Results 2,721-2,740 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Industrial Disputes (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand it has been agreed in principle to establish it but I will confirm that for the Deputy. To the best of my knowledge a formal meeting of it has not taken place and probably will not take place until this current issue is resolved.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Industrial Disputes (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am acutely aware of the difficulties faced by all public servants, including teachers, regarding the necessary measures the Government has been obliged to introduce. However, these measures must to be viewed against the backdrop of the Government's efforts to recover from the serious financial and budgetary situation that continues to face this country and to restore stability to the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Examinations Reviews (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I put it to the Deputy and to the wider teaching community that the decision taken to abolish the examination - I welcome the support for it from across the House - was a big step, just as the abolition of the primary certificate in 1968 was a big step. No one would suggest that in 2013 we should go back and introduce a written State examination for 12 year olds in primary school. That was...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Examinations Reviews (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: It was a decision.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Examinations Reviews (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: A State examination at 15 years of age can have a detrimental affect on people, as we already see with the existing junior certificate. We need moderation and we need to assess the progress students are making but we do not need a State examination to do that. We need to have continuous discussion and understanding and review progress as we go through the process. If changes need to be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: It is ten years since the provision of services for children with special educational needs was given formal recognition by the former Minister for Education, Mr. Noel Dempsey. At that time, just under 1.5% of the total departmental budget was allocated in this area; the allocation now is in the order of 15%. A great deal of research has been undertaken in the meantime and the thinking, as...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Examinations Reviews (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Extensive quality assurance measures will be included in the new junior cycle. These include subject specifications with clear learning outcomes and samples of student work outlining the standards expected; an assessment and moderation toolkit; a junior cycle for teachers team which will provide continuous professional development programmes for teachers, principals and deputy principals in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Education Review (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I share the Deputy's view. It is my intention to maintain the status quo until such time as there is roll-out of the recommendations on the new model, assuming that we accept them. Following discussion of these recommendations in this Chamber the changes will be made. I do not propose to change the status quo until such time as we are in a position to implement a replacement.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As a former primary school teacher, the Deputy will be aware that pupils with Down's syndrome who have a mild general learning disability, in addition to mainstream class teaching support, receive support from learning support teachers allocated to schools by my Department through the general allocation model. Those pupils who are assessed as having a more significant, moderate or severe...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I agree with the Deputy. We must try to do that within the limited resources available. As I said, the NCSE report recommends that a new model be established. Until such time as its detailed recommendations on that model have been received, I am not in a position to increase the number of categories as suggested by the Deputy. With regard to overcrowding in classrooms, I have asked the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Education Review (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has established a working group to develop a proposal, for consideration, for a new model for the allocation of teaching supports for children with special educational needs, based on the profiled educational needs of schools. Mr. Eamon Stack, the NCSE chairperson and former much respected chief inspector in the Department, has been...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Education Review (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: When I made the decision to reverse what previously had been Government policy and to maintain the status quo rather than reduce it back in June, it was a move that was welcomed by all concerned. On foot of that decision, I knew I would have to find the resources for that from elsewhere within my budget at that time. We were able to do that successfully without diminishing the provision of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Schools Review (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I remind the Deputy that the report in question was commissioned by his former colleague, the then Minister Mary Coughlan, a former representative of the Deputy's new constituency of County Donegal. The report contains a set of proposals. It took a long time to be completed and checked. Discussions are ongoing because of the sensitivities to which the Deputy referred and I am not in a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Schools Review (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I have listened to the concerns raised by many representatives of rural Ireland, including my colleagues in the Labour Party and Fine Gael. Complex issues are involved. I have tried to provide within the constraints in which we found ourselves three years ago. We made a reduction, or a disimprovement as it were, in the pupil-teacher ratio of small schools in order to provide a degree of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Schools Review (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy for his question. I am currently considering the report of the value for money review of small primary schools and I am doing this in consultation with my Government colleagues. My intention is to publish the report on completion of this consideration process. I am not in a position to give a precise publication date at this time. I think I received the final report in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Administration (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am informed by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that overall the grant process has been running considerably more efficiently and SUSI has been meeting its targets in respect of processing grants on schedule in 2013/14. I understand that SUSI has awarded a total of some 40,000 student grants, both new and renewals, up to end-October 2013. As at close of business on 24th November,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Tá mo Roinnse lán-tiomanta d'fhorfheidhmiú na Straitéise 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge. Tá staidéar déanta ar mholtaí na Straitéise. Tá raon de bheartais, a eascraíonn as miontaighde agus comhairliúchán, curtha i bhfeidhm lena chinntiú go bhfuil na modhanna is éifeachtaí teagaisc in úsáid chun tacú le...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The position regarding the working hours of full-time SNAs is as outlined in the standard SNA contract of employment which was implemented in 2005. Full-time SNAs are required to work for the normal school hours in their school, and in addition to be available for a period of time before and after school. The specific hours of work are set locally by the school management and will vary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Education Research Centre (ERC) is conducting an ongoing evaluation of DEIS on behalf of my Department. The ERC has already completed two reports based on achievement testing, both focused in the Primary School Sector. This second report was published together with two Inspectorate reports on planning in DEIS Primary and Post-Primary Schools in January 2012. The ERC is finalising a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (26 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a statutory role under the EPSEN Act to conduct, commission and publish research in relation to matters regarding the provision of educational services for persons with special educational needs. I welcome the research report from the NCSE and think it will be an important contribution to the future development of policy in this important...