Results 7,301-7,320 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The primary redeployment procedures are published on my Department's website. Under these procedures, my Department provides supplementary panel rights for eligible fixed-term teachers who are currently employed in a primary school with between three and five years temporary service. The teacher referred to by the Deputy, does not meet these requirements and has been advised accordingly.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has received an application for part-time language support in respect of the school referred to by the Deputy for the 2011-2012 school year. Such applications relate to schools that have less than 14 eligible pupils for language support. Decisions on these applications were deferred until the Autumn, having regard to the overall level of demand for full-time language support...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 217 and 219 together. My Department administers the payment of retirement lump sums in respect of Primary, Secondary, Community and Comprehensive school teachers and special needs assistance in such schools together with certain school clerical and caretaking staff. It also administers the retirement gratuities of civil servants who retire from my Department....

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department administers the payment of pension benefits to beneficiaries of the Primary, Secondary, Community and Comprehensive Teachers Superannuation schemes and certain other education personnel in primary and voluntary secondary schools, e.g. special needs assistants. Table A hereunder outlines the information sought by the Deputy in relation to these pension schemes. The Office of the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware 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 — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The NCCA has been asked to review the junior certificate and advise on the scope for reform designed to strengthen literacy and numeracy, embed key skills, promote active learning and enhanced creativity and innovation, and ensure appropriate ways of generating evidence of learning. Concerns have also been raised about curriculum overload, and rote learning. The Council is currently...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department's specifications require that all chairs supplied to primary and post-primary schools conform to the Irish (and European) Standard which is I.S. EN 1729 Furniture, Tables and Chairs for Educational Institutions. This is a recent standard dating from 2006.

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 227, 232, 241 and 243 together. I am at present finalising my consideration of where the headquarters will be located and I expect to be in a position to communicate my decision for all of the mergers in the near future.

Written Answers — Third Level Courses: Third Level Courses (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I have asked the Higher Education Authority to provide me with a breakdown on student numbers in the format requested by the Deputy. This data is currently being collated by the HEA. I will forward the information to the Deputy as soon as it is to hand.

Written Answers — Scientific and Technological Fund: Scientific and Technological Fund (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A request for tenders for broadband connectivity for schools is due to issue within the next month. As the request for tenders has not yet issued I am not in a position to go into detail on the specifics of the document. No school will be provided with an inferior service to what is currently in place, and where possible improved services for schools will be awarded within budgetary constraints.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested is not readily available and it will involve a significant amount of administrative time to identify and examine all relevant files in order to compile the information concerned. Officials will endeavour to identify appropriate relevant information in so far as possible and this will be forwarded to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A total of 4 staff, (2 permanent and 2 non-established), were assigned to my Constituency Office at a cost of €50,513 during the 100 days following my appointment as Minister for Education and Skills on 9th March, 2011.

Written Answers — Home Tuition: Home Tuition (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that the Home Tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting a suitable educational placement. Parents engage tutors directly and the grant is paid to the parent on...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 235 and 254 together. I regret that the economic circumstances of the country are such that I am not in a position to reverse or vary any of the changes to the student grant scheme announced in Budget 2011 by the previous Fianna Fáil - Green Party Government. These changes include the removal of the automatic entitlement of mature students to the non-adjacent...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Public works contracts are awarded under standard national or EU public procurement procedures. Under these procedures the criteria for the evaluation and award of contracts specifically prohibits taking account of the domicile of parties bidding for works. To do so could potentially lead to claims of discrimination. In the circumstances, data concerning the domicile of parties involved in...

Written Answers — Public Procurement: Public Procurement (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: For school building projects, procedures are in place to mitigate against the possibility of appointing a main contractor who is not tax compliant . Following the tender process and before a contract is put in place, the recommended bidder must satisfy the standard requirements which are taken from the Department of Finance Capital Management Works Framework. These requirements include...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Board: Residential Institutions Redress Board (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Residential Institutions Redress Board is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002. The processing of applications is a matter for the Board which, in accordance with the provisions of the Act, has regard to the age and health of an applicant when considering applications. In this regard, the Board gives priority to those...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware 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 — School Placement: School Placement (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy, that the Department has no legal powers to challenge a determination from a section 29 committee unless the school in question is not acting in accordance with the determination of the appeals committee. The Deputy will be aware that I have recently launched a discussion paper on school enrolment. The document, "Discussion Paper on a Regulatory Framework for...

Written Answers — Third Level Charges: Third Level Charges (4 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 245 and 246 together. A new student contribution of €2,000 was introduced in higher education institutions with effect from the 2011/12 academic year. The student contribution replaces the Student Services Charge and applies to all students who benefit under the free fees scheme. In recognition of the financial pressures that the student contribution may...