Results 13,421-13,440 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (5 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Over half of the Gaelscoileanna are under catholic patronage and the redeployment of surplus teachers from these schools is through the relevant diocesan panels. Under the existing redeployment arrangements a Board of management has the right to interview, once there is more than one teacher on a panel. My Department had discussions recently with An Foras Pátrúnachta in relation to its...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (5 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Music is a core part of the arts curriculum in all classes in all primary schools and comprises listening, and responding, performing and composing activities. A revised primary curriculum in Music was introduced in 2005, supported by a national programme of professional development for teachers. I am very aware of the excellent work being done by schools using music as a key vehicle to...

Written Answers — School Libraries: School Libraries (5 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The current financial situation and Ireland's reliance on external funding through the EU/IMF Support Programme means inevitably that the funding situation will be extremely difficult in the period ahead. I would be misleading the Deputy if I pretended otherwise. The Government will do its best to prioritise education spending and protect front-line services but the reality is that my...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (5 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to be able to confirm to the Deputy that I recently announced that 453 primary and post primary schools across the country will be receiving funding under the 2011 Summer Works Scheme. Details of the schools in question are available on my Department's website www.education.ie. All schools who applied for funding under the scheme will receive written notification of the outcome...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (5 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 157 and 158 together. I can confirm to the Deputy that a total of 252 applications for funding under the Summer Works Scheme, 2011, were received from schools in County Cork. Of these, 46 schools in County Cork were included in my announcement on 30th March of a total of 453 schools in the country whose applications for funding were successful. Unfortunately,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm to the Deputy that a major project for the school to which he refers was included on a list of projects, which were announced on 24 January 2011, for which briefs will be formulated in 2011. Officials from my Department will be in touch with the school authority shortly regarding a site visit to the school, which is the next step required to formulate the capital project brief....

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (5 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application 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 were prioritised and it was not possible...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (5 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: An application for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme was received in March of this year from the school referred to by the Deputy. The application related to the replacement of roof slates. This school previously received funding for roof works. The purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme is solely for unforeseen emergencies or to provide funding to facilitate inclusion and...

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (5 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Labour Market Activation Fund was launched in March 2010, in order to assist in the creation of training and education provision for specific priority groups among the unemployed, namely the low skilled, and those formerly employed in declining sectors - construction, retail and manufacturing sectors -, with particular emphasis on the under 35s and the long-term unemployed. TBG Learning...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (5 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department, most recently in the context of the Transforming Public Services strategy, has been evaluating the potential to secure savings and efficiencies by extending the use of shared services as widely as possible across the education sector. This consideration has included examination of the feasibility of operating systems of shared payroll services for bodies and agencies under the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (5 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including applications for the establishment of special classes, in various geographical areas as required. I have arranged for the details...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (5 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding to include for the replacement of the school's Assembly Hall/Gym In accordance with the published criteria for large scale building projects, the project for this school has been assigned a Band 2 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (5 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for an extension project. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band 1 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major...

Written Answers — Value for Money Review: Value for Money Review (5 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I expect the report on the value for money of small primary school provision to be finalised by the end of the year. I will then have to consider its outcomes and publication will be arranged at that stage. The terms of reference for the Steering Committee are published on my Department's website.

Written Answers — Value for Money Review: Value for Money Review (5 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The primary focus of the value for money review of small primary schools is on all primary schools nationwide with an enrolment of less than 50 pupils. Information sought by the Deputy in relation to the relevant schools in County Cork is available from my Department's website.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (31 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for external works 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 were prioritised...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (31 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The standardisation of the staffing schedule for Gaelscoileanna so that it is the same as that which applies to primary schools generally is one of a number of measures in Budget 2011 to control and reduce teacher numbers. These changes are effective from September 2011. Given the financial constraints in which this country now finds itself, it is not possible to reverse these changes. The...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (31 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations and determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations. I can inform the Deputy that the Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (31 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: 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. The NCSE has issued a circular to all...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (31 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The process of allocating teaching resources to schools for 2011/2012 and the arrangements for filling vacant or new teaching posts takes place in the context of the EU/IMF Programme of Support for Ireland and the Public Service Agreement 2010/2014. My Department is aware of the issues which have been raised by the Deputy. However, the overriding imperative is that all the surplus permanent...