Results 10,181-10,200 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Teaching Bodies: Teaching Bodies (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Teaching Council is the professional standards body for the teaching profession. The Council seeks to set and uphold high professional standards for teaching and teachers. It does this in the interests of pupils and the public good but equally for the reputation and status of the profession. Quality of teaching has been determined as the single most influential factor towards achieving...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the enrolment of a child in a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools. The policy of my Department is to secure the maximum possible level of inclusion of students with special educational needs in...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I am not aware of any reported difficulties in the use of interactive whiteboard technologies for children with autism spectrum disorders and related sensory difficulties. If the Deputy is aware of any specific problems in this regard I would be very grateful if she could forward me the relevant details as soon as possible. As the Deputy may be aware, under the terms of the 2009/2010 ICT...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Under my Department's student grant scheme, eligible candidates may receive funding provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution as defined in the scheme. Private colleges operated on a for-profit basis are not listed as approved institutions for student grant purposes. The Deputy will appreciate that, in the current economic climate, I am not in a position to...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that a Minor Works Grant issued to primary schools last November for the school year 2011/2012 at a cost of €28m. As part of this scheme, the school in question received a grant of €7,664 and it is open to the school to prioritise the use of these funds to address such issues as those to which the Deputy refers.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The report on the Impact in Terms of Posts of Budget Measures in relation to The Withdrawal from DEIS Band 1 and Band 2 Urban Primary Schools of Posts from Disadvantaged Schemes pre-dating DEIS has been completed and submitted for my consideration. The report details the facts for each individual school affected by this measure, and applies the most up to date enrolments for September 2011....

Written Answers — Schools Building Programme: Schools Building Programme (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The schedule of accommodation for the school building project referred to by the Deputy is currently been developed. Officials from my Department will be in further contact with the school authorities in that regard. The current position of all projects on the school building programme, including this project, may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie. Details in relation...

Written Answers — Schools Building Programme: Schools Building Programme (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The schedule of accommodation for the proposed school building project referred to by the Deputy is currently being finalised. As the Deputy is aware, the existing school site has certain constraints in terms of size, access and the fact that there is a protected structure and associated conservation issues that requires a sympathetic design solution. The next step in the architectural...

Written Answers — Schools Building Programme: Schools Building Programme (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the tender process for the appointment of a design team for the school building project to which she refers is nearing completion. The members of the design team have been selected following a tender competition and are currently being assessed by the Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP) as is required under Health and Safety regulations. Once this...

Written Answers — Schools Building Programme: Schools Building Programme (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that in November 2011, my Department sanctioned a devolved grant to the school to which she refers to provide for improved facilities for special needs pupils. I understand that this grant has not yet been drawn down by the school authority. During the period 2006 - 2007, a major building project was completed at the school to provide for a 24 classroom...

Written Answers — Preschool Services: Preschool Services (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy may be aware, the vast majority of supports for child care, including preschool education, are not provided by my Department, but by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The principal vehicle for the delivery of preschool education is the free preschool year under the Early Childhood Care and Education programme, which was introduced in January 2010 and provides early...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The total photography costs for my Department since 9 March 2011 are €381.15 (€315 + €66.15 VAT). This cost relates to copies of photographs taken of a school project and their use on an A1 display board which was submitted to the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland for the joint RIAI/Department colloquium on school design which was held on 30 June 2011 in Dublin.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: An application for major school capital funding has recently being received from the school referred to by the Deputy. This application is under consideration and officials from my Department will be in contact with the school shortly.

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act 1998. In this regard, a board of management may find it necessary to restrict enrolment to children from a particular area or a particular age group or, occasionally, on the basis of some other criterion. This selection process and the enrolment policy on...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: It is desirable that there be a fully qualified professional body of teachers. The Teaching Council aims to promote and maintain the highest standards of teaching, learning and professional conduct in our schools. People who were not qualified but were employed as a teacher in a recognised school, and paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, or eligible to be so employed on...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In March 2011, the Government agreed new measures for Cabinet Ministers in relation to the provision of official transport to take effect from 1 May 2011. On my appointment as Minister from 9 March 2011 until 30 April 2011, I was provided with a State car. Since 1 May 2011, in line with the revised procedures, I have used my own car. I am provided with the services of two civilian drivers...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: A redundancy application from the person referred to by the Deputy was received on 9 August 2011 and has now been reached for processing. Some outstanding documentation is being requested from the school concerned. As soon as this has been received, the application will be processed and payment will issue as quickly as possible. Every effort is being made to process SNA redundancy...

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: On Monday, 13 February last, the Higher Education Authority published a number of documents intended to provide a broad framework for future system development in Irish higher education, including a clear four-stage process and criteria for designation as a technological university. Groups of institutions proposing to merge and apply for designation as technological universities will need to...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the position in relation to this matter is as set out to him in my reply of 31st January, 2012. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational...

Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: On Monday 13th February, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) published a number of documents intended to provide a broad framework for future system development in Irish higher education. All institutions have now been invited to identify their key strengths and their future strategic fit within the system and submit a realistic plan to the HEA on that basis. Each higher education...