Results 1,801-1,820 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

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

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that last September, I published a draft General Scheme for an Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, 2013 as well as draft regulations for discussion ahead of enacting legislation. These are available on my Department's website. The aim of these proposals is to ensure that the way schools decide on applications for enrolment is structured, fair and transparent. ...

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

Ruairi Quinn: It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that their application for a student grant is submitted before the deadline. The closing date for online applications was 1st August 2013 and this was further extended to 19 November 2013. Late applications may be accepted at the discretion of the awarding authority but not later than one month before the end of the academic year to which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Issues (25 Feb 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, including an appeals process. Applications for such accommodations are submitted by schools on behalf of their students. Full details of the scheme...

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

Ruairi Quinn: A new sixteen classroom school for the school referred to by the Deputy was completed and occupied in early 2007. There is currently no other major building project in train or pending for the school referred to by the Deputy.

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

Ruairi Quinn: Following a meeting between my Department and the school, referred to by the Deputy, in respect of its application for additional accommodation, a devolved grant was approved in May last for the provision of 3 permanent general classrooms for the school in question. Further funding was granted in July 2013 to provide disability access for the school. In December last, the school sought an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions Expenditure (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware the Higher Education Authority (HEA) is undertaking a study on the future financing of the higher education sector. This study was initiated at my request and an initial report has been published which makes it clear that immediate work is required to prepare for a longer term approach to a system that can be maintained through a sustainable funding base which will be...

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

Ruairi Quinn: Ardscoil na Mara, Tramore was procured as part of my Department's Public Private Partnership (PPP) programme. The school was designed, built, financed and shall be maintained by BAM Schools Bundle Three Limited for a period of 25 years. At the outset of the project the Department established an output specification for the project including its requirements for ongoing building management...

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

Ruairi Quinn: Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school management annually and are available on the Department website. In accordance with these rules each school management authority is required to organise its subject...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks Rental Scheme (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Department will continue to provide a book grant as usual to all primary schools. This grant, can be utilised for the purposes of updating or expanding a school's existing book rental scheme. I want to commend all schools that have used it to help build up book rental schemes over the years and I am aware of the difficulties faced by schools in relation to these schemes. Their efforts...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes Issues (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: In order to meet the eligibility criteria for a grant a student must be attending an approved course as defined under Article 4 (c) of the Student Support Regulations 2013 and Section 7 (1) (e) of the Student Support Act 2011. Regulation 4 (c) of the Student Support Regulations 2013 defines an approved undergraduate course as one which must be full-time, at least two years in duration, lead...

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

Ruairi Quinn: My Department does not set out minimum or maximum school capacities. At post-primary level, the Pupil Teacher Ratio is 19:1. However, post-primary schools generally have an extensive range of specialist rooms which, with time tabling, can positively impact capacity. As part of my Department's Five Year School Building programme over 20 new post-primary schools are being established across...

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

Ruairi Quinn: 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 (2013/2014) are being finalised at present. Publication of all data at first level and a final list of schools and their enrolments will be on my Department's website by the end of the school year.

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

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department are in the process of arranging a meeting with the school authority in question. It is expected that this meeting will take place shortly.

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

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that a building project for one of the schools is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. However, this is now subject to a third party appeal to An Bord Pleanala and the Department awaits the outcome. My Department continues to work closely with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council in relation to identifying and acquiring suitable sites for...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. 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 previous 30th September. The staffing arrangements for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Teaching resources are allocated to schools on a school year basis. Unlike most other areas of the public service teaching vacancies are being filled in accordance with published Department criteria. The Government has prioritised, as best as possible, the filling of front-line posts in the Education sector within the constraints of the Employment Control Framework. For example, schools...

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

Ruairi Quinn: Accommodation arrangements for the school in question are currently being finalised and the Department expects to be in a position to provide the Patron with details shortly. Pending finalisation of this matter, I can confirm to the Deputy that the intended location is not as suggested in the details supplied.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Languages Programme (25 Feb 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: There are a range of languages available for the Leaving Certificate in our schools. In addition to English and Irish there is French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Arabic and Latin. In addition there are also a suite of non-curricular languages such as Polish, Latvian and Lithuanian. There is a Chinese module available as an option for the transition year programme. The...

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

Ruairi Quinn: At Senior Cycle, the NCCA is currently working on the revision of a significant number of Leaving Certificate subjects. The development of ICT skills across all subjects and aspects of teaching and learning is critical. Such skills are not just confined to particular Leaving Certificate subjects such as in the study of Design Communication and Graphics where it is a core component of...