Results 1,421-1,440 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Expenditure (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Data relating to expenditure by my Department are not maintained on a county by county basis and it would require significant resources of staff and time to collate the information in the format sought by the Deputy. However, I would be happy to provide information on specific projects in which the Deputy has a particular interest.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff Data (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 326 to 331, inclusive, together. Data on staffing numbers in higher education institutions is collated by the Higher Education Authority at the end of every quarter. The most recent data available is therefore in respect of the last quarter in 2013. Staff numbers are reported in two categories: academic and non-academic. At the end of Q4 2013, UCD...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Multidenominational Schools (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department understands that the Patron of the school in question is in ongoing discussions with the relevant stakeholders in the Ballyfermot area as part of its assessment of future school accommodation needs in the area. While my Department is aware of the Patron's discussions locally, it has not received a proposal from the Patron in this regard.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: In June 2011 I announced that some 20 new post primary schools are to be established up to 2017 to cater for increasing demographics across a number of locations. That announcement did not include a proposal to establish a new school for the Raheen/Dooradoyle area of Limerick. My Department is currently analysing the demographics for all areas, including those for Limerick city, to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Remuneration (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: There are currently thirteen staff earning salaries of over €100,000 in my Department. The following table sets out the roles of those staff as requested. Role Description Rates of Pay over €100,000.00 SECRETARY GENERAL EDUCATION 176,350.00 DEPUTY SECRETARY 156,380.00 CHIEF INSPECTOR EDUCATION 149,175.00 ASST SECRETARY 136,496.00 ASST SECRETARY 136,496.00 ASST...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. In this regard a Board of Management may find it necessary to restrict enrolment to children from a particular area or a particular age group or on the basis of some other criterion. The criteria to be applied by schools in such circumstances are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Meetings (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested by the Deputy is being collated at present within my Department and will be made available to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The school to which the Deputy refers made an application to my Department in November 2013 for the provision of ancillary accommodation. Given the current financial constraints within which my Department is operating, the position is that priority is being given to school applications for essential mainstream classroom and special education accommodation. In that context, the appliciation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I met with the RAG CEO and Co-Founder Daithí De Buitléir on 4th July last. At this meeting I received a briefing on RAG's approach to student engagement. This is a very worthwhile initiative and should be encouraged. I understand that last December Mr de Buitléir had a further meeting with Mr.Tom Boland CEO of the Higher Education Authority who was also provided with a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy may be aware that on 12 March 2013, I announced that a new Educate Together primary school for the Malahide/Portmarnock area is expected to commence operation this coming September. The commencement of this school will alleviate pressure for school places in the area. This development is part of the process of primary school divestment and follows surveys of parents on patronage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The State Examinations Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate examinations. Applications for such accommodations are submitted by schools on behalf of their students. Full details of the scheme are available for downloading...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter in the first instance for the awarding authority. Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy was originally refused a grant as the reckonable household income was in excess of the income thresholds allowed. The student appealed the decision...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As I previously advised the Deputy my Department's policy favours a child centred approach to the education of children with special educational needs. As each child with autism is unique, they should have access to a range of different approaches to meet their individual needs, with access facilitated to individualised education programmes and fully qualified professional teachers who may...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As I previously advised in the PQ response to which the Deputy refers, my Department's child centred policy is based on advice received from NEPS, the Inspectorate and the report of the Irish Task Force on Autism and takes full account of advice from a range of international experts on autism. I did not refer to any particular individual but noted that the various contributors who have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Administration (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the statement by the centre in question on the level of correspondence between their directors and my officials is not correct. The position is that my officials contacted the centre by email of 25th October 2013. My officials then met with the directors on 26th November 2013 and subsequently corresponded with them on 4th December 2013. A further letter was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As outlined in my previous reply to the Deputy, my Department's inspectorate reviewed the education being provided by one of the private pre-school providers in a number of locations which involved engagement with the primary teachers they employed. In terms of the engagement with the teachers, parts of the report on the review were based on the Inspector's observations of the staff in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, the Transition Year (TY) is a one-year programme that forms the first year of a three-year senior cycle. It is designed to act as a bridge between the Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate programmes. The TY programme is available to all second level schools. Each school designs its own Transition Year programme to suit the needs and interests of its...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Information in relation to requests to release the Minister's interest under charging leases in respect of properties which cease to be used as schools is held on individual school files. Therefore the information sought by the Deputy is not available in a format that provides readily accessible cumulative information on the overall situation. The scope of the Deputy's request requires...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy was awarded 100% non-adjacent rate of grant for the 2012/13 and 2013/14 academic years. The applicant appealed the decision to refuse the special rate of grant for the 2013/14 academic year, firstly to SUSI and subsequently to the independent Student Grants...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the vast majority of supports for childcare, including pre-school education, is provided by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The principle vehicle for the delivery of pre-school education is the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme which was introduced in January 2010 and provides for early learning in a...