Results 5,221-5,240 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 428 and 429 together. The Deputy will be aware that Home Tuition Scheme provides for a compensatory educational service for children who are unable to attend school for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, or for whom there are no available placements. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is an independent agency with responsibility...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Remuneration (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: A redundancy payment to the person referred to by the Deputy was issued on 3rd January 2013. This payment was calculated in line with the redundancy arrangements for Special Needs Assistants, which were agreed at a national level in 2006 and the details of which are outlined in my Department's circular 58/2006. This enhanced redundancy scheme provides for redundancy compensation of twice...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Issues (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 431 and 452 together. While I have not met with the Munster Survivors Support Services Limited I am aware of their view that the contributions from the congregations should be given directly to the survivors and that the congregations should only deal directly with survivors on the issue of reparation whether offered in cash or via property.I am aware that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Designation (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware, in June of 2011, I announced that 20 new post primary schools are to be established up to 2017 across a number of locations to cater for increasing demographics. This announcement included a proposal to establish a Gaelcholáiste in the general Ballinteer/Stepaside area of South Dublin which will commence in September 2014. An english medium post primary school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that this Government is committed to the protection of frontline services for pupils with special educational needs. The Programme for Government sets out that education will be a priority for this Government and that we will endeavour to protect and enhance the educational experience of children, young people and students. The continued commitment of this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Administration (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: An external review of Student Universal Support Ireland's business processes is currently being undertaken to inform improvements in the system for the 2013/14 academic year. The review is at an advanced stage and is currently being finalised by Accenture the company carrying out the review. In advance of the review SUSI is currently undertaking various measures to improve the processing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is probably aware, on 29th of January last, Minister Fitzgerald and I published the Action Plan on Bullying which sets out twelve actions to help prevent and tackle bullying in primary and second level schools. I have ring-fenced €500,000 to support implementation of these actions this year. As part of the Action Plan, new anti-bullying procedures for all primary and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware, in June of 2011, I announced that 20 new primary schools are to be established up to 2017 across a number of locations to cater for increasing demographics. This announcement included a proposal to establish a new primary school in Lucan. The new school will commence operation in September 2013 under the patronage of County Dublin VEC to be located in interim start-up...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 440 and 443 together. The Deputy will be aware that the establishment of a network of autism-specific special classes in schools across the country to cater for children with autism has been a key educational priority in recent years. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local special educational needs organisers...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The project referred to by the Deputy is currently at an early stage of architectural planning. A design team has recently been appointed to commence the architectural planning process. The school currently caters for a Principal plus 16 Mainstream classroom teachers and when complete will accommodate Principal plus 24 Mainstream classrooms. This project was included in the 5 year...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: A building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is contained on the 5 Year Construction Plan that I announced in March 2012. The proposed extension project is scheduled to commence construction in 2014/2015. The current position is that the Schedule of Accommodation for the project has been finalised and this was furnished to the school authority on the 12th April last. The next...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 444 and 467 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that a significant number of sections of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act have been commenced, principally those establishing the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and those promoting an inclusive approach to the education of children with special educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a formal role under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act, 2004 to advise me as Minister in relation to any matter relating to the education of children and others with disabilities. The NCSE has been asked to provide comprehensive policy advice on how the education system can...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Prior to September 2011, there were three primary schools in the Ashbourne area, all of which were under Catholic patronage. During 2010 and 2011, the Department had been examining the question of increasing the number of primary school places in the area to cater for the expected increase in enrolments. The patron indicated that, following local consultation in the area, the consensus was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: 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. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The NCSE allocates a level of SNA support for each school annually...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 448 and 449 together. The information requested by the Deputy is provided in the National School Annual Census return. The census for the current school year (2012/13) is being finalised at present and results will be published on my Department's website later in the year. At that point the definitive answers to the Deputy's questions will be provided as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The detailed data sought by the Deputy has taken my officials some time to compile. However, the information is being finalised at present and I can confirm that it will be issued directly to the Deputy within the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I have recently established the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (RISF) Board pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act, 2012. The Board will oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million pledged by the religious congregations to support the needs of some 15,000 survivors of residential institutional child abuse, who have received awards from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology Expenditure (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 455 to 457, inclusive, together. My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA institutions. The HEA allocates this grant to institutions for free fees and core grant funding and other specific earmarked initiatives As the Deputy will be aware, higher education institutions such as DIT...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Courses Availability (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Ensuring streamlined and diverse provision of higher education is a key priority of the higher education reform agenda. The Higher Education Authority will shortly advise me on a future outline configuration for the system which will incorporate consolidation within the institute of technology sector and greater collaboration between all higher education institutions on a regional basis....