Results 7,141-7,160 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Services (6 Nov 2012)

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 recently re-tendered under a public procurement competition. As a result of this the number of service providers has been expanded from six to 13, with the aim of ensuring that where...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has sought the assistance of, and is working closely with, the relevant Local Authority in relation to identifying and acquiring a suitable site for the school to which the Deputy has referred. Due to commercial sensitivities attaching to site acquisitions generally, it is not possible to comment further on the site acquisition at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Vocational Educational Committees are responsible for all staff appointments to vocational schools including that of deputy principal subject to agreed procedures.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In the new Junior Cycle all students will be expected to achieve 24 statements of learning over the period of their Junior cycle. These include valuing local, national and international heritage and understanding the importance of the relationship between past and current event and the forces that drive change and understanding the origins and impacts of social, economic and environmental...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Supervision and Substitution Scheme (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The cost of the supervision and substitution scheme (S and S) for voluntary secondary and community and comprehensive schools in 2011 was €35.2 million (including employers PRSI). Teachers appointed prior to the 1 February 2012 who participate in the S and S scheme contract to be available for 37 hours over the school year (pro rata for part time employees) to cover for supervision...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 313 and 342 together. A green field site for a new school building for the school, referred to by the Deputies has been identified. The current leaseholders of the site concerned have confirmed that arrangements are being made to vest the site in the school authorities. The timing of when the project can advance to the next stage of the architectural...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The information sought by the Deputy is not available in the format required. There are a total of 3,306 newly appointed primary teachers since 1 January 2011. This number includes qualified and unqualified appointees who were employed on permanent, fixed term and casual substitute contracts. The corresponding post-primary figures are being obtained and will be forwarded to the Deputy. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has an application with the Department for a major building project. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works, including this project, is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie. Due to competing demands on my Department's capital...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Energy Conservation (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is at the forefront of design with respect to energy efficiency in school buildings. This performance has been recognised at both national and international level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in design and specification. Furthermore it has been demonstrated that all primary schools designed and built in line with my Department's technical guidance documents...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department's position is that as each child with autism is unique, they should have access to a range of different approaches to meet their individual needs. Applied Behavioural Analysis, or ABA, is one of the approaches used in special classes for children with autism. The use of ABA as part of the range of interventions is particularly useful for addressing behavioural issues. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that participation in my Department's July Provision Scheme is an option for all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism or severe to profound general learning disability that choose to extend their education services through the month of July. Children with autism in mainstream classes are eligible to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Grant Applications (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for the relevant grant awarding authority. I understand from officials in County Longford VEC, the relevant grant awarding authority, that the student referred to by the deputy was issued with a decision on the 29/08/2012 advising her that she was ineligible in relation to her grant application for 2012/13 academic year. If the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department's Planning and Building Unit has requested further information from the school authority in relation to their application for emergency funding. When this information is received a final decision will be communicated to the Board of Management.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home-School Liaison Scheme (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The issues in the correspondence supplied by the Deputy appear to focus on the qualifications of home tutors in general with specific reference to teaching children with autism. The Deputy will be aware that the purpose of the Home Tuition Scheme is to provide a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that the provision of therapy services in schools is a matter for the Minister for Health. I am aware that the Health Service Executive has recognised the need to increase the level of consistency and standardisation in the way both early intervention services and services for school-aged children with disabilities are delivered and to this end is currently engaged...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Grant Applications (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand from officials in Cork County Council , the relevant grant awarding authority, that on 1st November a letter issued to the student referred to by the Deputy requesting outstanding documentation. When the documentation is returned to the awarding authority the student will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (6 Nov 2012)

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: School Equipment (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is committed to the provision, maintenance and modernisation of physical education and physical activity facilities in our schools for our children and young people. In a new school building or refurbishment/extension, PE facilities are included as an intrinsic part of the design. While my Department currently has no specific grant schemes in place to provide funding for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The major school building project referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of Architectural Planning. The project is included on the five year programme to progress to Tender & Construction in 2014/15. The Design Team were appointed on 25th October 2012. The cost of the project will be identified when the project proceeds to tender stage.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) met representatives of the school referred to by the Deputy recently to discuss the proposal in question. My Department is currently engaging with the NCSE regarding the proposal and will be in further contact with the school in due course.