Results 11,421-11,440 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn
- Seanad: Reform of Junior Certificate: Statements (8 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: Yes. The literacy and numeracy strategy is being rolled out and is part and parcel of broader reform. The curriculum does not function in isolation. It will take time and resources to implement reform. In regard to the points system, in my innocence, I was two months in office before I realised the points system is not part of the education system as we know it. Rather, it is owned and...
- Seanad: Reform of Junior Certificate: Statements (8 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for the opportunity to address the Seanad on this important issue. As Senators know, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, was asked to undertake a review of the junior cycle curriculum in schools, to examine how creativity and innovation might be strengthened and curriculum overload and rote learning addressed. The review was undertaken...
- Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: I assume the Deputy is referring to the withdrawal of certain funding from minority faith schools with effect from 1 January 2009, which realised an annual saving of â¬2.8 million to the Exchequer. These grants were withdrawn due to real concerns about the constitutionality of making grants available to fee-charging schools of one ethos and not to those of another. As these schools no longer...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: My Department approved funding to the school referred to by the Deputy for a building project consisting of a Special Needs Unit together with a secure hard/soft play area and parking provision. A once-off set up grant for the Unit was also approved. My Department understands that works have now commenced on site and that the school authority has made temporary arrangements for a designated...
- Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: Schools have been informed that they are not to enter into commitments in expectation of the issuing of the primary school minor works grant in the current school year (2011/12). The decision regarding the payment of the grant is likely to be taken in the near future.
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that 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 needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. This now...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that 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 needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. This now...
- Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: The redundancy arrangements for Special Needs Assistants were agreed at a national level under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission. These arrangements are outlined in my Department's Circular 58/2006 (Redundancy Arrangements for Special Needs Assistants). Under the terms of the Circular, the time limit for submitting an application for payment of redundancy is 52 weeks after the...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: I am conscious of the potential impact of teachers retiring on State examination classes in post-primary schools. My Department has had discussions with second-level management bodies on this matter and intends to issue information to schools on re-employing such teachers for the remainder of the school year where this is considered necessary to reduce that impact. Any measures will be...
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: The new school referred to by the Deputy is one of eight schools which were approved for inclusion in the 3rd Bundle of schools to be procured via Public Private Partnership. This Bundle was handed over to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) in July 2010 to commence the tender procurement process. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that tenders were received on 5th July 2011 and...
- Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: I can inform the Deputy that all primary and post- primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) whereby the school can have an assessment carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists approved by NEPS, and NEPS will...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that 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 needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. This now...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that approximately 9,950 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) learning support/resource teacher posts, including those provided under the General Allocation Model, are being provided in primary & post primary schools in the 2011/12 school year in order to provide additional teaching support to pupils with special educational needs. This represents an increase of...
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: The processing of student grants is carried out by local grant awarding authorities â VECs and local authorities. In the circumstances, it will be necessary for the student in question to contact his grant awarding authority to ascertain the position regarding his grant application.
- Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that my Department's home tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting a suitable educational placement and also to provide early educational intervention for...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that a response issued last week from my Department to the school on the issues to which he refers. I have previously advised the Deputy the position in relation to the provision of an administrative principal posts in special schools. The Report of the Special Education Review Committee outlines that an administrative principal post should be appointed in a...
- Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: I had a very constructive meeting with groups representing survivors of residential institutional abuse on 22nd July last, when we discussed the Government's approach to the proposed Statutory Fund to support the needs of victims of residential institutional abuse. A number of the groups represented at that meeting, including that referred to by the Deputy, raised a number of issues...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: The Major Building Project referred to by the Deputy is currently at an early stage of Architectural Planning. The Design Team are currently working on finalising the Stage 1 submission (Preliminary Sketch Design) which is expected to be submitted to my Department shortly. When this submission is received, it will be reviewed by my Department and my officials will then be in contact with the...
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: The Major Building Project referred to by the Deputy is currently at an early stage of Architectural Planning. The Design Team are currently working on finalising the Stage 1 submission (Preliminary Sketch Design) which is expected to be submitted to my Department shortly. When this submission is received, it will be reviewed by my Department and my officials will then be in contact with the...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 Nov 2011)
Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 and 73 together. The annualised cost of issuing hardcopy payslips to the approximate 94,000 school employees and pensioners, and staff employed by my Department and some bodies under its aegis, is â¬1.48 million. Consideration was given by officials in my Department in 2010, to making payslips available electronically to serving and retired school...