Results 5,241-5,260 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

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

Ruairi Quinn: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently awaiting the appointment of a Design Team and the commencement of architectural planning. Due to competing demands on the Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic requirements it was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 460 and 492 together. The Deputies will be aware that I signed a Memorandum of Understanding between my Department and the County and City Managers' Association (CCMA) last year. This Memorandum of Understanding fosters increased levels of cooperation and formalises the local authorities' part in identifying and securing sites for educational use. In this...

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

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland, that on 19th March 2013, a request for further documentation was issued to the student referred to by the Deputy. When the requested documentation is returned the student will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Land Acquisition (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in the format requested by him. However, I will forward on the information sought to the Deputy at an early date.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Regulations (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Public Service Reform Plan, published in November 2011, recognises the key strategic importance of public procurement and provides for the development of a new policy framework for procurement. This work is now being led by the newly appointed Chief Procurement Officer, Paul Quinn. Under his leadership, a new national procurement office for the public sector is being established. Paul...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Chaplaincy Services (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department allocates chaplain posts to Community and Comprehensive Schools and designated Community Colleges. There are currently 152 whole time equivalent chaplain posts allocated to these schools. The annual cost is approximately €9m. The appointment of catholic or Protestant chaplains to these schools flow from the original agreements concluded when the schools concerned were...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will appreciate that the average waiting time for the processing of grant applications is dependent on a number of variables including the volume of applications received, staffing resources, whether or not completed application forms have been received and how quickly complete further documentation requested is returned. The existing SUSI management reporting systems does not...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that interaction with our European counterparts in relation to the development of policy for pupils with special educational needs is ongoing. For example, my Department subscribed in 1994 to the Salamanca Statement endorsing the principle of all children's fundamental right to education, acknowledging that education systems should be designed to accommodate each...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disability Support Services Issues (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested by the Deputy is extensive and, as such, it is not possible to provide the material sought in the timeframe available for reply. I will arrange for my officials to contact the Deputy's office in relation to the information sought.

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

Ruairi Quinn: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts to schools for the coming school year 2013/14 is set out in Circular 0013/2013, which is available on the Department website. These arrangements include the provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts on developing grounds, using projected enrolment.Under the...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The design team is currently working on the completion of the Stage 2(b) submission. When that submission is received and reviewed my Department will then contact the Board of Management of the school as to the potential, at that time, for further progress of the project. In view...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As you are aware, I endorsed the framework for system development laid out in the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 which outlines a developmental pathway towards designation as a Technological University for merged institutes of technology who seek to apply. The roll-out of the approved process now provides an opportunity to meet the commitment set out in the Programme for...

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

Ruairi Quinn: Subject to no issues arising, it is anticipated that works will commence on site in early May for the school building project referred to by the Deputy and will be completed in quarter 2 of 2013.

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

Ruairi Quinn: Subject to no issues arising, it is anticipated that works will commence on site in early May for the school building project referred to by the Deputy and will be completed in quarter 2 of 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (16 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has sought the assistance of, and is working closely with, Kildare County Council, the relevant Local Authority, in relation to identifying and acquiring a suitable site for the provision of permanent accommodation for the school to which he refers. As the Deputy will be aware, negotiations are at an advanced stage. Given the sensitivities...

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

Ruairi Quinn: An appeal from the student in question was considered by the independent Student Grants Appeals Board on the 27th November, 2013. I understand that the awarding authority was requested to review the application under a change in circumstances. Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy has had her...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that, in primary schools, teaching supports for pupils with special educational needs are provided in two ways. Under the terms of the General Allocation Model (GAM) of teaching supports, schools are resourced to cater for pupils whose educational psychological assessment places them in the high incidence, or less complex, disability category, including children...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware of this Government's ongoing commitment to ensuring that all children with special educational needs, including those with Down syndrome, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs. The policy of my Department is to secure the maximum possible level of inclusion of students with special educational needs in mainstream primary and post-primary schools,...

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

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware, I announced in June 2011 that forty new schools comprising of twenty new primary schools and twenty new post-primary schools, were to be established up to 2017 across a number of locations. My Department subsequently invited patron bodies to make applications for patronage of the new primary schools to be established in 2012 and 2013. Following the assessment process...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The staffing schedule is the mechanism used for allocating mainstream teaching posts to all schools. It operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. It currently operates on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 28 pupils with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools. The configuration of classes...