Results 1,721-1,740 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Enrolments Data (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy for his question. The number of pupils enrolled in individual schools is provided in the national school annual census. Results from the census for the current school year, 2013-14, are being finalised at present. Publication of all data at first level and a final list of schools and their enrolments will be on the Department's website by the end of the school year....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Reform (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I believe that homework, when assigned in accordance with the learning needs of students, has potential to benefit their learning. It can help to consolidate work already covered during class time and help pupils to prepare for forthcoming class work. It can also promote independent learning. In addition, it plays an important role in promoting home school links. The national and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Health and Safety Issues (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The results of the 2012 Lifeskills survey, which were published by my Department recently, indicated that approximately 30% of post primary schools have vending machines or school shops which sell fizzy drinks, sweets and crisps. In response to this finding, officials in my Department are currently developing guidance for schools on promoting healthy eating, including through the appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Establishment (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Last year a patronage determination process, overseen by the New Schools Establishment Group, was run to establish who would operate a new 16-classroom school for the Knocknacarra area of Galway City. Two applicants, namely Educate Together and Lifeways Ireland, which provides the Steiner model, demonstrated strong and similar levels of parental demand for their models. The level of...

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

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, the area referred to has been identified by my Department as one of the areas where, due to demographic changes, it is projected that there will be a requirement for significant additional school provision at both primary and post-primary levels over the coming years. In that context, all the five schools to which the Deputy refers are included in my...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that, following agreement in principle by the Government to broaden the current means testing arrangements for student grants by way of inclusion of the value of capital assets, I set up a dedicated implementation group to bring forward detailed proposals. I have received a draft report from the implementation group. I have been very clear that there is currently no...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland Administration (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department recognises the benefit of having teachers from all backgrounds teaching in schools. The National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2008-13 aims to promote and increase access to higher education for under represented groups. A new National Plan is currently being prepared by the National Access Office and will include new targets for participation by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 121, 128 and 140 together. All schools are required to develop and implement a Relationships and Sexuality (RSE) programme at junior cycle and senior cycle in post-primary schools. RSE includes the acquisition of knowledge and understanding, and the development of attitudes, beliefs and values about relationships, sexual identity and intimacy. Post-primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: A total of 122 schools were due to lose a classroom teacher (73 in the 2012/13 school year and 49 in the 2013/14 school year) as a result of the small schools 2012 budget measure.The appeals process reduced these losses to 43 in the 2012/13 school year and 32 in the 2013/14 school year. The list of these schools is being given to the Deputy. The allocation process for the 2014/15 school...

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

Ruairi Quinn: My Department currently shares information on post-primary students as provided by recognised schools to my Department with the Department of Social Protection for the purpose of verifying student identity as outlined in Departmental circular 47/2010. This is a Fair Processing Notice which explains how my Department processes the personal data of post-primary students in compliance with the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 139 together. I welcome the submission by the management bodies and the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) in relation to assessment and moderation which was made in the context of ongoing discussions with the education stakeholders. On January 17 a national working group of education stakeholders met to discuss issues...

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

Ruairi Quinn: Mainstream schools have been allocated some 5,520 additional teachers, through general allocation, to provide extra teaching supports for children with high incidence special educational needs and Specific Learning Disabilities, including Dyslexia. Schools utilise these resources to ensure that children with Dyslexia receive the help they require. My Department has provided guidance to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 133 together. I am aware that some Patrons have initiated consultation processes relating to amalgamation proposals that may involve primary school closures. I wish to advise the Deputies that the decision making authority for any school amalgamation belongs to the school's patron and this is subject to the approval of the Minister for Education and...

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

Ruairi Quinn: A major capital project for the school, to which the Deputy refers, involving an extension and refurbishment of the existing school building, which is a protected structure, is currently being advanced in architectural planning. I wish to advise the Deputy that a significant element of the architectural design work has been completed and the project is being advanced through the remaining...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Years Strategy Implementation (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The objective of the Síolta quality assurance programme (QAP) is to foster the development of an organisational culture which empowers both the setting and the staff to take ownership of and drive quality improvement as a continuous feature of everyday practice. The final report showed that the quality of early years settings improved through implementing the QAP but also identified the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: At the IPPN conference on Friday 24th of January 2014 I was asked what subjects I would take time away from in order to devote more time to literacy and numeracy. In response, I expressed my personal opinion that if I were a teacher who needed to spend more time on literacy and numeracy, I would take the time from religion. I did not say that the teaching of religion should be stopped in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Protection (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: With the assistance of the Attorney General, I have sought further legal advice on the implications of the European Court of Human Rights judgement for outstanding school child abuse cases. The State Claims Agency has informed my Department that there are 45 current day school abuse claims on hands. I have asked my Department, with the Attorney General's Office and State Claims Agency, to...

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

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has been in ongoing contact with the patron of the second level school in question in relation to its accommodation arrangements. For reasons of practicality and to ensure coherent communication with interested parties, while also taking account of commercial sensitivities, the appropriate channel of communication in such instances is with the school Patrons, who, in turn,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Protection (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The adequacy of child protection mechanisms is a central issue in the ECHR judgement to which the Deputy refers. The landscape in relation to child protection is very different today than it was 40 years ago. In that regard, there are now national child protection procedures in place that schools are obliged to follow. The Children First guidelines soon to be put on a statutory footing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Years Strategy Implementation (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: While the Department of Children and Youth Affairs is responsible for early years education outside the formal education system, my Department has a key role in supporting quality within the sector and works closely with the D/CYA. Working with agencies funded by the D/CYA, the NCCA produced an Aistear-in-Action toolkit which is a resource for use in early years settings showing how the...