Results 10,641-10,660 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn
- School Staffing (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: I will write to the Deputy on that matter.
- School Staffing (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: The staffing schedule at primary level disproportionately benefits small primary schools. It is worth noting that of the 3,200 primary schools across Ireland, more than two thirds have more than 86 pupils and, as a result, have far higher average class sizes than all of the schools affected by this measure. For example, a two-teacher school with 32 pupils has an average class size of 16...
- School Staffing (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: I understand what the Deputy is saying; my colleagues in Fine Gael and the Labour Party have articulated similar concerns as conveyed to them. A gradual change in the threshold for a two-teacher school from 12 to 14 pupils, and similar changes for three- and four-teacher schools, is required. The Deputy is correct in stating that if two two-teacher schools were to amalgamate they would be...
- School Staffing (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: It is not my intention to force the closure of any school. We have given three years for the schools located in affected areas. Some schools will not be affected by this; in fact, the majority will not be affected in one way or another. However, they need to start talking to each other about co-operation and clustering through the INTO, the patron bodies and the Irish Primary Principals...
- School Staffing (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take questions 6 and 8 together. I am of course aware of concerns that have been expressed in relation to this and other budget measures. At a time of great strain in our public finances, we have to ensure that the very valuable but limited resources available for the education system are used in the best way possible. The staffing schedule at primary level disproportionately...
- School Staffing (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: These matters will be examined. The schools can appeal through the appeals mechanism if they can demonstrate that they will be at the required number next year. We know the data; the Department has the numbers of child benefit payments in the area. This is not an assault on rural Ireland but an attempt to secure some reasonable savings at a time when we must get such savings while, at the...
- School Staffing (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy asked five or seven supplementary questions. I will take note of them as I might have to reply to them in writing. There are fixed standing charges for a school, such as insurance, which take no account of the size of the school in real terms. There are other related costs, regardless of whether the school has 50 or 150 pupils. There are disproportionate costs for smaller...
- School Staffing (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: I will refer back to the Deputy.
- School Staffing (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy disagrees with reality.
- School Staffing (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: Deputy Smith has raised another element, namely, resource teachers and people spending teaching time in the car travelling between schools. We are examining how we can eliminate this type of waste of everyone's time. To return to the central point raised by Deputies Boyd Barrett and Penrose, schools in rural areas have been given a signal that the pupil-teacher ratio will be changed in the...
- Proposed Legislation (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: Work on the drafting of the residential institutions statutory fund Bill is at an advanced stage and I hope to be in a position to publish the Bill in the coming weeks. I had a very constructive meeting with groups representing survivors of residential institutional abuse on 22 July last when we discussed the Government's approach to the proposed statutory fund to support the needs of victims...
- Proposed Legislation (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: The Bill is still in the process of being finalised and will be introduced in this session. The points the Deputy makes will be taken into consideration when we have the text before us.
- Proposed Legislation (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy is partially correct. The board has money available to it but also has ongoing liabilities arising from educational commitments it has made which extend beyond one year. I will get a note for the Deputy on the issue. Subject to confirmation, I am of the opinion, based on advice I have read and which I am now remembering, that the board's commitments match the funds it has on...
- Proposed Legislation (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: We have another question on that issue. In case we do not reach it, the Magdalene survivors do not qualify in that regard.
- Disadvantaged Status (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 30 together. I am aware of the concerns of some schools which will be adversely affected by the budget measures on the withdrawal of certain posts under older disadvantage schemes. I announced in the House on 11 January that my Department is to report to me within four weeks on the impact of the withdrawal of posts under these older schemes on DEIS...
- Disadvantaged Status (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: The Department of Education and Skills employs one third of all public sector employees. Numbers must be reduced to meet the macro targets set by the troika. Of course, it has told us to find the detail. However, the employment control framework is contained in the memorandum of understanding signed up to by the previous Government. We are obliged to follow this until we come out of the...
- Disadvantaged Status (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: There has already been a considerable increase in taxation. Some people have felt it was even excessive. The universal social charge has been removed from the lowest paid workers. The memorandum of understanding has an employment control framework. I advise the Deputy to read it and examine the areas of the public service that could be reduced that have not been.
- Disadvantaged Status (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: The review is being undertaken in the Department. I asked for it to be completed in four weeks â that is three and a half weeks time. When I receive it, I will make decisions on it and consult with Cabinet colleagues if necessary. Each school will be notified of its teacher allocation commencing in September 2012. Any school, be it a DEIS band 1 or band 2, rural or mainstream school,...
- Disadvantaged Status (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: The review will be a numbers review primarily because of the shortage of time and the necessity to inform all schools about their teacher allocations. There may well be appeals from some of the schools affected that have a qualitative component to it which I will be able to check. I would be misleading Members if I did not admit this will be a numbers exercise. I want to check the figures...
- Disadvantaged Status (19 Jan 2012)
Ruairi Quinn: No, nobody is all over the place.