Results 10,521-10,540 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I can return to the matter on Report Stage but the advice I have is that we do not want to specifically introduce a reference to other legislation that comes under the jurisdiction as it does not apply. I put it to the Senator that his amendment is redundant.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I will clarify the matter on Report Stage.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I do not have anything to add to what I have said. We will come back to the matter on Report Stage. There are precise legal niceties involved and I want to be well briefed on them in order to clarify the points.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: If the House will bear with me on the matter, there is a further technical amendment to section 6(12), which I am advised may not proceed as an administrative amendment and must be tabled for the approval of the House. I will revert to the issue on Report Stage. I apologise for confusing the House.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Senator is free to resubmit the amendment on Report Stage. I would prefer not to recognise some of the educational partners.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The trade unions are also handsomely represented on the Teaching Council. I do not think it is necessary. They nominate their own members either by direct elections or by nominees in addition to that. The amendment is not necessary. I am happy to examine the matter in detail and to revert to the Deputy on Report Stage.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Subject to confirmation, I understand the Teaching Council has been consulted on this issue, but I will take on board the spirit of the Senator's comments. These days, one can apply online, regardless of where one is. For example, one could use an Internet café.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I will check, but my understanding is that the Teaching Council was consulted on the matter. Given that the Senator has raised the issue, we will have an opportunity to revert to the House on Report Stage.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I am advised that the Teaching Council maintains the practice that Senator David Norris advocated, in that it sends reminders. Considering the matter again, therefore, would be unnecessary.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: If I understand the spirit of Senator Martin Conway's comments, it is a matter for the Teaching Council which represents 60,000 teachers. We should not prescribe in primary law-----

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Teaching Council must be re-established by the end of March and I am sure those seeking election to it can address this matter.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Teaching Council will undoubtedly be monitoring this debate, but I will bring the matter to its attention. In my profession there is a category of unemployed or retired architects. The same applies in other professions. One's qualifications are not in any way invalidated but one's income status, to which Senator Martin Conway referred, is registered. The Teaching Council will make its...

Seanad: Official Engagements (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The tradition is for the Minister for Education and Skills to be invited to open a new school. However, I hold the view that a community should celebrate a new school's opening - possibly the continuation of a school tradition - by inviting a prominent person from that community. It reflects a centrist attitude among schools that their only relationship is with the Department of Education...

Seanad: Official Engagements (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I visit some schools. I do not want the impression conveyed that I have made a liar out of anybody. I could spend three days a week visiting schools. How do I decide which schools to visit? I do not see my function as one of visiting schools, except where doing so is necessary or appropriate. I have on occasion been asked to visit a school and open a new extension and have referred such...

Seanad: Schools Staffing (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I appreciate Senator Conway's remarks. We are in the difficult situation of having to reduce our expenditure, a message that must be repeated on a daily basis as people tend to forget it. In looking at reduction of resources in the secondary school sector I was faced with the option of disimproving the general pupil-teacher ratio. What persuaded me against that was that, unlike in the...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: This is a standard provision which should have been included in the original text of the Bill. Amendment agreed to.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I do not propose to accept amendments Nos. 3 and 4 in the names of Senators Rónán Mullen and Feargal Quinn. The effect of the proposals would be to maintain the position that the details of support services under section 7 of the Education Act 1998 are defined in section 2 of the Act to include speech therapy services, despite the position that such services are provided by the Health...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I am informed that the legislative framework will be regularised in accordance with the de facto position, which is that the provision of speech therapy services is a matter for the HSE. That is not to say that my Department is washing its hands of the issue, which I believe is the Senator's concern. The regularisation will take place following...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I am addressing the situation whereby in previous legislation, prior to delivery of the service, there was an ambiguity in terms of responsibility and delivery. Previous legislation provides for the Department with responsibility for a particular service to deliver, regardless of its ability, professionally or otherwise. The Senator will be aware of the disputes that arose with particular...

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (26 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Following clarification secured from the Deputy's office, I can confirm that a major capital works application was submitted to my Department in respect of a new school for the proposed amalgamation of two schools in the area to which he refers. The application was assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects and assigned a band 1 rating. The...