Results 5,641-5,660 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Physical Education (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: CAO points are a matter for the 3rd level Colleges. Currently, all primary and second-level schools provide PE as part of the curriculum and there are approved syllabuses for the subject. The new Framework for Junior Cycle which I published last October will, inter alia, aim to increase the importance of physical wellbeing in several ways: - The Framework is based on eight Principles. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Outdoor Education Centres (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Labour Court issued a non binding recommendation in respect of the claim by the Directors of Outdoor Education Centres. Due to the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Act 2009, this recommendation cannot be implemented. The matter in respect of the CEOs of VECs was referred to the Labour Court under paragraphs 1.23 and 1.24 of the Public Service (Croke Park)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Ballyfermot College of Further Education is an approved institution for student grant purposes. It appears that the Deputy is referring to the BA Media Production Management course provided by Ballyfermot College. This is an approved post leaving certificate course under the terms and conditions of the student grant scheme. However, not all students attending this course would be deemed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Information and Communications Technology Issues (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The PDST-Technology in Education publish on their website (NCTE.ie) advice sheets which cover a wide range of areas relevant to ICT in education. The advice sheets aim to act as a guide for all schools. At present there is and advice sheet in relation to Tablet PCs which provides advice on such areas as what tablets can offer a school, educational considerations, purchasing considerations,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Shared full-time posts and travel between schools is a long standing feature of the primary system. There were a plethora of long-standing clustering arrangements in place which were not the most practical, efficient or cost effective way to allocate resources. The new arrangements introduced in the current school year are designed to address the limitations of the previous arrangements....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The staffing arrangements for the 2013/14 school year are set out in Circular 0013/2013 which is available on the Department website. Schools with hours available for clustering have until 15 March, 2013 to enter into a cluster arrangement to achieve a full-time post through sharing arrangements with other neighbouring school(s). Following the school led process for clustering GAM/EAL hours...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Discipline (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS) promotes and supports positive behaviour through the provision of a systematic continuum of support to school communities. The service assists partner post primary schools in addressing behavioural concerns in schools. I understand that the NBSS will be in direct contact with the school referred to by the Deputy in the context of the proposed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Under my Department's student grant scheme, eligible candidates may receive funding provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution as defined in the scheme. Students who are attending undergraduate courses in an EU Member State, can apply for a maintenance grant in respect of an approved course which is being pursued in an approved institution. The student grant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Guidance on the specification of windows to be installed in all school building projects is set out in Technical Guidance Document TGD021-1 which is available on my Department's website. These guidelines state the minimum standards to be used in the design and specification of new or replacement windows for use in educational facilities and should be read in conjunction with other relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Arrangements to establish the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund are being pursued. I have nominated Sylda Langford to become Chairperson of the Board and in accordance with Government procedures, Ms Langford met with the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection on February 20th to discuss the approach she will take as Chairperson and her views about the future...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012) it is the Board of Management or VEC, as appropriate, which is responsible for recruitment, selection, appointment, discipline and dismissal of staff in accordance with procedures published by the Department following consultation with the education partners. The terms and conditions of employment, including...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: On Tuesday 29th of January 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. Officials from my Department have already commenced work on the implementation of the actions. In particular,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff Remuneration (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Universities are autonomous statutory bodies and my Department has no function in their operational management, including matters relating to the recruitment of college staff. The information requested by the Deputy is therefore not available in my Department or the Higher Education Authority.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The objective of the Student Assistance Fund is to assist students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise, due to their financial circumstances, be unable to continue their third level studies. The Fund is managed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on behalf of my Department and is funded under the National Development Plan, with assistance from the European Social...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Appointments to State Boards (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Details of Membership of Boards and appointment dates can be downloaded from my Department's website, this information is updated when any relevant changes occur: www.education.ie. In accordance with Government policy, expressions of interest have been sought through the Public Appointments Service (PAS) from suitably qualified and experienced persons for consideration for appointment to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Facilities (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I attach for information a table showing a summary of Irish Research eLibrary (IReL) spend from 2005 to 2012 divided by Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine (STEM) and Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS), and by Universities/Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and Institutes of Technology (IoTs) and also details of titles of academic journals cancelled by IReL in the past...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Mar 2013)

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

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, all schools are required to have in place a Code of Behaviour and this code must be drawn up in accordance with the guidelines of the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB). The NEWB guidelines were issued to schools in 2008 and make it clear that each school must have policies to prevent or address bullying and harassment and schools must make clear...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The management authority of each school carries responsibility for making decisions regarding the Transition Year Programme in that school. In some schools, the programme is compulsory for all students. In those that offer it as an option, circumstances may arise where it is necessary to limit the number of students who can avail of it. It is the board of management of each individual school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (5 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that the student referred to by the Deputy has been awarded a grant and an award letter issued on 28th February, 2013.