Results 4,481-4,500 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, approved course, previous academic attainment and means. To meet the conditions of funding in relation to an approved course the applicant must be entering an approved full-time course in an approved...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm to the Deputy that the lease of the property to which he refers between my Department and the City of Dublin VEC has been signed. In line with overall Government policy in relation to the use of school buildings for community purposes, I understand that the VEC is working closely with the KUBs basketball club in relation to finalising a user agreement for the ongoing use of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the Schools Broadband Access Programme the Department provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all recognised primary schools. All contracts under the Schools Broadband Access Programme were re-tendered last year under a public procurement competition. As a result of this the number of service providers has been expanded from 6 to 13 with the aim of ensuring that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Remit (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As stated in our reply of the 23rd May all primary and post primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are on the Department's website. Where a NEPS psychologist is not assigned to a school, authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. Planning permission has been granted and the design team are currently working on completing stage 2(b) which is the final design stage in the architectural planning process and includes the preparation of tender documents. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department understand from Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the application from the student in question is under review. SUSI will make direct contact with the student when the review has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Various contributions have informed my Department's policy on the education of children with autism which is based on the advice of international experts on autism; NEPS; the Inspectorate; an analysis of research, and the report of the Irish Task Force on Autism. My Department's policy is focused on ensuring that all children including those with autism can have access to an education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (11 Jun 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 resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants to schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's established...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The position is that my Department does not issue any guidelines relating to homework being given in schools. It is a matter for each school, at local level, to arrive at its own homework policy. In keeping with good practice, the process of drafting a homework policy should involve consultation with teachers, parents and students. However, my Department does acknowledge that homework can...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has provided information to schools in relation to the condition of Narcolepsy and to provide guidance to schools on the accommodations which can be made in schools to assist such children. I can also advise that a number of meetings have taken place between officials at my Department along with those from the Department of Health, with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: A new school is proposed to meet the long term accommodation needs of the school in question. A site has been acquired for this purpose and a building project will be progressed through the various stages of the architectural planning process. As the Deputy however is aware, my Department's over-riding objective is to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place and that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has been seeking to acquire land for the delivery of school accommodation for the provision of both a Gaelscoil and Gaelcoláiste in Arklow for some time. My officials have worked with officials from Wicklow County Council in identifying suitable land in Arklow. Wicklow County Council identified a number of potentially suitable sites which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the 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 to schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of Special Education supports and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As I previously advised the Deputy, my Department provides for a comprehensive system of continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers in the area of special educational needs including teachers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Central to this is the Special Education Support Service (SESS). My Department has satisfied itself that research does not support the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Expenditure (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware a new 3 classroom school building was constructed in 2010 for the school to which he refers using public funds. At the time, payment of a local contribution of €63,000 was required for projects of this nature. My Department has been in discussion with the school authority regarding payment of this local contribution and finalisation of the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Since December 2012, SUSI have engaged in a number of proactive campaigns by telephone, email and post encouraging applicants to provide the information necessary to finalise their applications. In addition, I am informed by Student Universal Support Ireland that a structured close out campaign of incomplete applications has been in place since January 2013. This close out campaign...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Administration (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am informed by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the online grant application system for the 2013/14 academic year went live via the www.studentfinance.ie website on 20th May, 2013. Studentfinance.ie has operated as the gateway to the online grant application system administered by SUSI since 2012. The studentfinance site has been fully updated for the launch by SUSI of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Administration (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am informed by Student Universal Support Ireland that it is in ongoing contact with the Institute of Guidance Counsellors in relation to the student grant process. In fact, the President of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors is a member of the SUSI Advisory Group and SUSI representatives were invited to attended the Institute of Guidance Counsellors conference and gave a presentation on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The General Allocation Model (GAM) was introduced in 2005 as a standardised method for the allocation of teaching resources to schools for the provision of learning support to pupils with high incidence special needs. The initial allocations of teaching resources to schools under the GAM was based on the enrolments in the schools as at 30 September 2003. Notwithstanding the changes in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (11 Jun 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the policy in relation to siblings has not changed. Rather the application process in previous years may have in some instances failed to identify adequately multiple applications for siblings. My Department's Information Note for Home Based July Provision notes that allocations to siblings are reflective of the school grouping principle. This is where one...