Results 2,001-2,020 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Book Rental Scheme (6 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Department will continue to provide a book grant as usual to all primary schools. This grant, can be utilised for the purposes of updating or expanding a school's existing book rental scheme. I want to commend all schools that have used it to help build up book rental schemes over the years. Their efforts mean that the high costs of school books is being significantly reduced for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Responsibility for the delivery of the school referred to by the Deputy has been devolved to the Office of Public Works (OPW). I understand that following a recent tender competition the OPW has issued a "Letter of Intent" to the apparently successful tenderer.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (6 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Social, personal and health education (SPHE) already provides particular opportunities in the primary sector to foster the personal development of children and help them become active and responsible citizens. From infant classes right up through to sixth class the theme of developing citizenship is examined. Areas such as "My School Community", "Living in the local community" and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: SOLAS Training and Education Programmes Places (5 Feb 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: Schools Building Projects Status (5 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is in ongoing communication with the Patron of the school in question in relation to its start-up accommodation for September 2014. This is the appropriate channel of communication. It is a matter for the Patron to keep the Board of Management informed. Negotiations are ongoing in relation to accommodation for the school and these are at a sensitive stage. However, my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (5 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The school to which the Deputy refers recently submitted an application for funding for additional accommodation. The application will be assessed and a decision will be conveyed to the school authorities when this process has been finalised.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (5 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding to provide an extension/refurbishment and conversion works. 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, the Department is not in a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (5 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The acquisition of a site for permanent accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy is being progressed by my Department. However, due to the commercially sensitive nature of site acquisitions, I am not in a position to give further details at this time. However, once the acquisition of a site is finalised, a design team for the project will be appointed with a view to its...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (5 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy the original decision of the awarding authority was upheld on appeal by the SUSI appeals officer. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by SUSI, and remains of the view that SUSI has not interpreted the scheme correctly...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (5 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department does not hold information on the numbers of pupils in individual schools who currently occupy prefabs; this depends on the organisation of class groups by schools within available accommodation and may vary from year to year. In general, my Department approves the rental of prefabricated classrooms based on need at the time of application. Local school management then organise...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (5 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The data requested is available on my Department's website at the link below under the heading Class Size Information at Individual Primary School Level - .

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Statistics (5 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 to 67, inclusive, together. I will arrange for the information requested by the Deputy to be forwarded directly to him.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (5 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68, 69, 70 and 71 together. My Department does not hold information on the numbers of pupils in individual schools who currently occupy prefabs; this depends on the organisation of class groups by schools within available accommodation and may vary from year to year. In general, my Department approves the rental of prefabricated classrooms based on need at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (5 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm for the Deputy that while my Department is aware of the Patron's proposals to merge the three schools concerned, I have not received any proposal from the Patron in the matter. The initiative for any amalgamation or re-organisation may come from a variety of sources, such as parents, staff, Boards of Management and patron. Any such proposal to amalgamate schools must involve...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Council for Special Education (5 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education, 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 the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Abuse Issues (4 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The management of child abuse claims against the State was formally delegated to the State Claims Agency by Government Order made in 2005. Following the ECHR ruling in Louise O'Keeffe case, further legal advice on the full implications of the judgement is being sought, including for outstanding litigation. The State Claims Agency has informed my Department that there are 44 current day...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Administration (4 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials at my Department have been in correspondence with the Directors of the facility referred to in this question. Officials in the Special Education Section of my Department also met with the Directors of the facility at the end of November 2013, to discuss the issues raised in the correspondence referred to. I am advised that this meeting addressed the issues raised in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (4 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: While my Department is aware of the Patron's proposals to merge the schools concerned, I have not received any proposal from the Patron in the matter. The initiative for any amalgamation or re-organisation may come from a variety of sources, such as parents, staff, Boards of Management and patron. Any such proposal to amalgamate schools must involve consultation with all of the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (4 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: English teachers will receive a minimum of 4.5 days of continuing professional development (CPD) in relation to the new English junior cycle specification. I consider this to be a sufficient number of training days. The CPD for English is part of a much wider and comprehensive system of support for the implementation of A Framework for Junior Cycle in schools and English teachers will also...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Closures (4 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The property to which the Deputy refers is in the ownership of Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board (MSLETB) and as such any proposals in relation to the use of the building are a matter for MSLETB. MSLETB as owners are responsible for the maintenance of the building. The records maintained by MSLETB show that the amounts paid for maintenance in the years specified were as...