Results 10,141-10,160 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

School Curriculum (23 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: All I can say is that there was no appetite among the professional educators in my Department, even before the PISA results were announced, to extend the initiative to all primary schools. I raised the question of literacy and numeracy standards while in opposition. The Deputy's former colleague, Mary Coughlan, as Minister for Education and Skills, responded to the PISA findings with an...

School Curriculum (23 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Aspects of financial literacy are included in the curriculum at present in such areas as mathematics, home economics, economics, business and accounting, enterprise education and the mathematical applications within the leaving certificate applied programme. The programmes cover a range of skills relevant to money management. These areas will be further strengthened to the extent possible...

School Curriculum (23 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I appreciate the Deputy's concern but do not share his opinion that money management should be a specific curriculum subject starting as early as fourth class. There is certainly a need for it at transition year level when teenagers are becoming young adults and are much more open to the vagaries of advertising and the other issues associated with coming of age. Home economics - a subject...

Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Well said.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The school to which the Deputy refers is a recognised national school and attracts funding from my Department in the same way as all other national schools. All recognised national schools running costs are met by my Departments schemes of capitation and ancillary service grants. Schools receive capitation funding in January and June, and the ancillary services grant in March. The amount paid...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (22 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 100 together. Officials in my Department have been in contact with Donegal VEC and Donegal County Council in relation to identifying a suitable site in the Buncrana area for a Campus Development. A number of potential sites that were identified have been deemed unsuitable for a number of reasons. However, my Department will continue to engage with the...

Written Answers — Local Drugs Task Forces: Local Drugs Task Forces (22 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Prior to 1st January 2001, drugs projects were funded through Local Drugs Task Forces by the then Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation. Since 2001, responsibility for 36 of these projects was transferred to my Department, a process referred to as 'mainstreaming'. My Department issued annual allocations to the VECs in Dublin City, Dublin County and Dun Laoghaire to administer the...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (22 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The selection and enrolment of pupils in schools is the responsibility of the authorities of the individual school. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. As schools may not have a place...

Written Answers — School Patronage: School Patronage (22 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 104 together. The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government gives a commitment to move towards a more pluralist system of patronage at second level, recognising a wider number of patrons. In June of last year I announced that 20 new second level schools would be established up to 2017 to meet increasing demographics. Applications for...

Written Answers — School Patronage: School Patronage (22 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Currently 96% of primary schools are under denominational patronage, with almost 90% under the patronage of the Catholic Church. This reflects an historical legacy. Over recent decades, Irish society has undergone major political, social, cultural, demographic and educational change. At the same time a greater diversity of religious beliefs and non-belief systems within the population has...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (22 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 106 together. I have no plans to introduce Coder Dojo into the curriculum at present. The overall approach to ICT, based on the advice of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is that ICT is not a subject, but rather a tool to be integrated into all aspects of teaching and learning. The Council has published a curriculum framework for...

Written Answers — Third Level Courses: Third Level Courses (22 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Government is strongly committed to promoting Ireland as a centre for international education. The Programme for Government sets out an ambitious target of doubling international student numbers over the coming five years, through full implementation of the international education strategy, Investing in Global Relationships. It is also identified in the Action Plan for Jobs as a...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (22 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 116 together. The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on my Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The relevant appointment...

Written Answers — Home Tuition Scheme: Home Tuition Scheme (22 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 to 115, inclusive, together. As I have previously advised my Department is currently reviewing operational elements of the home tuition schemes, including the appointment of tutors. I now wish to clarify that this review is ongoing. I have no plans currently to make changes to the eligibility criteria for the home tuition scheme.

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (22 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The school referred to by the Deputy is currently located in a former VEC school building in Naas. Interim refurbishments were carried out to the building in 2010. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that we now propose that this building will be used to provide for the long term accommodation needs of the school. To this end, my Department recently carried out a technical assessment of the...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (22 Feb 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 provision of permanent accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy. Once a suitable site has been identified and acquired, the proposed building project will be considered in the context of the capital budget...

Written Answers — Languages Programme: Languages Programme (22 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: This Government is committed to supporting the overall thrust of 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030, and to the delivery of the goals and targets proposed. In addition a National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy is being progressed which is designed to promote curriculum reform in both Irish and English, to strengthen assessment, improve professional development of teachers,...

Written Answers — Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education (22 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The commitment in the Programme for Government is that 'As resources allow, this Government will invest in a targeted early childhood education programme for disadvantaged children, building on existing targeted pre-school supports for families most in need of assistance such as the Youngballymun project. There are existing wholly State-funded intervention programmes for young children at...

Written Answers — Réigiúin Ghaeltachta: Réigiúin Ghaeltachta (22 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Rinneadh scoileanna i réigiúin Ghaeltachta a fheidhmiú riamh maidir leis an sceideal foirne mar a feidhmíodh gnáthscoileanna agus post teagaisc ranga a bhunú acu ag an mbunleibhéal. Bhí sceideal níos fabhraí i bhfeidhm i gcás scoileanna na Gaeltachta chun post a choinneáil idir na bandaí ceathrar agus dáréag oide ranga. An ghné bhuiséadach chun an lion daltaí a mhéadú...

Written Answers — Réigiúin Ghaeltachta: Réigiúin Ghaeltachta (22 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Bhunaigh mo Roinnse An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta i 2002 chun comhairle agus taighde a chur ar fáil agus chun gabháil leis an dtaighde i dtaca le nithe a bhaineann le múineadh na Gaeilge, chun comhordú a dhéanamh ar sholáthar téacsanna agus acmhainní d'oideachas trí Ghaeilge, agus chun seirbhísí tacaíochta a sholáthar do scoileanna Gaeltachta agus...