Results 12,261-12,280 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) and Disability Acts set out clearly the role and functions of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and the Health Service Executive (HSE) and their staff in carrying out assessments and with regard to the provision of services for children with special educational needs....

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: At this point I do not propose to give any specific commitment on the allocation of teachers to schools for the 2012/13 school year. The number of teaching posts that we can afford to fund in schools is a matter that I will have to consider with my colleagues in Cabinet in the context of the next budget and meeting our obligations under the EU/IMF Programme. The National Recovery Plan...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to inform the Deputy that 10,575 whole time equivalent (WTE) posts are being provided for SNA support for the coming school year. This is a significant number of posts and unlike other areas of the public sector vacancies are being filled up to this number. It is considered that with equitable and careful management and distribution of these resources that there should be sufficient...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: At this point I do not propose to give any specific commitment on the allocation of teachers to schools for the 2012/13 school year. The number of teaching posts that we can afford to fund in schools is a matter that I will have to consider with my colleagues in Cabinet in the context of the next budget and meeting our obligations under the EU/IMF Programme. The National Recovery Plan...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Project Maths is a major programme of reform in mathematics in second level schools, which is designed to encourage better understanding of mathematics, to reinforce its practical relevance to everyday life, and to ensure better continuity between primary and second level, and junior and senior cycle. It began in 24 project schools in September 2008 and was introduced in all schools in...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Project Maths is a major programme of reform in mathematics in second level schools, which is designed to encourage better understanding of mathematics, to reinforce its practical relevance to everyday life, and to ensure better continuity between primary and second level, and junior and senior cycle. It began in 24 project schools in September 2008 and was introduced in all schools in...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools. 10,575 whole time equivalent posts are being provided for the coming school year. To manage this limited resource, 475 of these posts will be retained for allocation over the coming school year to address significant emergency cases; new entrants with special needs; or...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for processing resource applications for children with disabilities who have special educational needs through its regional Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs). The NCSE also has responsibility for planning and co-ordinating the provision of education and support services for...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools. 10,575 whole time equivalent posts are being provided for the coming school year. To manage this limited resource, 475 of these posts will be retained for allocation over the coming school year to address significant emergency cases; new entrants with special needs; or...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to inform the Deputy that 10,575 whole time equivalent (WTE) posts are being provided for SNA support for the coming school year. This is a significant number of posts and unlike other areas of the public sector vacancies are being filled up to this number. It is considered that with equitable and careful management and distribution of these resources that there should be sufficient...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has been in correspondence with the school referred to by the Deputy regarding the staffing requirements for 2011/12. I understand that the concerns raised by the Board of Management and the principal have been addressed.

Written Answers — School Patronage: School Patronage (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: In accordance with the Programme for Government, a Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector was launched in mid April. An Advisory Group, chaired by Professor John Coolahan, is overseeing the work of the Forum. The key issues being addressed by the Forum are 1. How best to establish parental and community demand for diversity in our schools 2. The practicalities of how...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware, DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) is my Department's action plan for educational inclusion, and provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and an integrated School Support Programme (SSP). The action plan has been rolled out over the period since 2006. The process of identifying schools for participation in DEIS, was...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Under Section 30 of the Education Act 1998, the curriculum in schools is subject to my approval, following any consultation considered appropriate with the partners in education and the advice of National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). The NCCA Council is a representative structure, the membership of which is determined and appointed by the Minister for Education and Skills....

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (7 Jul 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 (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to inform the Deputy that 10,575 whole time equivalent (WTE) posts are being provided for SNA support for the coming school year. This is a significant number of posts and unlike other areas of the public sector vacancies are being filled up to this number. It is considered that with equitable and careful management and distribution of these resources that there should be sufficient...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to clarify for the Deputy that Special Needs Assistant (SNA) allocations are not permanent, as the level of SNA support allocated to a school may be increased or decreased as pupils who qualify for SNA support enrol or leave a school. They are also decreased where a child's care needs may have diminished over time. The recruitment and deployment of SNAs within schools are matters for...

Written Answers — School Services Staff: School Services Staff (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to inform the Deputy that 10,575 whole time equivalent (WTE) posts are being provided for SNA support for the coming school year. This is a significant number of posts and unlike other areas of the public sector vacancies are being filled up to this number. It is considered that with equitable and careful management and distribution of these resources that there should be sufficient...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (7 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The selection and enrolment of pupils in schools is the responsibility of the authorities of the individual school. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. As schools may not have a...

Written Answers — Schools Services Staff: Schools Services Staff (7 Jul 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...