Results 12,861-12,880 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (26 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy may be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for the provision of a range of educational services at local and national level for students with special educational needs. In particular, its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) co-ordinates special needs education provision at local level and arranges for the delivery of...

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (26 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware 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). Schools that do not currently have NEPS psychologists assigned to them may avail of the SCPA, whereby the school can have an assessment...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (26 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the terms of the relevant student grant scheme, students who are entering approved post leaving certificate courses for the first time are eligible for grants where they satisfy the prescribed conditions including those relating to progression. In general, students who previously pursued a course of study are not eligible for grant assistance for a second period of study at the same...

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (26 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the 1998 Education Act provides the legal framework for the delivery of education to children through recognised schools. All recognised schools are legally owned by the school patrons or trustees and managed by a school's Board of Management which is also the employer of teachers in a school. If a parent wishes to make a complaint against a teacher or school...

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (26 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The "Constitution of Boards and Rules of Procedure" which applies to primary schools requires that the Board of Management must hold a minimum of one meeting per school term and shall hold not less than five meetings in any school year. The booklet is available on my Department's website.

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (26 May 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 — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The contract for the school building project referred to by the Deputy is between the Board of Management and the contractor. The Department is liaising with the Board of Management in relation to next steps.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 98 together. All major school building projects involve the pre-qualification of suitably qualified contractors prior to issuing an invitation to tender. This is a standard requirement under national construction project procurement procedures. The criteria for suitability assessment, which are taken from the Department of Finance Capital Management...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (25 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Firstly, I wish to advise the Deputy that the enrolment of a child in a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools. My Department's policy is to promote the principle of inclusive education as envisaged in Section 2 of the Education for...

Written Answers — Teacher Training: Teacher Training (25 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The PDST is a team of seconded teachers, which offers professional development support to primary and post-primary teachers on a wide range of topics. The PDST was established in September 2010, following a reconfiguration of the support services in existence prior to that date. 2011 is the first full year of the operation of the PDST, and the service will be centrally involved in...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: As part of the expansion of the Permanent Accommodation Scheme 2007, a grant was allocated to the school in question to enable the management authority provide 3 additional mainstream classrooms. As this is a devolved scheme it is a matter for the school authority to manage the project. I understand that some difficulties arose between the school authority, the design team and the contractor...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: An application under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme for Fire Safety Upgrade works has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. The purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme is solely for unforeseen emergencies or to provide funding to facilitate inclusion and access for special needs pupils. The school in question has already received a substantial grant under the Capital...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (25 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand that the changes to the student grant schemes introduced under Budget 2011 by the previous Fianna Fail - Green Party government were designed to manage additional cost pressures arising from a significant increase in the number of students qualifying for grants, a proportionate increase in the number of students qualifying for higher rates of grants and payment of the Student...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (25 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Section 31.22 of the ten year Framework Social Partnership Agreement 2006 - 2015 "Towards 2016" provided that all payments to teachers would be made electronically by the end of 2006 at the latest. In November 2006 teachers paid on payrolls operated by my Department and paid by means of payable order were requested to submit bank account details to enable payment directly to their bank...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (25 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Programme for Government clearly states that education will be a priority for this Government and that we will endeavour to protect and enhance the educational experience of children, young people and students. To that end, we will endeavour to protect frontline services in education. The Deputy will be aware that it is necessary to ensure that...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The school referred to by the Deputy submitted a major capital application in November 2010. The application was given a preliminary assessment and was assigned a band 2 rating in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria. Schools are rated band I when they serve a rapidly developing area where either there is no existing school or where existing provision is unable to meet the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware, the school's project was included on the list of projects announced on 24 January 2011 where briefs will be formulated in 2011 and the process of appointing a Design Team will commence. The next steps will be to finalise the Schedules of Accommodation to meet the current and future needs of the school. In this regard, my Department will be in contact with the School...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to clarify for the Deputy that participation in my Department's July Provision Scheme is an option for all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism or severe to profound general learning disability that choose to extend their education services through the month July. Home based tuition of 10 hours per week for the four...

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (24 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the provisions of the Education Act 1998 the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. It is important that the school management authority requests parents to ensure that the school is made aware of any medical condition suffered by any pupil attending. Where the school is aware of potential difficulties that may arise as a consequence of a...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for capital funding for the provision of a new school. The application has been assessed in accordance with published prioritisation criteria for large scale projects and assigned a band 2 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works,...