision of SNAs for pre-schools. I'm not in a position to re-direct €36 million of my budget and I am not convinced that there is...

Order of Business (8 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Yes.

Order of Business (8 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Deputy Adams is welcome to join me.

Order of Business (8 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: That is what I am afraid of.

Order of Business (8 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: We never left it.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Preschool Services (8 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has just published a Focussed Policy Assessment of the Early Start pre-school programme. The assessment indicates that the programme continues to serve the needs of children who are in need of additional supports to develop to their full potential. The programme has particular benefits in fostering children's social, emotional and cognitive development, and in engaging parents...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Quality Assurance Compliance (8 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Dublin City University (DCU) is an approved institution under the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and is an autonomous institution whose operational affairs are matters for the Governing Authority. All Hallows is a private college and is not an approved institution under the HEA. My Department, or the HEA, had no role in the linkage agreement. However I understand that it comprises...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Construction Contracts (8 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Authorities in St Patrick's, Drumcondra, have raised issues referred to by the Deputy with the principal contractor. I have also written to the principal contractor concerned in relation to the allegations. Contractors Administration Services (CAS) has been appointed by my Department to, inter alia, investigate allegations concerning compliance with pay and conditions provisions of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (8 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Circular 0030/2014 does not state that children are expected to assist in catering for the care needs of pupils who have special educational needs. The Circular states that for a child to require or qualify for access to SNA support a child must have an assessed disability and the care needs outlined must be of such significance that they are beyond that which would normally be expected to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Quality and Qualifications Ireland Accreditation (8 Jul 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand that Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is due to publish its policy in relation to re-engagement with its providers shortly. Re-engagement, or the formal agreement of quality assurance (QA) with QQI, is a requirement for legacy providers under the 2012 Act. It will happen only once for a provider; thereafter the provider will have to undergo periodic review of the...