Results 13,121-13,140 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Vocational Education Committees (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: No. I met the IVEA before becoming Minister and subsequently and informed it that if it could come up with the same type of savings, and the same kind of configuration of 16 bodies I was open in principle to considering it. I have not set my heart on a particular configuration. There are alternatives, but I will wait to see the IVEA suggestions. I gather the central council has come up...

Special Educational Needs (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: 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. We will endeavour to protect frontline services in education. However, the fiscal position is extremely difficult. It is necessary to ensure that educational services are...

Special Educational Needs (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The framework of spending for this year has already been decided, and implicitly and explicitly confirmed by this House. There will be no changes for 2011. I will consider what to do in 2012 in the light of what resources are made available to me in the context of where the country is at the moment.

Special Educational Needs (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The programme for Government makes no such proposal. We are operating in very constrained circumstances and we will work within that framework and not outside it.

Special Educational Needs (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Council for Special Education is the professional body which through its locally based SENOs assesses individuals referred to it and comes to a professional conclusion whether a particular child qualifies for support. It is not the function of the Department of Education and Skills in order to prevent it becoming open to manipulation and abuse as we have seen in the past with...

Special Educational Needs (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The growth seemed to be exponential. The previous Government against the background of economic constraints, which still exists, decided to cap it at the level I mentioned and investigate ways in which some degree of internal prioritisation can be made. It would be easy for me to tell Deputy Boyd Barrett that I would review the specific individual application, but I will not discuss...

Special Educational Needs (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The programme for Government sets out that education will be a priority for the Government and that we will endeavour to protect and enhance the educational experience of children, young people and students. To that end, we are committing - during the tenure of the Government - to the publication of a plan for the implementation of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act...

Special Educational Needs (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I share the Deputy's concern and acknowledge his genuine commitment in this area. The reality is that when the EPSEN legislation was introduced, no one appreciated fully the extent of support that would be required, or the cost of that support, as indicated in my initial reply. Therefore, it is understandable the decision outlined was taken. When the level of growth had expanded by...

Special Educational Needs (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: As I do not know the details of the individual case to which the Deputy referred, I will not prejudice any outcomes. Clearly, the response from the school is one that the family should query with the special educational needs organiser with a view to determining why the school is adopting what seems to be such an extraordinarily demanding stance to which an ordinary family must respond. I...

Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I intend discussing the commitment in the programme for Government to negotiate the transfer of school infrastructure currently owned by 18 religious orders cited in the Ryan report, at no extra cost to the State, with my Cabinet colleagues in the near future. This discussion will take account of my Department's engagement with the congregations regarding the potential use of the various...

Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: No.

Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I am anxious to proceed with this matter as quickly as possible in the interests of equity. In this specific proposal we are not talking about getting extra cash. It is about equity. The religious teaching orders have already given a great deal and many of the valuations they had on their properties have collapsed, as has happened to the many people who are in negative equity. They have...

Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I have been in office for less than eight weeks-----

Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: We are talking about early in the lifetime of the Government. We will initiate those discussions quite early. The proposal is already in the public domain and the people involved are well aware of my sentiments. I have expressed them more extensively elsewhere. They know what is expected and they are aware of the safeguards. They also know that the property market at present does not...

School Patronage (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: As a matter of policy, my Department does not fund patrons or patron bodies. My Department provides annual grants to the recognised management bodies at primary and post-primary level to assist them in providing management support to the schools in their sectors. Management bodies such as the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association, CPSMA, Educate Together, Church of Ireland Board of...

School Patronage (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I am not sure if I have that information. I assume An foras Pátrúnachta is in the same situation, but I do not know. I will find that information for the Deputy.

State Examinations (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, has been asked to review the junior certificate and advise on the scope for reform which would cater for the promotion of understanding, creativity and innovation, and which would provide appropriate evidence of learning. Concerns have also been raised about curriculum overload and rote learning. As I await advice on this matter from...

State Examinations (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: There is general acceptance in the education sector that the secondary level, in the junior and leaving certificate cycle, must be reformed. However, the calls for reform have come from the third level sector, particularly the universities. There is not much point in reforming the junior and senior cycles and, by extension, the leaving certificate and the Central Applications Office, CAO,...

State Examinations (4 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy for his observations. I do not know what is the current position but I will obtain information in that regard and revert to him.

Special Educational Needs (4 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 teaching hours to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. It is not the practice of National...