Results 12,661-12,680 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Professional Development: Professional Development (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Professional Development Service for Teachers was established in 2010 following a reconfiguration of my Department's support services for schools. The total estimated cost of the service in 2011 is €14.9 million, of which the salaries of the seconded teachers who work in the service are the single largest cost item, at approximately €5.3 million. The balance of costs, an estimated...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 44 together. The Teaching Council has been informed that the relevant sections of the Teaching Council Act 2001 will be commenced no later than 1 September 2012. The Council has begun to consider the procedures and criteria for the induction and probation of primary and post-primary teachers that the Council would wish to implement following their...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Department Circular 30/2011 sets out the arrangements for the deployment of resource teaching posts in schools for the 2011/12 school year. The Department's approach has allowed schools "roll-over" their existing full-time resource posts on the condition that any surplus capacity in these posts is shared with other local schools. If the "roll-over" arrangements are not sufficient to meet a...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I regret that the economic circumstances of the country are such that I am not in a position to reverse any of the changes to the student grant measures announced in Budget 2011 by the previous Fianna Fáil - Green Party Government. These changes included an increase in the qualifying distance criterion for the non-adjacent rate of grant. I am very conscious of the fundamental role played...

Written Answers — Literacy Levels: Literacy Levels (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 32 and 36 together. The very disappointing and worrying declines in the performance of Irish 15-year olds on PISA literacy and mathematics tests between 2000 and 2009 point to the urgent need to improve the literacy and numeracy standards of our students. The Government in fully committed to reversing these declines as indicated in the Programme for...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pressing ahead with a reduction in the number of VECs. The Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) recently responded to the opportunity I provided to them to submit alternative rationalisation proposals, following the Association' expression of concerns regarding the configuration that had been decided upon by the previous Government. I am considering the IVEA's submission and I...

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department commissioned input from an international expert who is very familiar with the Irish third level sector on the detailed performance criteria against which any future applications for re-designation as a technological university would be assessed. I have now asked the Higher Education Authority to consider and provide formal advice on draft criteria and related issues for...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Since 2008 Vocational Education Committees have played an important role in providing an additional model of school patronage at primary level through the operation of Community National Schools. These schools are established on a pilot basis and the experience of their operation will inform further consideration of this model. I acknowledge the work of the VECs of counties Dublin, Kildare...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Project Maths is under way in all second level schools since September 2010 in both junior and senior cycle, building on the experience of 24 schools which began the programme in 2008. The initiative is supported by comprehensive investment in professional development for teachers which will continue to at least 2013. Project Maths is being implemented on a phased basis over a three-year...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: There has been no reduction in the overall number of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs). 10,575 posts are available which represents a significant increase in the numbers of SNAs over recent years. It is considered that with careful management and distribution of these resources that there should be sufficient posts to provide access to SNA support for all children requiring support. The...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for funding under the 2011 Summer Works Scheme. This application was also further considered for purposes of the Government's Jobs Initiative. Unfortunately, due to the scale of demand for funding under both the Scheme and the Initiative, it was not possible to grant aid all applications. On the basis of the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise 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 National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 65 together. My Department has received correspondence from the school referred to by the Deputy relating to the Band Rating assigned to the school's application for capital funding. This will be considered and a response will be conveyed to the school authorities in due course. In light of the current market trends in relation to the cost of the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the decision to withdraw Resource Teacher for Travellers was taken by the previous Government as part of the last Budget. The requirement to make expenditure savings and to ensure that staffing numbers remain within the Public Service Employment Control Framework prevent me from re-visiting this decision. Resource Teacher for Traveller posts/Teaching Hours...

Written Answers — Teacher Training: Teacher Training (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department and its support services are fully supportive of the national language and are committed to the implementation of the recently published Government strategy on the Irish language. The Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) is a team of seconded teachers, which offers professional development support to primary and post-primary teachers and schools on a wide range...

Written Answers — School Patronage: School Patronage (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A review of the criteria and procedures for the establishment of new primary schools has been undertaken by the Commission on School Accommodation and its report was recently published on my Department's website. The report's recommendations and proposals are a useful contribution to the deliberations of the recently established Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector. A...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I have asked the universities and institutes of technology to examine the scope for reform of the current points system for entry to higher education to address some of the negative backwash effects on students' learning in senior cycle. I am anxious that all possible reform options would now be explored and presented for wider discussion and consideration ahead of a planned joint HEA-NCCA...

Written Answers — Traveller Community: Traveller Community (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A survey carried out by the Visiting Teachers Service for Travellers on Traveller enrolment found that in September 2009, over 11,300 young Travellers were enrolled in school, 8,301 at primary level and 3,014 in mainstream at post-primary. Progress at primary level has been taking place on a steady basis over the past twenty five years while progress at post-primary level has been more...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Funding for school building projects, whether for fee-charging schools or schools in the free education scheme, are selected on the basis of priority of need using published criteria. However, as the Deputy may be aware, considerations of State support for minority religions has been an important factor in the provision of funding for such schools, given that much of the fee-charging sector...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (8 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A 10% reduction in salary applies to all teachers who commence employment for the first time on or after 1 January 2011. This is in accordance with the Budget 2011 decision. Teachers appointed for the first time also now commence employment at the first point of the salary scale. Incremental credit for the length of time in college training as a teacher is no longer reckonable. Regardless...