Results 5,701-5,720 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Swimming Pool Projects: Swimming Pool Projects (12 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The sports complexes attached to a small number of Community and Comprehensive Schools, including Tallaght Community School, were established in the early 1970s on the basis that they would operate on a self-financing basis. In recent times, the complex at Tallaght Community School has experienced some difficulty in matching its operating costs and its income. Accordingly, the Board of...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (12 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Vacancies in the remainder of the 2010/11 school year may be filled only on a temporary basis. The process of allocating teaching resources to schools for the 2011/12 school year and the arrangements for filling vacant or new teaching positions takes place in the context of the Programme for National Recovery, the EU/IMF Programme of Support for Ireland and the Public Service Agreement...

Written Answers — Third Level Institutions: Third Level Institutions (12 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and the employment conditions of all employees are a matter for those institutions. As employers, universities and other third level institutions are legally obliged to adhere to the provisions of employment legislation in respect of all their employees, including post-doctoral researchers. In the case of employees on fixed term contracts,...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (12 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The details requested are being prepared and will be forwarded shortly by my department, directly to the person concerned.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (12 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The most recent projections produced by my Department are forecasting an increase in the projected enrolments at post-primary level in the coming years. It is within this context that the Forward Planning Section of my Department is in the process of analysing all areas in the country in order to determine the level of additional provision which will be required at both primary and post...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (12 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: In recognition of the fact that a student under 23 yeas of age can be estranged from his/her parents, it is possible under the student grant schemes, as an exceptional measure, for such a candidate to be assessed without reference to his/her parents'/guardian's income or address. However, compelling independent evidence of estrangement must be provided to the grant awarding authority to...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (12 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Department of Education and Skills (DES) is required to ensure that the overall allocation of teaching posts does not exceed the targets set out in the Governments Employment Control Framework. The DES had planned for a certain amount of increased growth in teacher numbers across the school sector in 2011, in line with increased demographic growth. In respect of resource teaching hours...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (12 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Internship Development Programme aims to provide those who are at least three months unemployed with a 12 month work placement in a host organisation. This will enable the unemployed maintain their links with the labour market while also facilitating their upskilling and reskilling, thereby improving their employability. Whilst on the work placement element of the internship, interns will...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (12 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware a Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector is a key education objective of the Programme for a National Government 2011-2016. On the 27th March, 2011 I announced the establishment of the Forum and the appointment of an Advisory Group to convene the process. The Advisory Group is to be chaired by Dr. John Coolahan, Professor Emeritus at NUI Maynooth....

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (12 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: An application for funding under the 2011 Summer Works Scheme was received from the school to which the Deputy refers. Unfortunately, due to the scale of demand for funding under the scheme, it was not possible to grant aid all applications. As outlined in the Circular governing the operation of the scheme, applications for works in the higher categories of eligible works were prioritised...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (12 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: An application for funding under the 2011 Summer Works Scheme was received from the schools referred to by the Deputy. Unfortunately, due to the scale of demand for funding under the scheme, it was not possible to grant aid all applications. As outlined in the Circular governing the operation of the scheme, applications for works in the higher categories of eligible works were prioritised...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (12 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for major capital funding. The application was assessed and assigned a band rating of 2. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction is dependent on the prioritisation of competing demands on the funding available under the...

Written Answers — School Textbooks: School Textbooks (12 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The costs of school books are determined on a commercial basis by the educational publishers who commission them. Apart from a small number of prescribed texts at second-level, mainly in the case of language subjects, decisions on which textbooks to use in first and second-level schools are taken at school level. Syllabus planners are conscious of the need to avoid over-frequent changes to...

Written Answers — Podiatry Courses: Podiatry Courses (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: No students are scheduled to graduate as podiatrists in the current year. The National University of Ireland, Galway established a four-year BSc Honours course in Podiatry in 2008. This is the only Podiatry course available in Ireland at third level. The first intake of students to the course is due to graduate in 2012. The course intake is limited to a maximum of 25 students per annum.

Written Answers — Summer Works Scheme: Summer Works Scheme (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school submitted an application for the works referred to by the Deputy under the 2011 Summer Works Scheme. Unfortunately, due to the scale of demand for funding under the scheme, it was not possible to grant aid all applications. As outlined in the Circular governing the operation of the scheme, applications for works in the higher categories of eligible works were...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The qualifying criteria for the allocation of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support is outlined in my Department's Circular 07/02. In addition, procedures for the appointment of SNAs and details of qualifications for SNAs are set out in Departmental Circulars 05/2001 and SNA 03/2003. It is important to note that SNA allocations are not permanent, as the level of SNA support allocated to a...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I have recently extended an invitation to the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA), given their concerns about the current proposals for VEC aggregation, to submit alternative proposals for my consideration. The IVEA has indicated that it will respond later this month and I will be considering their proposals in the coming period. While I am open to proposals on alternative...

Written Answers — Capital Projects: Capital Projects (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department's most recent projections indicate that enrolments at post-primary level will rise from current levels of circa 312,200 pupils to about 336,600 pupils by the year 2017 and at primary level enrolments are expected to increase from the current total enrolment of circa 505,600 pupils to an expected enrolment circa 567,300 pupils by the year 2017. It is within this context that the...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The most recent data available refers to the last complete school year 2009/10. A full list of primary schools, including those in County Laois with their enrolments can be found on my Department's website www.education.ie.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Apr 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for major capital funding for an extension. In accordance with the published criteria for large scale building projects, the project for this school has been assessed and assigned a Band 2 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major...