Results 1,321-1,340 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that the establishment of a network of autism-specific special classes in schools across the country to cater for children with autism has been a key educational priority in recent years. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelscoileanna Issues (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The school referred to by the Deputy was included on the list of projects, announced in March 2012, to commence construction in 2015/16. The Deputy may be aware that I signed a Memorandum of Understanding between my Department and the County and City Managers' Association (CCMA) in 2012. This Memorandum of Understanding fosters increased levels of cooperation and formalises the Local...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that an application for additional classroom accommodation was received from the school referred to by the Deputy on 7th February 2014. Given the current financial constraints within which my Department is currently operating, priority is being given to applications for essential mainstream classroom accommodation in areas of significant demographic growth and where...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Administration (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that on 20th March last, I announced that 386 schools have been approved funding under the Summer Works Scheme to undertake school improvements. This first round of funding will allow schools to carry out small and medium scale building works across three categories of projects - Gas, Electrical and Mechanical. A second round of the scheme is expected to be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Remuneration (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The detailed supplementary assignment arrangements for SNAs for the 2013/2014 school year are set out in Departmental Circular 0037/2013 which issued on 1 July 2013 and which is available on the Department's website at the following address: With effect from 1 May 2013 once an SNA with a minimum of one year's service is notified by his/her employer that he/she is to be made redundant then...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Eligibility (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 207 and 212 to 215, inclusive, together. The Deputy will be aware that on 20th March last, I announced that 386 schools have been approved funding under the Summer Works scheme to undertake school improvements. This first round of funding will allow schools to carry out small and medium scale building works across three categories of projects - Gas,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: In 2012/13 school year, there were 3,152 primary schools in the country. 82 (2.6%) primary schools have a multidenominational ethos. Educate Together is patron for 52 (1.6%) of these schools. 7 new primary schools opened in 2013. All 7 have a multidenominational ethos. Educate Together is patron for 3 of these schools. One of the schools under Educate Together patronage opened as a result...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts for the 2014/2015 school year is set out in the Staffing Schedule (Circular 0007/2014) which is available on the Department 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 30 September 2013. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The procurement process to appoint a design team for the major building project at the school referred to by the Deputy is underway. Once the appointment of the design team is complete the architectural design phase of the project will commence.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that as at 31 December 2013 there were 8,482 SNAs employed in Primary schools and 2,103 SNAs employed in Post Primary schools. These are whole-time equivalent figures. Furthermore this question raises three matters and I will deal with each in turn. Firstly, all Special Needs Assistants (SNAs), whether at primary or post-primary level, are paid on the SNA salary scale which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that my Department is aware of the proposed amalgamation to which the Deputy refers and has sought clarification from the schools relating to the proposal. This has now been received and is being considered by my Department. My officials will be further contact with the schools when this process has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The school building project referred to by the Deputy has been included on the 5 year construction programme for 2015/16. The conveyancing procedures for the proposed site for the new school are underway and pending their conclusion further details cannot be provided owing to commercial sensitivities. My Department will shortly be in contact with the school regarding the further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including the allocation of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Grants (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The nationality requirements for the Student Grant Scheme are set out in section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011 and regulation 5 of the Student Support Regulations...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Expenditure (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that the establishment of a network of autism-specific special classes in schools across the country to cater for children with autism has been a key educational priority in recent years. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has made an application to my Department for capital funding for the provision of a sports hall and other ancillary accommodation. The Deputy will be aware that the over-riding objective of Education capital expenditure is to meet the demographic challenge facing the education system, whereby total pupil enrolment in both primary and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department currently provides support to two Life Centres, Pearse Street in Dublin and Winters Hill in Cork. The current provision includes 2,768 teaching hours, provided under the Co-operation Hours scheme operated by the local ETBs. This is equivalent to four full-time teachers. These hours allow the ETBs to employ tutors to work in the Centres and to deliver tuition in CSPE, Reading,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has no plans to establish a third junior infant class at the school referred to by the Deputy. The school in question was established on the basis that it would develop naturally over time to become a two stream, 16 mainstream teacher school. It is intended that the school, along with other schools in the area, will cater for demand for primary school places into the future....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I have accepted the recommendations set out in an International Review Panel report commissioned by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on the structures of initial teacher education (ITE). The report recommended that teacher education be provided in six "centres for teacher education" and that Church of Ireland College of Education would be suitably positioned to join a number of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks Rental Scheme (1 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Budget 2014 announced that additional funding was provided to the Department which involved an investment of €15 million to support the establishment of book rental schemes in primary schools that do not currently operate them. With the limited funding available, I believe that targeting this funding to make sure that every parent in Ireland has access to some level of a book rental...