Results 12,781-12,800 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 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 purpose of this circular is to inform schools of the arrangements that are being put in place for the 2011/12 school year in respect of their NCSE-approved resource hours so that posts are deployed in line with authorised allocations. As an interim...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (7 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I am not aware of any concerns identified in relation to the failure rates in the S.C.G. examination. The examination process for the S.C.G in the academic year 2010/11 is not yet complete as supplemental examinations are yet to be undertaken in August 2011. After supplemental results have been finalised, my Department will be in a position to give complete and accurate statistics for the...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools are published annually on my Department's website. The key factor in determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule for the 2011-2012 school year was published on my...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (2 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that the student grant measures announced in Budget 2011 by the previous Fianna Fáil - Green Party Government began to come into effect from January this year when a reduction of 4% in the rates of grant was applied to all student grant recipients. Further to this, budget measures that will come into effect from next September for the 2011/12 academic year will...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (2 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: This Government is committed to supporting the overall thrust of 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030, and to the delivery of the goals and targets proposed. As part of this, a thorough reform of the Irish curriculum and the way Irish is taught at primary and second level will be undertaken. Already, a revised Leaving Certificate curriculum in Irish began in all schools in...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (2 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 80 together. The previous Government decided to reduce the number of VECs from 33 to 16 and on the merger of particular counties. I am anxious to ensure that progress continues to be made in the work on bringing about a reduction in the number of VECs. The Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) has recently responded to my invitation to it to...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: It is understood that the Deputy's question refers to a proposal for an academy for children with autism which was submitted to my Department for consideration by an organisation in Dublin 13. My Department will respond to the submitted proposal in the near future. The Deputy will be aware that my Department has no direct funding arrangements with the group in question. Consideration of...

Written Answers — School Fees: School Fees (2 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The charging of fees by a school is permissible only in the case of recognised fee-charging second level schools. All other recognised schools are precluded from charging school fees. Voluntary contributions by parents of pupils in such recognised schools are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay and that, in making a...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (2 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Data relating to expenditure by my Department are not maintained on a county by county basis and it would take an inordinate amount of time to collate the information sought by the Deputy. However, I would be happy to provide information on specific projects the Deputy has a particular interest in.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (2 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on my Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule for the 2011-2012 school year was published on my...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (2 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand from FÁS that the person in question was placed on the Redundant Apprentice Placement Scheme with PSE Power Systems in Newcastle West, on Monday, 23 May, 2011. FÁS has also informed my Department that for the 12 weeks' duration of the placement, the apprentice will receive a FÁS net weekly training allowance of €400.00.

Written Answers — School Patronage: School Patronage (2 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Programme for Government gives a commitment to move towards a more pluralist system of patronage at second level, recognising a wider number of patrons. In line with this policy on Saturday 28 May at the Educate Together AGM I confirmed the Government's view that Educate Together meets all the requirements to operate as a patron of a second-level school. I intend to prioritise the...

Written Answers — Skills Development: Skills Development (2 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I am currently reviewing options regarding the provision of further education and training and the structures to support it.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an early stage of architectural planning. A stage 1 submission was recently received from the design team and is currently being reviewed by my Department. When that review is complete my Department will revert to the VEC regarding the further progression of the project. The progression of all large scale building...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (2 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department funds adult and community education through annual grants to Vocational Education Committees (VECs) which deliver these courses locally. The disbursement of funds is a matter for each VEC which, subject to its budget, decides the nature and extent of the adult and community education courses to be provided in its area. The organisation and location of courses are also matters...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (1 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The issues raised by the Deputy relate to a school which has a surplus teacher for redeployment. The school is awaiting its National Council for Special Education-approved allocation of resource teaching hours for the 2011-12 school year. It is not possible for the school to retain its surplus teacher and she must be redeployed in the normal manner. The Department's Circular 30/2011 sets...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (1 Jun 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 — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (1 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: There is nothing to preclude any individual from making an application for a student grant. The decision on eligibility for a grant is a matter for a student's local grant awarding body – the relevant local authority or VEC. The Deputy will appreciate that in the in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form, including those...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (1 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: It is the policy of my Department that only a teacher registered with the Teaching Council, and who has qualifications appropriate to the sector and suitable to the post for which he or she is proposed, should be employed in a school. Unregistered personnel should not be appointed except in exceptional circumstances and then only when all avenues for recruiting registered teachers have been...

Written Answers — Home-School Liaison Scheme: Home-School Liaison Scheme (1 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that there is no curtailment to Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) Services, which is a major component of DEIS, (Delivering Equality of Opportunities in Schools), the action plan for educational inclusion. The current provision of HSCL services will remain in the 200 post-primary and 345 urban primary schools participating in DEIS. The process of allocating...