Results 2,301-2,320 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that commensurate with the level of funding available for the Summer Works Scheme, applications are currently being assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the governing Circular Letter for the Scheme. This Circular Letter (59/2013) is available on my Department's website www.education.ie. It is my intention to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that commensurate with the level of funding available for the Summer Works Scheme, applications are currently being assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the governing Circular Letter for the Scheme. This Circular Letter (59/2013) is available on my Department's website www.education.ie. It is my intention to...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the well-being and safety of children should be at the centre of all policy and practices in schools. Many schools withdraw pupils occasionally from the main classroom for short periods of time in order to manage pupil behaviour or to provide care support and assistance with issues such as dressing, cleaning or medical supervision. Schools should supervise...

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

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have been informed by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy has been awarded a 50% student contribution fee for the academic year 2013/14. The income thresholds for student grants were reduced by 3% for the 2013/14 academic year. The student in question is classed as a dependent student and the reckonable income for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Issues (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The State Examinations Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate examinations. Applications for such accommodations are submitted by schools on behalf of their students. Full details of the scheme are available for downloading...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the application referred to by the Deputy has been assessed by my officials and a response will issue to the relevant parties shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Caranua is the service name of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board established to oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million, pledged by the religious congregations, to support the needs of survivors of institutional child abuse. Caranua commenced accepting applications earlier this month. Those eligible can apply for approved services across a range...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department did not attend a meeting in respect of the proposed amalgamation of the two schools, in question, in January 2013. My Department is not therefore in a position to provide the information sought by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that commensurate with the level of funding available for the Summer Works Scheme, applications are currently being assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the governing Circular Letter for the Scheme. This Circular Letter (59/2013) is available on my Department's website www.education.ie. It is my intention to...

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

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have informed me that the student referred to by the Deputy appealed the decision on her grant application to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board. The appeal was received on 4th December 2013 and will be dealt with as soon as possible and the student will be informed directly of the outcome.

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

Ruairi Quinn: Teachers and psychologists use a variety of test instruments to assess the cognitive ability of pupils in primary schools. These instruments are based on the statistical premise of the bell-curve representation of the distribution of cognitive ability across a representative sample. IQ testing is not used to assess teaching in primary schools. While the quality of teaching might affect...

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

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have been informed by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the students referred to by the Deputy have been refused a grant on the grounds that reckonable income was over the limit. Grant applications are means tested on gross income from all sources earned inside and outside the State within a specified reference period. The assessment of income from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Issues (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The State Examinations Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate examinations. Applications for such accommodations are submitted by schools on behalf of their students. Full details of the scheme are available for downloading...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Major Building Project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an early stage of Architectural Planning. The Board of Management and their Design Team have finalised the Stage 2A report and submitted it to my Department for review. Following this review and subject to no issues arising the project will be authorised to proceed to Stage 2(b) which includes obtaining...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 268, 269 and 276 together. The Deputy will be aware that this Government is committed to the protection of frontline services for pupils with special educational needs. The level of resources devoted to supporting children with Special Educational Needs has been maintained and increased for this school year. The provision now includes 10,745 Special Needs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (21 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: There are currently 44 major school projects on site. A further 124 major projects have been given approval to commence construction and are due to start on site this year. When all of these projects have been completed this will result in excess of 65,000 quality school places being provided. Details of all major school projects approved to commenced construction are available on my...

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

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, in June 2011, I announced that some 40 new schools are to be established up to 2017 to cater for increasing demographics across a number of locations. Many of these schools have commenced operation and plans are advanced to establish the remainder. The Forward Planning Section of my Department will continue to analyse demographic trends and to monitor enrolments...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The Framework for Junior Cycle which is to be implemented from 2014, acknowledges the key role of entrepreneurship. In its principles the framework highlights the role of "creativity and innovation". There are 24 statements of learning which specify what students should know, understand, value and be able to do at the end of junior cycle. A number of the statements are relevant to enterprise...

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

Ruairi Quinn: There are currently a significant number of initiatives which support enterprise in schools. In senior cycle students taking not only the Transition Year option but also the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme and the Leaving Certificate Applied are provided with specific opportunities to acquire enterprise skills. These programmes place a strong focus on active learning,...

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

Ruairi Quinn: Our current configuration of small primary schools has been examined by my Department in a value for money review, which I am considering in consultation with my Government colleagues. There are many aspects to be considered in regard to school provision, apart from pupil enrolment. Among them are questions such as availability of diversity of provision, ethos of schools, parental choice,...