Results 7,181-7,200 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Agencies (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand that the deputy is referring to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) only in this question. The position is that HEIs are autonomous institutions and it is a matter for the individual institutions to manage staffing and recruitment subject to compliance with the Employment Control Framework which limits the overall numbers employed in the sector. Under the terms of the ECF the...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to confirm for the Deputy that my Department has received an application from the school to which he refers for capital works to provide an extension. My Department is currently in the process of acquiring additional land for school purposes in the area which can also facilitate an extension at the school in question in due course. This acquisition is at an advanced stage. However, due...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The major school building project referred to by the Depurty is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. It is a matter for the school authority to expend its own funds as it sees fit. However, due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget, imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to...

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

Ruairi Quinn: Project Maths is a major programme of reform of mathematics in second level schools. Project Maths began in 24 schools in September 2008 and was rolled out on a phased basis to all mainstream schools from September 2010. As of September 2012 all five strands of Project Maths were rolled out to all mainstream schools. Information on the timing and phasing has been widely disseminated. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware all primary and post-primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). Schools that do not currently have NEPS psychologists assigned to them may avail of the SCPA, whereby the school can have an assessment...

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

Ruairi Quinn: Currently, there are 545 primary and post-primary schools renting 1,421 prefab units throughout the country. (Please note that one prefab unit may consist of one or more classrooms and/or ancillary accommodation). The amount spent on renting temporary accommodation at primary and post-primary level throughout the country, including - but not limited to - prefabricated accommodation in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Arrears of salary will issue to the person referred to by the Deputy on the 22nd November.

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

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with SUSI, the new centralised grant awarding authority, that the student referred to by the Deputy has been awarded a grant and an award letter issued on 2nd November, 2012.

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

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with SUSI that the additional documentation requested from the student referred to by the Deputy was received on 16th October, 2012. The documentation is currently awaiting review and the student will be notified directly of the outcome.

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

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with SUSI, the new centralised grant awarding authority, that the student referred to by the Deputy sent incomplete supporting documentation in on the 17/10/2012. I understand that the SUSI support team are to contact the student directly in relation to the outstanding documentation.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: North-South Ministerial Council (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department's North/South Co-operation Unit is responsible for the co-ordination and development of co-operation and common action in education between both parts of the island of Ireland, in the context of the Good Friday Agreement. The principal function of the Unit is to take forward this co-operation through the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) and to co-ordinate and develop,...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I am fully aware of the seriousness of the issue of bullying and it was for that reason that an Anti-Bullying Forum was held in May this year. As a follow on to that Forum, I invited the stakeholders and any other interested parties to submit their views on this important topic to my Department by 29th June 2012. As part of this consultation, interested parties were requested to indicate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Childhood Education (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy may be aware, the vast majority of support for preschool services is not provided by my Department, but is provided by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The principle vehicle for delivery of preschool education is the free Preschool Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme which was introduced in January 2010 and provides early learning to children...

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

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, in June of 2011, I announced that 20 new post-primary schools would be established over the coming years. This included a new post-primary school to open in Claregalway in 2013. Following on from that announcement, the different patron bodies, including Educate Together, were invited to apply to become patrons of the new schools in each area. Educate Together did...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 375 and 376 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that this Government remains 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Access to Higher Education (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: A scheme to advertise spare capacity in more than 4000 higher education institutions across the European Union would be a significant logistical undertaking and would have to be managed at a central European level. As far as I am aware, no such scheme has ever been proposed by the European Commission for the consideration of member states. However the European Commission provide a very...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Since March 2006, the recognition of teacher qualifications for the purpose of registration has been the responsibility of the Teaching Council. Teachers with a Montessori qualification are registered under Regulation 3 (Montessori and Other Qualifications) and are taken as analogous to 'Restricted Recognition' as set out in Circular 25/00 – Recognition of Teacher Qualifications for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (6 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Any teacher who was employed in a teaching post in the public sector on or before 4 December 2011 and who was, on that date, undertaking a course of study leading to a degree level award is eligible to apply for qualification allowances in respect of that course of study. The person to whom the Deputy refers is not currently in receipt of the Honours Degree allowance as she was undertaking a...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The total gross salaries paid to teachers employed in the school referred to by the Deputy in the 2011/12 school year was €3.6081 million. The salaries of the special needs assistants employed in the school in the same period cost €75,754 and salaries of clerical officers cost €46,028. All options to achieve the necessary budgetary savings required in 2013 are being...

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

Ruairi Quinn: At this point I do not propose to give any specific commitment on the allocation of teachers to schools for the 2013/14 school year. The number of teaching posts that we can afford to fund in schools is a matter that I will have to consider with my colleagues in Cabinet in the context of the next budget. The Government will endeavour to protect frontline education services as best as...