Results 2,261-2,280 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Book Rental Scheme (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: This scheme will result in every school having a book rental scheme. I hope it will improve and that book rental schemes across the spectrum will be of equal quality.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Book Rental Scheme (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: First, let me clarify that the Department will continue to provide a book grant as usual for all primary schools. This grant can be utilised for the purpose of updating or expanding a school's existing book rental scheme. I commend all schools that have used the grant to help to build book rental schemes during the years. Their efforts mean that the high cost of school books is being...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Book Rental Scheme (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand the point of view the Deputy has articulated. I do not disagree with the perception of unfairness for some schools which had the wherewithal, the leadership, the passion or the commitment of parents who had the resources to dig deep into their own pockets to provide for a book rental scheme. My response was to do something every Deputy who had been in the education portfolio in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: This particular question does not necessarily deal with that issue. However, I am aware that there is a question on today's Order Paper on the matter of isolation rooms, if we get to it. All I can say is that the SNA posts are allocated by the NCSE only where there is a valid application submitted by a school in respect of a child with qualifying needs and where the needs of the child...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy's original question was about the number of SNAs. He has raised a new issue that is related on which I do not have a briefing note. I will make inquiries and revert to the Deputy on it.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy for his question. The previous Government capped the number of SNA posts at 10,575 in December 2010, with that cap remaining in place until December 2013. The number of pupils in our schools has continued to increase since. In December 2013, this Government agreed to increase the cap on SNAs by 390, increasing by 170 posts to 10,745 at the end of 2013, and by a further...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I came into office at the time of great difficulty because of the financial circumstances in which this country finds itself and against a background of a growing student population. I had to try to balance the concept of fairness and equity across the system. That I took the measure consciously in 2012, and gave notice of it for three years, of which this will be the last, was a signal to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: No, I am referring to the threshold of 60, which has not been touched.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy for tabling this question. Under budget 2012, there is a phased increase in the number of pupils required to gain and retain a classroom teaching post in primary schools that have 86 or fewer pupils. The Department's published statistics show that there were 1,532 schools, or 48% of all primary schools, with fewer than five mainstream teachers. Such schools would have...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Both my predecessor and I had to take into account the rapidly changing nature of the budgetary position on the one hand and the fact that the overall primary school population was growing and is continuing to grow. The measures that I introduced were balanced against that particular background and the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The pupil-teacher ratio in those schools is much...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Welfare Service Provision (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: At the outset, I wish to say that I agree with the Ombudsman for Children that the difficulties encountered in relation to this child were unacceptable. The functions of the former NEWB and services previously provided by the NEWB are now part of the Child and Family Agency which was established by law on the 1st January 2014. That change should ensure a joined up approach to the needs of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Visiting Teacher Service for children with Visual and Hearing Impairment provides assistance for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and children who are blind or visually impaired. In May 2013 the National Council for Special Education brought forward policy advice which recommended that the service should be reviewed. Accordingly, an independent review of this service is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage contains a wide range of recommendations aimed at ensuring that Irish schools cater for the diversity within society. These recommendations were drawn up following a public consultation process and widespread engagement with interested parties. As part of my Action Plan in response to the Report, I recently conducted a further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is in on-going 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. My Department will be meeting with the school Patron again shortly in relation to this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The vast majority of schools meet the minimum requirement of 28 hours instruction time per week to second level students. In fact more than one third of schools provide more than that. However, I am aware that inspections have shown that a minority of schools are not meeting the minimum requirement.My Department is planning a detailed analysis of the instruction time at schools. This will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Education Programmes (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: There are a number of options open to those wishing to pursue a career in primary and post-primary teaching. These are, mainly, via Bachelor of Education Degree programmes or postgraduate initial teacher education programmes which are undertaken following the completion of an initial degree. There are a large number of higher education institutes across the State providing such programmes. In...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Teaching Council is the body with statutory authority, under the Teaching Council Act 2001, for the professional regulation of teachers. Part 5 of the Teaching Council Act 2001 makes provision for the Council to conduct inquiries into a teacher's Fitness to Teach. I intend to commence Part 5 later this year. Government approval was given on 10th December for drafting The Teaching...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The SUSI application system facilitates students in applying for a grant before they have accepted a place in college or know the institution and course they will actually be attending. Therefore, it is not possible to give a specific indication at application stage as to course approval. As part of its communications strategy SUSI draws attention to the requirement that a student needs to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Schools should supervise and support children who are distressed or out of control until they have recovered and are able to re-engage in the classroom. Schools withdraw pupils occasionally from the main classroom for short periods of time in order to provide such support. Such rooms may not be designated and it is therefore not possible to say how many such rooms are in schools. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Child Care Education Issues (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: While the Department of Children and Youth Affairs is responsible for early years education outside the formal education system, my Department has a key role in supporting quality within the sector and works closely with the D/CYA. Working with agencies funded by the D/CYA, the NCCA produced an Aistear-in-Action toolkit which is a resource for use in early years settings showing how the...