Results 12,561-12,580 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Mock Examinations: Mock Examinations (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Mock examinations are not part of the State examinations system. The decision to organise and/or charge for mock examinations is made at school level, and my Department does not have role in the matter. Schools are provided with capitation and school services grants to meet their running costs. Post-primary schools receive school services grant of €201 per pupil plus a capitation grant of...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: All students commencing a course in June of this year will be subject to the terms and conditions of the student grants schemes in place at that time. The previous Fianna Fáil-Green party Government introduced three changes to the student grant schemes, which began to take effect of January of this year when the overall rate of grant was reduced by 4%. Therefore, all qualifying students...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: From September 2010, the previous Fianna Fáil – Green Party Government removed eligibility for all new applicants in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA), and the VTOS allowances for those pursuing PLC courses, for student maintenance grants. However, the cost of the student services charge and tuition fees payable to colleges continues to be met for eligible students by...

Written Answers — Home-School Liaison Scheme: Home-School Liaison Scheme (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Due to the geographic location of the school to which the Deputy refers, it is not possible for the school to be clustered with other schools to avail of the services of a HSCL Coordinator. Therefore, the school will receive financial support in accordance with its size and level of disadvantage, as an alternative to HSCL coordinator support under HSCL for the 2011/12 school year. The...

Written Answers — School Applications: School Applications (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has asked the school, referred to by the Deputy, for further information relating to its application. When this information is received the application will be assessed and the school will be notified of the decision taken.

Written Answers — Home-School Liaison Scheme: Home-School Liaison Scheme (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) is managed by the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) alongside the School Completion Programme (SCP) and the Education Welfare Service (EWS) as part of the Integration of Education Services Project. The aim and rationale for the Integrated Service is to provide more effective services for children who have difficulties participating in school;...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that 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. This now...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002 established the Redress Board to make financial awards to people who, as children were resident in specified institutions and who have or have had injuries that are consistent with abuse received while resident in these institutions. The Schedule to the 2002 Act specified 128 institutions and the Act allowed for the inclusion of other...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. Under section 15 (2) (d) of the Education Act 1998, each school is legally obliged to disclose its enrolment policy and to ensure that as regards that policy that principles of equality and the rights of parents to send their children to a school...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for an extension. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and was assigned a band 1 rating. Enrolments at the school have remained fairly static over the past number of years and the school has not...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The staff at Tallaght Community School Sports Complex are employed directly by the management of the complex. If the redundancy costs cannot be met from the complex's existing resources, my Department will make funding available to cover the employees' statutory entitlements.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. In February 2011 my Department authorised this project to complete Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design. The stage 2b was submitted to my Department this month and is currently under review. When that review is complete officials from my Department will be in contact with...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the enrolment of a child in a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment in schools. The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) is the statutory agency which assists parents who are experiencing difficulty...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 201, 216, 219, 227 and 228 together. I regret that the economic circumstances of the country are such that I am not in a position to reverse any of the changes to the student grant measures announced in Budget 2011 by the previous Fianna Fáil - Green Party Government. These changes included the removal of the automatic entitlement of mature students to the...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A total of 90 schools from Kerry made an application under the 2011 Summer Works Scheme. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that 24 primary and post primary schools were successful under this year's Scheme. Details of the successful applicants under the 2011 Summer Works Scheme were announced on 30th March 2011 and are published on the Department's website, www.education.ie. €41.2m will be...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I have taken no decision in relation to the introduction of a capital assets test for student grant purposes. I have made it clear, however, that I want to ensure that the objective of the student grant schemes is met. This objective is the most equitable distribution of the available resources in favour of those who have the greatest level of need and who clearly comply with the terms of...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: It is the intention of my Department to provide the school to which the Deputy refers with a new building. In this regard, agreement has been reached to provide the new building on a V.E.C. owned site. The progression of all large scale building projects, including the project in question, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of my...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The acquisition of a site for the school to which the Deputy refers has reached pre-contract stage and outline Planning Permission has been received. The Office of Public Works on behalf of the Department are engaged in pre-contract enquiries in relation to the special conditions within the contract. Due to commercial sensitivities, I am not in a position to comment on the matter any further....

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Report and Recommendations for a Traveller Education Strategy was launched in 2006, following wide ranging consultation with stakeholders including Traveller representatives. It covers all aspects of Traveller education from preschool to further and higher education. A core principle of the strategy is that allocation of resources is based on 'individual educational need' rather than...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My officials are aware of the issues which have arisen in relation to this school building project and are liaising with the Board of Management and the Design team in relation to next steps. It is not possible at this stage to give an indicative timeline for the progression of the project; however my priority is to ensure that the project will be completed as soon as possible.