Results 3,341-3,360 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Topical Issue Debate: Apprenticeship Programmes (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I expect to have the apprenticeship review at the end of the year. I would like to see something emerge in the next 18 months.

Topical Issue Debate: Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: l am taking this issue on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Alex White, and thank the Deputy for raising it. The long-term illness scheme is a non means-tested scheme introduced in 1971 which provides free medicines and medical appliances for people with specified conditions. The conditions covered by the scheme are mental handicap, mental...

Topical Issue Debate: Long-Term Illness Scheme Coverage (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand the Deputy's concern about the matter. I also understand that not only are the physical consequences of the disease debilitating and very painful in some cases, but that they can also generate emotional turmoil because of a sense of helplessness. That is an additional burden that the people concerned and their immediate families must carry. I will convey the remarks made by...

Topical Issue Debate: Apprenticeship Programmes (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Economic recovery will depend significantly on the quality of skills available in the workforce. A clear link has been demonstrated internationally between skills and qualification levels, on the one hand, and productivity and income growth within the economy, on the other. It is important that those who exit the education and training system have...

Topical Issue Debate: Apprenticeship Programmes (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy for his supplementary comments and questions. The answer to the second question is that we are moving within the European labour market towards having a set of recognised standards applicable and recognised across all 28 member states. The Irish ten point national framework administered through QQI, Quality and Qualifications Ireland, is replicated in similar forms across...

Order of Business (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: This is the order of Business.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: FÁS Training Programmes Provision (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am informed that the company in question delivered a FETAC Level 5 Healthcare Assistant Traineeship training course in Cork City ending in November 2012, under contract to FÁS. I understand that the assessment of provisional results submitted for certification processing by FÁS has been found, when externally authenticated, not to meet the required grade standard. Seventeen...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development Funding (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The table outlines the amount of research and development income received by Waterford Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology, Carlow and the amount of such income received by the universities and the other institutes of technology. The data relates to the 2010/11 academic year, the latest year of audited accounts for the sector. Research Income of Higher Education Institutions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Haddington Road Agreement Issues (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Department Circulars on the application of the Haddington Road Agreement and the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013 to post-primary teachers will issue in the near future. Application of the Agreement/Act to teachers who are not members of a trade union will be clarified in those Circulars.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Provision (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that home tuition has been approved for the child in question. Her parents have been notified accordingly in a letter dated 5th September 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Private Schools (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The authorities of the College concerned decided that the future of the College would be better secured if it were to enter the Free Education Scheme. The College is a significant provider of second level places that serve the needs of minority religion communities not just in Kilkenny but in other counties in the region. It is Government policy to provide for a diversity of patronage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 262 together. Guidance is a whole school activity and it does not just involve the guidance counsellor. Under existing arrangements each school develops a school guidance plan as a means of supporting the needs of its students. Since September 2012 guidance provision is now being organised by school management from within the staffing schedule...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that pupils with Down Syndrome attending mainstream schools may receive additional teaching support in primary schools, either under the terms of the General Allocation Model (GAM) of teaching supports, if the pupil's educational psychological assessment places the pupil in the mild general learning disability/high incidence disability category, or through an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: An appeal from the student referred to by the Deputy was received by the independent Student Grants Appeals Board and the Appeals Board have requested SUSI to review the application. SUSI will issue notification directly to the student once the review is complete.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Official Languages Act 2003 Compliance (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Government Departments are required to comply with the Regulations made by the Minister for Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht under section 9(1) of the Official Languages Act 2003. Under the Regulations, Departments have a duty to ensure that certain signage is provided in Irish only, or in English and Irish, in accordance with specific criteria set out in the Regulations. The Regulations...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 234 and 247 to 250, inclusive, together. Following amalgamations and/or closures of schools in 2013, there are currently 852 schools included in DEIS providing education for 166,908 children. The breakdown is as follows: 195 DEIS Band 1 and 141 DEIS Band 2 Primary Schools with total enrolment of 77,309; 322 DEIS Rural schools with enrolment of 23,690; 194...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Process (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Information relevant to the Deputy's question is currently being compiled. A further reply will issue to the Deputy as soon as possible

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Issues (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Expenditure (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: There was no change in Budget 2013 to any of the student grant rates including the non-adjacent or adjacent rates of grant or the higher special rate of grant for the 2013 financial year. The aim of the student maintenance grant scheme has always been to make a contribution to the cost of going to college; covering the full cost has never been a feasible option. The Student Contribution,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department officials met with the ETB in August last in relation to a capital project for the school concerned. The next step is to determine the suitability of the greenfield site, identified by the ETB, for development and this process is on-going. Tralee has not been identified as an area of significant demographic growth. In that context, a project...