Results 12,401-12,420 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (5 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 281 and 282 together. The measurement of the distances in question is a matter for grant awarding bodies. It is not possible, therefore, for me to say what the distance calculation for an individual student will or should be. However, the shortest most direct route to college is measured. I understand that a range of mechanisms can be used, for example,...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy 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 — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (5 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will understand that due to the commercial sensitivities pertaining to site acquisitions generally, it is not my Department's policy to provide information in respect of recent site acquisition transactions, as this information could prejudice ongoing negotiations for school sites. However, I am in a position to confirm to the Deputy that the first school site to which he refers...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy 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 — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports including the approval of special classes for autism. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy 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 — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department, either directly or through the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), provides for a range of supports in schools to enable them cater for students with special educational needs including additional teachers, Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) and specialist equipment. The precise model of provision made will depend on the pupil's...

Written Answers — Ministerial Meetings: Ministerial Meetings (5 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I meet with individual members of my Management Advisory Committee (MAC) on a regular basis to discuss various policy and strategic issues. I am also regularly briefed by members of the MAC as necessary by phone and through written submissions. There are also occasions when I need to meet with the collective MAC to discuss issues that affect the Department as a whole. Since my arrival in...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (5 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The detailed information requested by the Deputy is an administrative matter for each agency and is not readily available in my Department. My Department recently undertook to collate information regarding rent paid by agencies in respect of 2010 and this information is set out below. The Deputy may also wish to note that the location details for the offices of the agencies under the aegis...

Written Answers — Departmental Estimates: Departmental Estimates (5 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The following table contains comparable expenditure figures for my Vote for the years 2007-2011. You will note that it also includes a breakdown of expenditure on the Skills Development and Nurses Education Programmes in 2010 and 2011 as a result of: (a) the transfer in 2010 of certain functions in relation to Skills Development from the former Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (5 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I set out below two tables for the information of the Deputy. Table No. 1. sets out details in relation to numbers of second level pupils, places funded by my Department in Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses, Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS), Youthreach, Senior Traveller Training Centres and participants in Back to Education Initiative, Adult Literacy and Community...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (5 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The new VEC structure fits with the Government's policy of reducing the number of agencies and is consistent with the strategic objectives of the transforming public service agenda through service delivery by a smaller number of agencies, each benefiting from efficiencies of greater scale. This change will better position the sector for future development and will facilitate the required...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (5 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department's Secretary General is not a member of any State Agency Board.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (30 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The major building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. My Department issued authorisation in July 2010 for the Design Team to proceed to seek planning permission, fire certificate and disability access certificate. The Design Team lodged a planning permission application with South Dublin County Council in February 2011 and a...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (30 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The NCCA has been asked to review the junior certificate and advise on the scope for reform designed to strengthen literacy and numeracy, embed key skills, promote active learning and enhanced creativity and innovation, and ensure appropriate ways of generating evidence of learning. Concerns have also been raised about curriculum overload, and rote learning. The Council has completed a...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (30 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the student grant scheme and application form for the 2011/12 academic year was published on www.studentfinance.ie on 27 June, 2011.

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (30 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations, determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations and making arrangements for the marking of work presented for examination. In view of this I have forwarded...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (30 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations, determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations and making arrangements for the marking of work presented for examination. In view of this I have forwarded...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (30 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations, determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations and making arrangements for the marking of work presented for examination. In view of this I have forwarded...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (30 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has operational responsibility for the certificate examinations. I have been advised that the State Examinations Commission (SEC) is satisfied that the questions asked on the Mathematics paper are within the parameters of the syllabus. In respect of specific queries which have been raised the SEC has confirmed that Question 7 (b) as presented is correct and...