Results 6,021-6,040 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

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

Ruairi Quinn: The project referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning. Although planning permission has already been secured, there are still outstanding elements of the architectural planning process which must be completed before the project could be considered for progression to tender and construction. The Deputy will note that this project was not included...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I understand that the changes to the student grant schemes introduced under Budget 2011 by the previous Fianna Fail - Green Party government were designed to manage additional cost pressures arising from a significant increase in the number of students qualifying for grants, a proportionate increase in the number of students qualifying for higher rates of grants and payment of the Student...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (12 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A review of the General Allocation Model (GAM) for the allocation of learning support/resource teaching support to meet the needs of children with high incidence special educational needs in primary schools has been undertaken by my Department. This review has been completed. The recommendations of the review will be considered in the context of the Departments Employment Control Framework...

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

Ruairi Quinn: A major capital application has been made to the Department for the provision of a new school building for the proposed school. In accordance with the published criteria for large scale building projects, the project for this school has been assigned a Band 1.4 rating. The priority attaching to individual projects is determined by published prioritisation criteria, which were formulated...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (12 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I previously informed the Deputy that the proposal for an academy for children with autism from the organisation in question was being examined by officials in my Department. Furthermore I advised that the need for any meetings in this context would be considered as part of this examination. My officials will respond to the organisation in this regard presently.

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (12 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Department of Education and Skills does not endorse individual products or suppliers nor does it maintain lists of approved contractors, sub-contractors or suppliers. As long as a product is in line with the Departments general guidelines (Technical Guidance Documents available at www.education.ie) it is open to the design team on any particular project to consider that product along with...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (12 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Education Act of 1998 contains particular provisions in relation to admission of pupils and provided certain appellate mechanisms. In the period since its enactment there have been a number of judicial decisions and other judgements such as the case referred to by the Deputy. I believe that it is time to take a fresh look at how primary legislation and regulation in this area could be...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that a major building project is being advanced for the school in question. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects and assigned a band 1 rating. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works, including...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Board: Residential Institutions Redress Board (17 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Following publication of the Ryan Report in May 2009, the then Government and Dáil Éireann called on the Congregations to commit to making further substantial contributions by way of reparation. In response the Congregations offered additional contributions, including cash and various property transfer proposals. In April 2010, the then Government announced its intention to utilise the...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (17 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has recently applied to my Department seeking funding to provide additional accommodation. This application is currently being assessed. Officials in my Department will convey a decision on the application to the school authority when the assessment process has been completed.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (17 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that 12 primary and post primary schools were successful under this years Summer Works 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 made available under the summer works scheme and will see major...

Written Answers — Traveller Education: Traveller Education (17 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the decision to withdraw Resource Teacher for Travellers was taken by the previous Government as part of the last Budget. The requirement to make expenditure savings and to ensure that staffing numbers remain within the Public Service Employment Control Framework prevent me from re-visiting this decision. Resource Teacher for Traveller posts/Teaching Hours...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (17 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Under my Department's student grant schemes, students who are entering approved courses for the first time are eligible for grants where they satisfy the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to age, residence, means, nationality and previous academic attainment. Details of the 2011/12 student grant scheme are due to become available following publication, currently...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (17 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The €30 million allocation for the school building programme referred to by the Deputy was for small to medium scale works. Construction is already underway, since February 2011, on a large scale extension/refurbishment project at the schools referred to by the Deputy. Therefore there will be no requirement for additional funding for these schools from the €30 million allocation.

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (17 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 160 together. The value for money review on small schools, currently being carried out by my Department, is part of the normal review processes undertaken by all Departments on an annual basis on selected areas of expenditure and is being conducted in line with the standard procedure for value for money reviews. These procedures require that the views...

Written Answers — Literacy Levels: Literacy Levels (17 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The aim of the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) is to assess the literacy competency levels of adults between the ages of 16-64. It is not designed to collect detailed data on participants' educational history. However, PIAAC will provide some information on the levels of education achieved and on the profile of the participant, including country of...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (17 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Education Act provides for the right of parents to send their children to a school of the parents' choice, having regard to the rights of patrons and the efficient use of resources. The Act also places specific obligations on the system to contribute to the realisation of national policy and objectives in relation to Irish, to the maintenance of Irish as the primary community language in...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (17 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: In general, individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care, including traffic management measures. The issue of road safety measures outside the vested site areas of schools, such as road signage, traffic calming measures etc., is a matter, however, for the relevant Local Authority. Local...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (17 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Summer Works Scheme was introduced in 2004. The purpose of the Scheme is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works which, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. Under the terms of the Scheme, school authorities are empowered to manage these works with...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (17 May 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 168 and 169 together. An additional €40m worth of school projects will commence this summer under the Jobs Initiative, of which €30m will be spent this year. Some €20m of this has been reallocated by me from within my own Department's 2011 capital allocation for higher education and an additional €10m has been made available to the Department from the...