Results 1,041-1,060 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The position is that there are currently two schools in the area, referred to by the Deputy, that have either lost or are due to lose mainstream teaching posts. These schools therefore have spare capacity within their buildings and have expressed a willingness to accept an additional stream of Junior Infants each, to alleviate any pressure on places in the area which my Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Qualifications Recognition (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Universities and Institutes of Technology are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997 and the Institutes of Technology Act 2006 respectively. The management of their academic affairs, including such matters as the parchments issued to graduates, are matters for the individual institutions concerned. Neither I nor my Department have any involvement in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has requested the assistance of Meath County Council, under the Memorandum of Understanding, in relation to identifying and securing a suitable site for new school accommodation for the school to which the Deputy refers. Due to the sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally, I am not in a position to provide further information at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: There is no agreed Departmental circular or scheme which allows job-sharing for Special Needs Assistants. The Unions representing Special Needs Assistants (IMPACT and SIPTU) requested the introduction of a formal job-sharing scheme for Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) and following a number of meetings between the parties, including facilitation by the LRC, officials in my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Energy Usage (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland's second National Energy Efficiency Action plan (NEEAP) was published by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in 2013. The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (DCENR) has responsibility for overall implementation of the plan and chairs the Cross-Departmental group tasked with ensuring that all the actions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Budget 2012 provided for the phased withdrawal of approximately 428 posts allocated to some schools under disadvantage programmes prior to the introduction of DEIS in 2005. These posts were in 173 DEIS Band 1 and Band 2 Schools, 163 post primary schools, 16 rural DEIS schools and 17 non DEIS schools.Due to conflicting reports of posts being lost in these schools, my Department produced a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Uniforms (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the school uniform policy is a matter for each individual school and not my Department. My initiative late last year was aimed at strengthening the role of parents in how schools decide their policies on uniforms. I recently met with representatives from the area in question along with representatives from the Irish Small and Medium Enterprise Association...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Guidance Counsellors (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Section 9 (c) of the Education Act requires schools to use their available resources to ensure that students have access to appropriate guidance to assist them in their educational and career choices. Since September 2012 guidance provision is now provided from within the overall staffing allocation of the school. This gives schools greater autonomy to determine how they deploy their teaching...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the Teaching Council Act 2001, the Teaching Council is the body with statutory regulatory authority for the professional registration of teachers. The Council sets standards of entry to the profession and accredits initial teacher education programmes. I am satisfied that primary teachers are qualified to teach in a wide range of school environments including autism units. In the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware autism classes are established by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). A range of supports are available to schools in which the classes operate including the NCSE, NEPS, the inspectorate, the circulars referred to by the Deputy and continuing professional development for teachers through the Special Education Support Service. In the case of each of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As previously outlined, from 2006/2007 it was recognised that the model concept was complex and multi-purpose. It was determined that parents of children with autism should have three distinct choices available to them; their child could either attend a mainstream class in their local school with additional supports as required, they could attend a special class in a mainstream school or they...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware I requested the NCSE to provide policy advice on the educational provision for children with autism spectrum disorders. I specifically asked that they would consult widely with parents, professionals, other stakeholders and interested parties in the preparation of this policy advice. The NCSE have advised my Department that the Policy Advice will be delivered in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As previously advised, policy advice has been provided by the NCSE on a range of issues including the Future Role of Special Schools and Classes in Ireland, the Education of Children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing and the Education of Students with Challenging Behaviour Arising from an Emotional /Behavioural Disorders. However the advice was not autism specific and the current policy advice...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The major building project to provide permanent accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. The Design Team are currently working on Stage 2a (Developed Sketch Design). The project is on the five year school building programme to proceed to tender and construction in 2014/15.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware July Provision is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism that choose to extend their education services through the month of July. My Department also provides July Provision for pupils with a severe/profound general learning disability. Where school based provision is not feasible, home...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department met with the schools authorities recently to discuss both this schools short term and long term accommodation issues. Further to this meeting, an initial technical site visit was undertaken and arrangements have been agreed with the school for the provision of temporary accommodation to meet the schools immediate accommodation needs. I also wish to advise the Deputy that, in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Design Team on the major building project referred to by the Deputy are currently working on the completion of Stage 2(a) (Developed Sketch Design) of architectural planning. On completion of this stage the project will proceed to Stage 2(b) which includes the planning applications and the preparation of tender documents. The project is on the five year school building programme to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pension Provisions (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in the Pension Unit of my Department have provided to the person to whom the Deputy refers both personal and general information in regard to pension requested by that person. The personal details provided remain unchanged. Details of the retirement application process and the various application forms are available on my Department's website to download. Should the person to whom...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Redundancy Payments (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is working through a significant number of implementation issues following the acceptance of the Haddington Road Agreement by the teacher unions. The last of the three teacher unions accepted the Agreement in late December 2013. One of the issues to be addressed is the redundancy entitlement of external supervisors employed by schools under the previous Supervision scheme,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Chaplaincy Services Provision (15 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I will arrange for the information sought by the Deputy to be forwarded directly to him.