Results 2,461-2,480 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Book Rental Scheme (18 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware from Budget 2014 that additional funding has been provided which will involve an investment of €15m to support the establishment of book rental schemes in primary schools that do not currently operate them. The Department will provide €5m in seed capital per annum over a three year period to such schools. I want to achieve a position where every...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Advisers Remuneration (18 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following tabular statement. Mr. John Walshe and Ms. Deirdre Grant are paid within the approved Principal Officers' payscale as provided for in the guidelines for such appointments as published by the Department of Finance on the 24th, March 2011. As their income was greater than the minimum of the PO payscale prior to their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Protection Guidelines (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: While the English language school sector is not formally regulated, English Language Teaching Organisations (ELTOs) may seek recognition from ACELS, which is operated by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). The ACELS recognition standards specify that all English Language Teaching junior centres, that is centres which cater for minors, should seek Garda clearance for all staff and host...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 172, 215 and 226 together. My Department and the Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation are jointly leading the process to develop a new ICT Skills Action Plan to be launched in tandem with the Action Plan for Jobs 2014. A study was undertaken for the European Commission in April 2013 which projected that there may be up to 900,000 ICT job vacancies in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Visas Applications (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 173, 174, 232 and 233 together. The Government is strongly committed to promoting Ireland as a centre for international education and to developing relationships with partner countries. We currently attract very few Libyan students to Ireland, and we are interested in growing that number in order to support the human capacity needs of Libyan society. As...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 190, 249 and 175 together. The Annual Student Contribution is levied on students attending Institutes of Technology. The amount due in respect of full time students for the academic year 2013 / 2014 is €2,500. The contribution has been levied by Institutes of Technology in respect of apprentices since 2004, with FÁS/SOLAS paying part of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in the Workplace (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that I recently published new anti-bullying procedures for all primary and post primary schools. These new procedures have been developed following consultation with the relevant education partners and replace guidelines that were issued to schools in 1993. The procedures are designed to give direction and guidance to school authorities and school personnel in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Traveller Community (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 177 to 179, inclusive, together. Current policy in relation to Traveller education is underpinned by the Report and Recommendations for a Traveller Education Strategy which was launched in 2006, following wide ranging consultation with relevant stakeholders including Traveller representative groups. The principle of inclusion is at the core of the Strategy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 to 182, inclusive, together. There are fundamental educational reasons for not allowing a junior/senior post-post primary school configuration in Maynooth. These include: - The introduction of a third major transfer point for students between primary level and third level - The question of which school the Transition Year should be placed in - The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 184 together. My Department's policy is to provide for children with special educational needs, including autism, to be included in mainstream schools unless such a placement would not be in their best interests or the interests of the children with whom they are to be educated. Some children may be supported in a special class attached to a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that one of the functions of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is to provide support to schools, and parents/guardians of children with special educational needs. All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The staffing schedule is the mechanism used for allocating mainstream teaching posts to all schools. It operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. It currently operates on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 28 pupils with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools. As part of the Budget...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Issues (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The person to whom the Deputy refers applied, under the Freedom of Information Acts, for access to records referred to by the Deputy. My Department's decision was subsequently appealed to the Office of the Information Commissioner who affirmed the decision of my Department on the 4th March 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question were approved a devolved grant for additional teaching space and ancillary accommodation at their school. The Department has since received a request to increase the scope of works for the schools building project. Additional information and clarifications were sought by my Department from the school authority and a response has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Uniforms (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Department of Education and Skills does not purchase school uniforms and has no commercial mandate in this area. In this context, when schools are balloting the parents in their schools, I would expect for discussions to take place within school communities about the value of school uniforms. With this in mind, it would seem prudent for manufacturing companies or retailers who have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Uniforms (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The timeline for the conduct of the school uniform ballots is a matter for each schools Board of Management. My Department suggests that questionnaires be sent to parents by February 2014 before deciding on the position to be adopted for the next school year. In this context, when schools are balloting the parents in their schools, I would expect for discussions to take place within...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The delivery of the proposed new Gaelcholáiste in Carrigaline, Co Cork has been devolved to Cork Education & Training Board. The new Gaelcholaiste will be delivered as part of a three school Campus along with Gaelscoil Carrigaline and SONAS Special Primary School. The Gaelcholaiste is planned to open in temporary accommodation in 2014. The permanent building project is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Physical Education Facilities (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the provision of playspace, where site conditions and circumstances allow, is one of the issues considered in the architectural design of new schools and major extensions. The level of facilities, including playspace, that can be provided in schools will therefore vary depending on the extent of classroom accommodation needed for the school. A suite of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (17 Dec 2013)

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 grant for the current academic year. The applicant has appealed to SUSI for funding for the 2012/13 academic year. The appeal is currently under review and the student will be notified directly of the outcome. Where an individual...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The qualifying criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant in the 2013/14 academic year as specified under the 2013 student grant scheme is as follows: 1. student must qualify for the standard rate of grant; and 2. total reckonable income net of income disregards and Child Dependant Increase must not exceed €22,703 3. As at 31st December, 2012, the reckonable income must...