Results 13,461-13,480 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (29 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application for works under the 2011 Summer Works Scheme. Applications for funding under the scheme are currently being processed in my Department, as outlined in the Circular governing the operation of the Scheme, and the school authority will be notified of the decision on the application shortly.

Written Answers — School Patronage: School Patronage (29 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Programme for Government gives a commitment to move towards a more pluralist system of patronage at second level, recognising a wider number of patrons. It is my intention to address this policy over the lifetime of this Government. My immediate priority has been to establish a National Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the primary school sector. This will take a multi-dimensional...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 Mar 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 frontline services in education. However, the fiscal position is extremely difficult. This country is effectively in receivership. It is...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (29 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Forty two Primary Schools and ten Post Primary Schools in County Kilkenny were allocated funding under my Department's Water Conservation Scheme. The Management Authorities of the schools in question were informed of the terms and conditions of the scheme in an approval letter issued in October 2010. To date 25 schools have drawn down funding under the scheme and the balance of funding...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, 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. In considering...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resource teachers, Special Needs Assistants and making recommendations on the provision of assistive technology to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that a project to provide improved accommodation for the school to which he refers has been announced as one of the projects to commence the process of appointing a design team under my Department's 2011 Multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. Officials in my Department are in ongoing contact with the school authority with regard to...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 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 to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. I have arranged for the details supplied to be...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works, is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie. For the Deputy's convenience, details of the major capital applications from schools in the area specifically referred to by him are in the attached spreadsheet. Roll Number School Name Major Capital...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (29 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application under the 2011 Summer Works Scheme. Applications for funding under the scheme are currently being processed in my Department, as outlined in the Circular governing the operation of the Scheme, and the school authority will be notified of the decision on the application shortly. An application under the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (29 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department's Teacher Allocation Section is currently focussed on the initial work for the allocation of staffing for the coming school year and I do not propose to divert them from this work at this key time in the allocation process. 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...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can inform the Deputy that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides a range of psychological supports to pupils and teachers in first and second levels schools nationally. In common with many other psychological services and best international practice, NEPS encourages a staged assessment process, whereby each school takes responsibility for initial...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (29 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 — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (29 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has recently announced plans to open at least 13 new post-primary schools over the next five years to cater for increased demographics in a number of locations including the North County Dublin/South County Louth area. Decisions on the patronage of any new school will be taken in line with the Programme for Government which gives a commitment to move towards a more pluralist...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (29 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 by the previous Fianna Fáil/Green Party government to control and reduce teacher numbers. These changes are effective from September 2011. This change will result in a reduction of the order of 50 posts in...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (29 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is aware of the situation at the school referred to by the Deputy. The Forward Planning Section of my Department is finalising its analysis of all areas in the country in order to determine the level of additional school provision which will be required at both primary and post-primary level up to 2017. Overall post-primary requirements in the area referred to by the Deputy...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (29 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The correspondence provided by the Deputy raises a number of issues regarding a teacher's terms and conditions in the context of the Department's policy in this area. I will arrange for my officials to contact the correspondent directly to address the issues raised.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (29 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy received approval from my Department for a devolved grant to provide an additional classroom and an additional resource room in April 2010. One of the conditions of the grant was that the school would manage the project in order to ensure that it would be delivered successfully without the need for additional funding from the...

Written Answers — Primary Schools: Primary Schools (29 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A 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. All primary schools with a total enrolment of less than 50 pupils come within the terms of reference of this review. Educational quality for the pupils must be one of the main criteria in any consideration...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (29 Mar 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application for works under the 2011 Summer Works Scheme. Applications for funding under the scheme are currently being processed in my Department, as outlined in the Circular governing the operation of the Scheme, and the school authority will be notified of the decision on the application shortly.