Results 13,301-13,320 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 58 and 59 together. 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...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Apr 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. To that end, we will endeavour to protect front-line services in education. However, the fiscal position is extremely difficult. This country is effectively in receivership. It...

Written Answers — Podiatry Courses: Podiatry Courses (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: No students are scheduled to graduate as podiatrists in the current year. The National University of Ireland, Galway established a four-year BSc Honours course in Podiatry in 2008. This is the only Podiatry course available in Ireland at third level. The first intake of students to the course is due to graduate in 2012. The course intake is limited to a maximum of 25 students per annum.

Written Answers — Summer Works Scheme: Summer Works Scheme (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school submitted an application for the works referred to by the Deputy under the 2011 Summer Works Scheme. Unfortunately, due to the scale of demand for funding under the scheme, it was not possible to grant aid all applications. As outlined in the Circular governing the operation of the scheme, applications for works in the higher categories of eligible works were...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The qualifying criteria for the allocation of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support is outlined in my Department's Circular 07/02. In addition, procedures for the appointment of SNAs and details of qualifications for SNAs are set out in Departmental Circulars 05/2001 and SNA 03/2003. It is important to note that SNA allocations are not permanent, as the level of SNA support allocated to a...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I have recently extended an invitation to the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA), given their concerns about the current proposals for VEC aggregation, to submit alternative proposals for my consideration. The IVEA has indicated that it will respond later this month and I will be considering their proposals in the coming period. While I am open to proposals on alternative...

Written Answers — Capital Projects: Capital Projects (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department's most recent projections indicate that enrolments at post-primary level will rise from current levels of circa 312,200 pupils to about 336,600 pupils by the year 2017 and at primary level enrolments are expected to increase from the current total enrolment of circa 505,600 pupils to an expected enrolment circa 567,300 pupils by the year 2017. It is within this context that the...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The most recent data available refers to the last complete school year 2009/10. A full list of primary schools, including those in County Laois with their enrolments can be found on my Department's website www.education.ie.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for major capital funding for an extension. In accordance with the published criteria for large scale building projects, the project for this school has been assessed and assigned a Band 2 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: An application was made under the 2011 Summer Works Scheme by the school in question for a new drop off area at the school entrance. Unfortunately, due to the scale of demand for funding under the scheme, it was not possible to grant aid all applications. As outlined in the Circular governing the operation of the scheme, applications for works in the higher categories were prioritised. The...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: In 2002, agreement was reached to amalgamate the two primary schools referred to by the Deputy. The application for capital funding to facilitate this amalgamation was assessed and assigned a band rating of 1.4. The school authority engaged the services of a consultant to provide input into their proposals for a new greenfield site for the amalgamated school. However at no time did the...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 102 together. The cost of school text books is determined on a commercial basis by the educational publishers who commission them. My Department has no role in the production and publication of school text books. Accordingly, I am not in a position to speculate on the profit margins to which the Deputies refer. I am pleased to inform the Deputies...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: FETAC Council members do not receive any fees or remuneration for their service. Records in relation to attendance at FETAC council meetings and expenses received by Council members are not recorded at my Department. I have asked officials at my Department to request this information from FETAC and it will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I am glad to be able to inform the Deputy that students can look forward to several significant improvements to the student grant schemes starting from the 2011/12 academic year when it is intended to introduce a single unified scheme to replace the existing four schemes. This development will make it easier for students when it comes to applying for a grant. I am also moving ahead with...

Written Answers — Bullying in Schools: Bullying in Schools (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: In the Whole-School Evaluation - Management, Leadership and Learning (WSE-MLL) process at second level, inspectors examine a range of policies within the school plan. When reviewing anti-bullying policies and procedures, inspectors focus on the extent to which specific measures are included to prevent and respond to various forms of bullying such as racist and homophobic behaviour, within...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the relevant grant awarding authority i.e. the applicant's local authority or VEC. The grant awarding authority in question has advised my Department that an application for a grant from the student to which the Deputy refers was unsuccessful. It is open to the student to appeal this decision to the grant...

Written Answers — Value for Money Reviews: Value for Money Reviews (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, this review was initiated in October 2010 by the then Fianna Fáil/Green Party government in order to establish the value for money being achieved from State funding of small primary schools. This value for money review is part of the normal review processes undertaken by Departments on an annual basis on selected areas of expenditure. The terms of reference for...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has made an application to my Department for large scale funding for an extension. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale capital projects and assigned a band 2 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme, along with assessed applications...

Written Answers — Leaving Certificate Syllabus: Leaving Certificate Syllabus (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: All candidates in the Leaving Certificate examination have the option of changing levels at anytime, up to and including the day of the examination. In all subjects the numbers who enter for examinations and the numbers who finally sit those examinations are different. The same is true for the three levels at which Mathematics are offered – Higher, Ordinary and Foundation. The figures for...

Written Answers — Official Languages Act: Official Languages Act (12 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 143 together. Under Section 9(1) of the Official Languages Act, 2003, Government Departments must comply with the Regulations made by the then Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs to ensure that signs are provided in Irish only, or in English and Irish, in accordance with specific criteria set out in the Regulations. The Regulations...