Results 6,421-6,440 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Seanad: Schools Amalgamation (9 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank him for raising the matter, as it affords me the opportunity to outline to the Seanad the current position regarding the value for money review of small primary schools, which is part of the normal review processes undertaken by all Departments on an annual basis on selected areas of expenditure and which is being conducted in line with the standard procedures for such reviews. These...

Seanad: Schools Amalgamation (9 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: For my part - and this is without prejudice to the report and whatever recommendations it may make - I feel different schools will have a different ethos. For example, it was brought to my attention when I attended the primary schools conference in Sligo that for the Reformed Church community in that part of the country small rural schools a far distance apart are very important to the...

Seanad: Schools Amalgamation (9 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The timeframe is approximately 12 months. The process was initiated last October and there was a large number of responses from various groups which I outlined on the record so I will not repeat that. They will be evaluated by the group conducting the value for money review. The mechanism for value for money reports is the same regardless of the area of expenditure. The review was not...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I announced my intention to establish a Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector on 28th March, 2011. On 19th April, I officially launch the Forum and noted that the Advisory Group to oversee the work of the Forum would be chaired by Professor John Coolahan who would be assisted by Dr Caroline Hussey and Ms Fionnuala Kilfeather. At the launch, the Advisory Group sought written...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that there has been an increase in the number of Whole time Equivalent (WTE) posts that are being provided for mainstream educational resource teaching/learning support in 2011 over 2010. The total number of WTE posts being provided for mainstream educational resource teaching/learning support (including under the General Allocation Model) for 2011 is...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The assessment of means under my Department's student grant schemes is based on gross income from all sources. Therefore, all income is assessed from the same starting point, eliminating any distortion which might arise from different spending decisions. The income thresholds are also stated on a gross income basis – the average industrial wage by reference to which the thresholds are...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has an Internal Audit Section with a staffing cohort of a Principal Officer, an Assistant Principal Officer, 2 Higher Executive Offices and three administrative staff to monitor the finance and accounting practices adopted by line sections involved in the allocation or expenditure of exchequer funds to ensure that they adhere to Department of Finance regulations and appropriate...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy is referring to a proposal for funding from my Department for an academy for children with autism. My officials have formally responded to the proposal in question earlier this week.

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

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for the provision of a range of educational services at local and national level for students with special educational needs. In particular, its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) co-ordinates special needs education provision at local level and arranges for the delivery of...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The currently used criteria for suitability assessment of contractors are taken from the Department of Finance Capital Management Works Framework. Under this framework,the suitability of service providers is determined on the basis of objective criteria, transparency, open competition, equal treatment, and proportionality, without discrimination and in the case of commissions governed by the...

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

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department are liaising with the school authorities and other stakeholders with a view to getting the project back on site as soon as possible. It is not possible at this stage to give an indicative timeline for the progression of the project.

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

Ruairi Quinn: Section 1(3) of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 provides that an applicant who was resident in a scheduled institution and who was transferred to a laundry where they suffered abuse while so resident, will be deemed, at the time of the abuse, to have been resident in the scheduled institution. This provision was included on the basis that the State was still responsible for the...

Written Answers — Student Support Schemes: Student Support Schemes (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I have no immediate plans for the introduction of a student loan scheme. As the Deputy will be aware where full-time undergraduate students meet the eligibility criteria of my Department's free fees schemes, the exchequer meets their tuition fee costs. Financial support is also available to students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in the form of student grants. In addition,...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The charging of fees by a school is permissible only in the case of recognised fee-charging second level schools. All other recognised schools are precluded from charging school fees. Voluntary contributions by parents of pupils in such recognised schools are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay and that, in making a...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (15 Jun 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The gross expenditure provision for 2011 for my Department of €8.91 billion contained in the 2011 Revised Estimates Volume does not readily compare with recorded expenditure of €8.705 billion in 2007. This is mainly due to: (a) the transfer in 2010 of certain functions in relation to Skills Development from the former Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to my Department...

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.