Results 7,641-7,660 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The total amount of funding expended under the Emergency Works Scheme on an annual basis from 2008 to date in 2012 is as follows:- 2012 €3.558m 2011 €11.399m 2010 €40.387m 2009 €35.109m 2008 €21.125m The number of school projects that were approved under the Emergency Works Scheme from 2008 to date in 2012 is as follows: 2012 181 2011...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: For the Deputy's convenience, I am setting out below a table showing enrolment details at the schools to which he refers together with details of current or proposed building projects at a number of these schools. At the current pupil intake levels, the current projected increase in post-primary numbers in Dundalk will be in the region of 800 pupils up to 2023. My priority is to ensure that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: On 5th October, 2012 an appeal from the persons in respect of whom details were supplied by the Deputy was received by the Independent Appeals Board. The board is independent in the exercise of its functions and will issue a determination within the specified timeframes defined in the Student Support Act, 2011.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Reviews (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I published A Framework for Junior Cycle on 4 October 2012. This document contains details of my plans to reform the junior cycle in post-primary schools. One element of the plan relates to assessment. We know that under the current system in third year, the Junior Certificate examination dominates the experiences of students; the focus of learning narrows, the emphasis is on rote learning...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 264 and 269 together. My Department does not hold information on the numbers of pupils in individual schools who currently occupy temporary accommodation; this depends on the organisation of class groups by schools within available accommodation and may vary from year to year. Local school managements are responsible for organising their class numbers, year...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Psychological Assessments (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 270 together. The Deputy will be aware that 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 a NEPS psychologist assigned to them may avail...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I believe that in an ever changing world we need to strive for constant improvement in our education system. Last year I launched Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life which is the national strategy to improve literacy and numeracy in schools. We know both from domestic evidence and international comparisons through PISA that the literacy and numeracy standards of some of our students...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Based on my Departments most recent projections (July 2012) it is expected that enrolments will increase at primary level by almost 76,800 pupils by 2018, from circa 516,000 pupils in the 2011/12 school year. At post primary level the increase by 2018 is expected to be approximately 31,300 pupils from circa 322,500 pupils in the 2011/12 school year. In November 2011 the Infrastructure and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Points System Reform (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is in discussion with all of the relevant bodies, including the universities, on the full range of issues related to the transition to higher education which are identified in the NCCA-HEA report published following the Transitions conference last September. It will submit a report for me on all proposals for change, including timeframes for implementation early in the New Year....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The context for any discussion about class sizes is that my Department, like all other Government Departments, is operating within a budgetary programme that is designed to return the Government finances to a sustainable basis. My focus is on ensuring we have school places and teachers for all the additional pupils entering our schools each year. There is no scope to give any consideration to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Individual school management authorities are not required to report incidents of bullying to my Department. Accordingly, the information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The 5-Year Plan that I announced in March last as part of a €2 billion capital investment programme, outlines the major school projects that are scheduled to commence construction over the duration of the Plan. These have been prioritised on the basis of meeting significant demographic needs. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that there are six Post-Primary school projects for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The school, referred to by the Deputy, has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding. The project has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects and assigned a band 2 rating.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions Reform (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Ireland currently performs very strongly in terms of participation in higher education and has the highest tertiary attainment rate among 25-34 year olds in the European Union. The number of full time enrolments is shown in the table below. Projections published by my Department in June of this year on www.education.ie show that the demand for higher education in Ireland is set to grow by 16%...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Staff Retirements (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has compiled detailed information on teacher retirements for the period 1 November 2011 to 29 February 2012 and these are available on the Statistics page of my Department's website. Teachers have a number of options regarding retirement (outlined below) and the standard procedure would be for the board of management as employer to be notified of a proposed retirement within...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: On 19 June last, my Department published Circular 0024/2012 which detailed the categorisation of the new Education and Training Boards (ETBs), once established, for the purposes of the pay scales applicable to Chief Executive Officers of these Boards. The categorisation of each ETB, including the Board encompassing Counties Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim, is based on a proposal set out by the Labour...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Redundancy Payments (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to inform the Deputy that a consultation process between the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and my Department is still ongoing in relation to the matter of Labour Court recommendation LCR20062 dated 19 May 2011. However, this consultation process is expected to be concluded in the near future. In relation to the matter of Back Pay my Department has conducted a search of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (9 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that the Home Tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide for education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting a suitable educational placement including eligible pre-school children with an Autistic Spectrum...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Access to Higher Education (4 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The collaborative schemes HEAR (Higher Education Access Route) and DARE (Disability Access Route to Education) have been developed by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) with the overall aim of widening access and participation in higher education for school-leavers from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds or with a disability. Over the years 2006-2011 the Higher Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (4 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I acknowledge that the reduction in resources to second level schools will be challenging for schools. However, the budget measure that requires schools to manage the provision of guidance from within their standard staffing allocation must be seen in the context of the major challenges we have as a Government in trying to shelter public services to the greatest extent that we can in these...