Results 3,381-3,400 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

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

Ruairi Quinn: Under Budget 2011, the qualifying distance criterion for the non-adjacent rate of student grant increased from 24 km to 45 km. The proposal to amend the distance to qualify for the higher non-adjacent rate to 45 km took into account a reasonable radius in which students could be expected to commute on a daily basis. There are no plans at present to revise the distance criteria. The...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The Report of the Action Group on Access to Third Level Education made detailed recommendations concerning the introduction of special rates of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students. The target group of "those most in need" was defined in terms of the dependants of people receiving long-term welfare payments, where the necessary conditions are fulfilled. The qualifying criteria for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The context for any discussion about class sizes is that my Department, like all other Government Departments, is operating within a budgetary programme that is designed to return the Government finances to a sustainable basis. My focus is on ensuring we have school places and teachers for all the additional pupils entering our schools each year. There is no scope to give any consideration...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grants Statistics (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The income thresholds for student grants were reduced by 3% for the 2013/14 academic year. The changes to the income thresholds applies to all students, not just new entrants and existing students will be re-assessed by their grant awarding authority. It was estimated that some 6,400 (8%) of the total estimated grant recipients attending both further and higher education were expected to be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Protection Issues (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: It is a recognised and fundamental feature of our education system, and of education systems throughout the world, that a teacher, as part of his or her professional duties, will be in sole charge of a group of pupils. In carrying out their teaching role, all teachers have a duty of care to the pupils they teach. All schools and school personnel are also required to adhere to my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The budget for education, including the number of teaching posts that we can afford to fund in schools is a matter that I will have to consider with my colleagues in Cabinet in the context of the forthcoming budget. The decisions in relation to such matters will be announced at budget time. The Government will endeavour to protect front-line education services as best as possible. However,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Total contributions amounting to €48.787m have been received from the religious congregations towards the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (RISF) in the past year. When added to the €22m previously received in contributions, a total of €70.787m has been deposited in the special investment account opened by the National Treasury Management Agency in accordance with...

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

Ruairi Quinn: It is important to note that primary schools are required to deliver a broad and balanced P.E. programme that enables students to achieve the learning outcomes associated with this subject area. This involves primary schools providing at least one hour a week for P.E. There is therefore no scope for accommodating new initiatives that will encroach on the time that is currently allocated for...

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

Ruairi Quinn: A revised Leaving Certificate curriculum in Irish began in all schools in September 2010, and the first examination took place in June, 2012. The revised programme provides for an increase in the proportion of marks available for oral assessment to 40% (up from 25%), and is aimed at promoting a significant shift in emphasis towards Irish as a spoken language, where students can communicate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Regulatory Impact Assessment Data (1 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has carried out the following Regulatory Impact Assessments since the 9th March 2011: - The RIA for the Education (Amendment) Bill 2012 was finalised in December 2011 and is available to download from my Department's website - The RIA for the Qualification and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011 was published at the same time as the Bill in July 2011. The...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Garda Operations (26 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Senator has pointed out, I am responding to her on behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, who unfortunately is not available, and he has asked me to thank the Senator for raising these matters. As the Senator may be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Síochána Vote and,...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Garda Operations (26 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I will certainly bring this debate to the attention of the Minister for Justice and Equality and his departmental officials. I suspect that the note that was prepared was written in advance of what was reported in the newspapers today. No doubt the Minister will get a report of that. I share the Senator's broad sentiments that if this is to be a recurring event, an accountancy system...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Broadband Services Provision (26 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I would be happy to deal with that.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Fodder Crisis (26 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: On behalf of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, I thank the Senator for raising the important issue of fodder availability on farms for the coming winter. Furthermore I would like to convey the Minister's regrets that he cannot be here today, due to previous commitments. This is an issue the Minister and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine have been monitoring...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Broadband Services Provision (26 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank Senator Byrne for raising this important matter in relation to broadband. I am very aware of the importance of broadband for integrating ICT into teaching and learning. The ICT in schools programme addresses new policy challenges and opportunities, and Members will know all about access to broadband. What we are doing for the 730 post-primary schools will be completed by the end of...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Broadband Services Provision (26 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Yesterday I attended the launch of the schools digital programme. What I am hoping to do is see what we can do to start to link up the 3,200 primary schools to the service. Obviously isolated schools have a difficulty. I will raise the matter with my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, to see what we can do about rural areas. We...

Seanad: Tackling Bullying in Schools: Statements (Resumed) (26 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Eleven Senators have contributed constructively and positively to the debate. In citing some of the matters that stuck out for me, that is not to ignore other matters that were mentioned. I welcome Senator Power's generous response on cross-party support and the fact that we need to listen to each other, a phrase that Senator Cullinane spoke about. There are continuous examples of good...

Seanad: Tackling Bullying in Schools: Statements (Resumed) (26 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I think we have lessons to learn about listening to ourselves, let alone about listening to children.

Seanad: Tackling Bullying in Schools: Statements (Resumed) (26 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Senator should ask the INTO to publish the figures for the number of classes that have 15 or fewer pupils.

Seanad: Tackling Bullying in Schools: Statements (Resumed) (26 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I know.