Results 4,121-4,140 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language Issues (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: To date, my Department has focused on the implementation of educational actions in the 20 Year Strategy that relate to curriculum, assessment and teacher education. For example, the NCCA is currently developing a new integrated language curriculum for English and Irish at primary level which will be available for infants to second class in 2014. Consideration of partial immersion in schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Following receipt of an application from the school authority I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department recently approved funding under the Emergency Works Scheme. The school authorities have been informed of this decision.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the applicant referred to by the Deputy was issued with a decision on the 29th January 2013 advising him that he was deemed 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I appreciate the concerns you raise in your question. Officials from my Department have been in communication with the person in question and have offered advice on both the parental complaint procedure and the child protection procedures. As the Deputy may be aware, my Department sets out the constitution of Boards of Management and rules of procedure but it is not directly involved in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Applications (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 350 and 351 together. The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support and Resource...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Assessments (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 352 to 355, inclusive, together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 356 and 358 together. The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including Resource Teaching support for children with more...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including the allocation of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that details of the special classes which are attached to mainstream schools at primary and post primary level are detailed on a county by county, and school by school basis, on the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) website www.ncse.ie. There are 495 special classes attached to mainstream primary schools in the current school year. At primary level,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Inspectorate (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: There are 123.3 whole-time equivalent (WTE) staff currently in the Inspectorate. There are 66.5 inspectors at inspector grade, 46.8 at senior/divisional grade, 8 at the grade of assistant chief inspector, 1 deputy chief inspector and 1 chief inspector. The 113.3 inspectors at inspector or senior/divisional grade include 57 primary inspectors, 54.3 post-primary Inspectors and 2 inspectors...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Probationary Teachers (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Preliminary figures for the 2012/2013 school year indicate that 2,421 applications to undergo probation were received from primary teachers. Some 91 applications were not eligible and the remaining 2,330 teachers were allocated to inspectors for one or two inspection visits in accordance with the probation circular. At the last update on 21st June 2013 the Inspectorate had completed 3,736...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Numbers (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The development of a database for all schools and colleges aided by my Department is vital to the provision of evidence-based data on progression of students through the system and, especially, to identify those at risk of dropping out or under-achieving. My Department has committed to the development of such a database in it's Data Strategy 2008-2010. As part of the development of the Data...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department provides an online inventory of school accommodation which is available for completion by schools on the Department's Esinet portal. The Inventory captures key data and statistics on the existing school building stock throughout the country at both primary and post-primary levels. To date approximately 80% of schools have completed or are in the process of completing the online...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is currently streamlining the arrangements for the maintenance of school attendance records at primary level and will be publishing a circular in this regard in the coming days. Preparatory work has also been commenced by my Department on the development of a primary online pupil database. My Department envisages starting a consultation process with the management bodies and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: A list of Primary schools renting temporary accommodation on a county by county basis, is set out in the following table for the Deputy's attention. Primary schools renting Temporary Accommodation - June 2013 Roll No School Name County Desc. of rental Annual Rent 04077I* St Brigids NS Carlow Pre-fab 15329.26 11135K St Mary's NS Carlow Pre-fab 24752.48 16080N* St Phadraig Naofa Carlow...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Application Numbers (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: For the Deputy's information the attached spreadsheet gives details of school buildings (including extensions to existing buildings) delivered using off-site construction from 2008 up to the end of June 2013. In addition a number of schools are currently under construction and due to be handed over as part of the current 2013 Rapid Programme. List of Off-site Construction Schools 1/7/2013 ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental IT Systems (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 367 and 368 together. My Department has implemented a number of IT Infrastructure and IT Systems improvements in recent years. The main highlights are: 1. Bandwidth improvements to the telecommunications infrastructure between the three main offices (Dublin, Athlone and Tullamore) has facilitated improved resilience between these locations. Increased...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Integrating ICT into teaching and learning in schools remains a priority for this Government. My Department's ICT in Schools programme sets out a clear agenda to be pursued in this regard, focusing on four main priorities: ICT Infrastructure in schools, the Schools Broadband Programme, the development of teacher skills, and the provision of curriculum-relevant digital content. On the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Administration (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that the Five Year Construction Plan, that I announced in March 2012, lists the individual school projects that are planned to proceed to construction over the duration of the Plan. The Plan priorities new school building projects as well as major extensions in areas where significant demographic need has been established so that our school system is in a position to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (2 Jul 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department's position is that only qualified and registered teachers should be employed by schools. This is set out most recently to schools in Circular Letter 31/2011. Current recruitment procedures direct schools to ensure that teachers proposed for appointment to publicly paid posts must be registered with the Teaching Council and have qualifications appropriate to the sector and...