Results 501-520 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to confirm that an all-in devolved grant was recently approved for the school to which the Deputy refers. This funding will allow the school to replace current prefabricated classrooms with seven purpose-built mainstream classrooms and special needs facilities. These replacement classrooms will greatly enhance the school's accommodation and it is anticipated that this project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Commission (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Parliamentary Questions, for answer by the State Examinations Commission, are forwarded to the SEC on the day they are received in my Department. It is normal practice that all Parliamentary Questions are replied to by the answer date set by the Questions Office in the Oireachtas. Unavoidably, some delays may occur e.g. where a Parliamentary Question requires investigation or collation of data.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The tenders for the project to which the Deputy refers were recently returned. The Design Team is currently preparing their tender report. It is anticipated that the tender process will be complete in the coming weeks. Subject to no issues arising, it is anticipated that works will commence on site in the coming months.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Placement (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 234 and 254 together. I wish to advise the Deputies that my Department has examined the level of demand for junior infant places in the Swords area and in that regard has also been in contact with the schools concerned. Following on this contact, it was ascertained that there are currently two schools, with the same Patron, as the school referred to by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The purpose of Circular 0030/2014 is not to reduce the number of SNA posts in schools, but to clarify the role and purpose of SNA support and to ensure it is targeted at those pupils who need it, in accordance with policy advice recommendations. My officials have already consulted with school Management Bodies prior to issuing the circular and is currently setting up further meetings with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: In accordance with my announcement of 28 November 2013, the new 700 pupil post-primary school for Balbriggan which will operate under the patronage of Educate Together, is scheduled to commence operation in September 2016. To that end, my Department is exploring a number of options regarding accommodation for the school and will liaise with the Patron body in that regard.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 237 to 240, inclusive, together. Up to the end of May 2014, there have been a total of 215 appeals lodged to my Department in respect of refusal to enrol. This is broken down as follows: 139 at post primary level and 76 at primary level. The breakdown by location as requested by the Deputy is not readily available. The cost to the end of May 2014 is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware, the Government gave approval in March of this year for drafting the Education (Admissions to Schools) Bill 2014 and the General Scheme has since been referred to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government for drafting. My aim in bringing forward legislative proposals in relation to school admission is to improve the admissions process and to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts for the 2014/2015 school year is set out in the Staffing Schedule (Circular 0007/2014) which is available on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the 30 September 2013. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Responsibilities (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Powers as listed in the table were delegated under SI No. 379 of 2011 Education and Skills (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2011, to the Minister of State with special responsibility for training and skills. It should be noted that SI 379 of 2011 referred to the Labour Services Act, 1987 which has since been repealed by the Further Education and Training Act, 2013. A revised order...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The majority of schools receive grant assistance in respect of caretaking or secretarial services under the Capitation Grants scheme. Within the Capitation grant scheme, the level and extent of services provided is a matter for the school authorities who, through the discretion afforded under the scheme, apply diverse arrangements for secretarial and caretaking services according to their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Quality and Qualifications Ireland Administration (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 246 together. As the Deputy will be aware, QQI has been undertaking a Comprehensive Policy Development Programme since early-2013. The first phase of that programme focussed on putting in place the policies and procedures which would allow QQI to engage with providers with no existing relationship with any of its predecessor bodies, FETAC, HETAC and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Discipline (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Education Welfare Act 2000 requires all schools to have in place a Code of Behaviour. The Act requires that a school Code of Behaviour shall, inter alia, specify the standards of behaviour that shall be observed by each student attending the school and the measures that may be taken when a student fails or refuses to observe those standards. In relation to a school's closing date, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The student referred to by the Deputy was awarded a postgraduate fee contribution of €2,000 for the academic year 2013/14. He appealed this decision to the independent Student Grant Appeals Board and his appeal was heard by the Board on 1st April 2014. The original decision was upheld and a letter issued to the student shortly thereafter advising him of the outcome of the appeal.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing arrangements for the 2014/15 school year are set out in Circular 0007/2014 which is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Discipline (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 252 and 253 together. My Department does not support the use of certain sanctions or inappropriate strategies for the management of behaviour issues. In particular my Department does not support a strategy which leaves a student in an unsupervised situation (e.g. a locked room or a corridor) while the child is in the care of the school. Many schools withdraw...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: A provisional list of pupils enrolled in each primary and post primary school is available on the Department's website at the following link. This list includes the county of each school.http://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Statistics/Da ta-on-Individual-Schools/. Final data, including Annual Statistical Report tables at first and second level, will be published on the Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks Rental Scheme (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: In Budget 2013 funding of €5million for three years was provided to support the establishment of book rental schemes in primary schools that did not operate such schemes. DEIS schools will receive €150 per child and non-DEIS schools will receive €100 per child in seed capital over the next two years to establish book rental schemes. This will cost approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Statistics section of my Department's website contains information relating to the number of whole time equivalent teaching staff in all primary and secondary schools broken down by county for the 2012/13 academic year.Information relating to the 2013/2014 academic year is currently being compiled and will be available at the end of June/early July 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments Data (10 Jun 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not hold details of enrolment applicants in schools. Such details are retained by the individual school authority. My Department is engaging with the Patron and the school authority in question relating to pupil places for September 2014 and will continue to keep the matter under review.