Results 8,181-8,200 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — School Libraries: School Libraries (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The funding arrangements made by my Department for post primary schools reflect the sectoral division of our second-level system. At the core of all arrangements is reliance upon capitation as the principal determinant of funding. My Department provides funding to Community and Comprehensive schools on a budget basis that is based mainly on pupil numbers, but also take into account...

Written Answers — Book Rental Scheme: Book Rental Scheme (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 91 together. I am very conscious that the cost of textbooks is a considerable burden on families. Since becoming Minister for Education and Skills, I have attempted to take steps to reduce the burden on families. Shortly after coming into office I met with members of the Irish Educational Publishers' Association and impressed on them the need to limit...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded to him when available.

Written Answers — Legislative Process: Legislative Process (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded to him when available.

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take questions 94, 96 and 97 together. The school referred to by the Deputy never had DEIS status as it was not selected for inclusion in DEIS following the identification process in 2005. Second-level schools were selected for DEIS by reference to centrally-held data from the Post-Primary Pupils and State Examinations Commission databases. The identification process was in line...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I am aware of the role that schools can play in nurturing the Irish language within the Gaeltacht. The implementation of the plans set out in the 20-Year Strategy for Irish will assist schools in this regard. The Government is committed to implementing these plans over the lifetime of the Strategy and as resources permit. Officials from my Department are cooperating closely with officials...

Written Answers — Gaelscoileanna: Gaelscoileanna (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Táim feasach ar an ról gur féidir le scoileanna a imirt chun an Ghaeilge a chothú sa Ghaeltacht. Beidh feidhmiú na bpleananna atá leagtha amach sa Straitéis 20-Bliain don Ghaeilge ina chabhair do scoileanna ina leith seo. Tá an Rialtas tiomanta do na pleananna seo a chur i bhfeidhm le saolré na Straitéise agus de réir mar a cheadóidh acmhainní. Tá oifigigh as mo Roinnse ag...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I welcome the opportunity to return to the House to report on the amendments to the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill approved in Dáil Éireann. A total of 45 amendments were approved on Committee and Report Stages in the Dáil. They were all Government amendments. However, one of them provides for the inclusion in the Bill of the right of the Union of...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I will be guided by the Chair.

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: For reference purposes amendments Nos 2, 6, 8, 14 and 26 are in the second group of amendments which concerns consultation with the Higher Education Authority. This group of amendments provides for clarification on consultation between the Higher Education Authority and the Qualifications and Quality Assurance Authority of Ireland, QQAAI, when the latter carries out certain functions in...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: For reference purposes amendments Nos. 4, 13, 31 to 34, inclusive, 36 and 40 are in the third group of amendments. This group of amendments are all technical amendments that do not change the substance of the Bill, as a perusal of the text will readily demonstrate. These amendments either correct textual or grammatical errors in the Bill, as in the case of amendments Nos. 4 and 36, or they...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: This concerns amendment No. 25. This amendment makes explicit that if the new authority withdraws delegated authority to make an award in accordance with section 54, the programmes of education and training leading to that award shall be deemed to be validated under section 45. Therefore, the authority would assume award making responsibility for those programmes until and unless it...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: For reference purposes amendments Nos. 41 to 43, inclusive, are grouped together as they all relate to the board of the new authority. Amendment No. 42 provides for two learner representatives to sit on the board of the QQAAI, one of whom shall be explicitly nominated by the Union of Students in Ireland. It was initially proposed to include one learner representative on the board, however,...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Amendment No. 44, which is the sole amendment covered in group 6, enables the authority to establish committees that do not include board members as long as those committees include staff members of the organisation. This is in line with similar provisions in the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999. A previous requirement in the Bill for committees to consist wholly or partly...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: This concerns amendment No. 45 and refers to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Amendment No. 45 provides clarification on an amendment inserted into Schedule 3 of the Bill on Committee Stage in this House. It is an amendment to the Universities Act 1997, dealing with the designation of degrees and other qualifications of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, RCSI. A previous...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I have heard Senators Barrett and Crown on this area before. The amendments seek to replace the requirement for consultation with the HEA, in these instances, with the requirement to consult with the relevant powers instead. I am opposed to these amendments on the following grounds. In the first instance, the Bill already provides for consultation by the QQAAI, with relevant providers,...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I apologise. I will conclude by reminding Members that in the future teacher training courses will be of four rather than three years duration, with the focus on pedagogical skills and a broad range of other facets of training. The third level education landscape we have inherited is an uneven one, with the Senators' institution, for example, being more than 400 years old, while others,...

Leaders' Questions (11 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: It is called taking responsibility.

Written Answers — Graduate Medicine Programme: Graduate Medicine Programme (10 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 151 together. Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and the level of tuition fees charged for their Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) programmes, is a matter for the institutions themselves to determine. Accordingly I have no role in the matter. The prerequisite for entry to GEM programmes is an Upper Second or First Class Honours Bachelor's...

Written Answers — Graduate Medicine Programme: Graduate Medicine Programme (10 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The graduate entry medicine (GEM) programme commenced in 2007/08 and has an annual EU intake of 240 students in four institutions: UCD (77), UCC (38), UL (95) and RCSI (30). Information regarding the numbers who have undertaken these programmes is not readily available. I have asked the Higher Education Authority to collate this data and it will be forwarded to the deputy when available. Each...