Results 3,601-3,620 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Back to School Costs (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Tackling the costs associated with school is a major priority of mine. Since becoming Minister for Education and Skills, I have taken a number of steps aimed at helping reduce the burden on families. I have met with members of the Irish Educational Publishers' Association and have received a commitment from them to limit the publication of new editions of textbooks and to maintain editions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Commission (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As the deputy is aware, the State Examinations Commission has reported to me on this matter. The SEC has undertaken to take the following steps: - take a more formalised approach to strategic work-force planning which will include an assessment of the risks associated with the loss of subject-specific examination expertise - use a risk based approach to review the personnel structures and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Meetings (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I met with the new USI President Joe O'Connor and representatives of the Union on Wednesday 24th July 2013 to exchange views and engage in discussion on relevant matters in third level education.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Education Review (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy is referring to the comprehensive policy advice which was recently published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) on Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs in Schools, which is available at the website www.ncse.ie. This report has recommended that under a new resource allocation model proposed by the NCSE in the report, children should be allocated...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware, officials in my Department have been working with the relevant local authority for some time to identify and acquire land for the delivery of school accommodation for the school referred to by him. I can confirm that a meeting between my officials and representatives of the school's Board of Management took place in June and that there has been subsequent...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department's policy in relation to the provision of Assistive Technology support for pupils with Special Educational Needs is set out in DES Circular 0010/2013. The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) recently published comprehensive policy advice on Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs in Schools,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Literacy Levels (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Over the period since the launch of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy in July 2011, there has been significant progress under many of the 41 actions and almost 180 sub-actions. I have increased the time spent on literacy and numeracy at primary level and the revision of the English and Irish curricula is being prioritised in Junior Cycle Reform. Major changes are being made to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take questions 374 and 402 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy was issued with a letter on 29th August 2013 advising her that she was ineligible to receive a grant. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, that following an appeal to the SUSI Appeals Officer, the decision of the awarding authority was upheld and a decision letter issued on 18th July, 2013. Where an appeal is turned down in writing by SUSI and the applicant remains of the view that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, her student grant application was appealed to the Appeals Officer in SUSI on 3rd September and the student will be notified directly by SUSI of the outcome. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by SUSI, and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy has been requested on 8th September to provide additional information. On that basis, the application will be re-assessed and the student will be notified directly by SUSI of the outcome. Where an appeal is turned down in writing by SUSI and the applicant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, her student grant application was appealed to the appeals officer in SUSI on 28th August 2013 and the student will be notified directly by SUSI of the outcome. Where an appeal is turned down in writing by SUSI and the applicant remains of the view...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that the student referred to by the Deputy has been awarded a fees only grant and an award letter issued on 2nd September, 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Services for People with Disabilities (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that a number of the recommendations contained in the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) policy advice on the Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in Ireland report, in relation to early intervention and school age years education have been implemented, or are currently in the process of being implemented. This includes recommendations in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: All schools included in Phase II of my Department's Prefab Replacement Initiative including the school referred to by the Deputy, will be informed of decisions reached in relation to their building projects shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: University Rankings (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: In 2013 QS Rankings, Ireland again sees two of its eight top institutions featuring in the top 200, or top 1% out of some 15000 universities worldwide. All seven universities and Dublin Institute of Technology feature in the top 600 worldwide. Both Trinity College Dublin and National University of Ireland, Galway have improved their performance on last year's results. They are to be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, the property to which he refers has been leased to the City of Dublin Education and Training Board. I understand that the ETB is working closely with the club to which he refers in relation to finalising a user agreement for the ongoing use of part of the property. I understand that, as yet, no lease has been agreed with St. Michael's House in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Registration (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Teaching Council is the body with statutory responsibility under the Teaching Council Acts 2001 to 2012 for the registration of teachers. It is obliged to apply its regulations for the registration of teachers in a consistent and fair manner. The Council's actions when dealing with registration and renewal of registration are determined entirely by its founding legislation, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Delays (18 Sep 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am informed by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that in preparation for the 2013/2014 Academic year the application assessment process was further developed to enhance effectiveness and efficiency and respond to experiences from year 1. In addition, a number of new initiatives have been implemented as recommended by the independent review by Accenture. The initiatives include...