Results 7,521-7,540 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (25 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A new student contribution of €2,000 was introduced in higher education institutions by the previous Government 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 place on families, my...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (25 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The economic circumstances of the country are such that I regret that I am not in a position to reverse or vary any of the changes to the student grant scheme introduced by the Deputy's Government under Budget 2011. However, students in exceptional financial circumstances can apply for assistance under the Student Assistance Fund. Information on the Fund is available through the access...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Major Building Project referred to by the Deputy is currently at an early stage of Architectural Planning. The Design Team are currently working on finalising the Stage 2a submission (Developed Sketch Design) which is expected to be submitted to my Department shortly. When this submission is received, it will be reviewed by my Department and my officials will then be in contact with...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that a major building project is being advanced for the school in question. The accommodation brief for the project is currently being finalised and the next step, following completion of this process, involves the appointment of a Design Team. There are certain constraints relating to the site in terms of a protected structure and associated conservation issues....

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (25 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy may be aware of the decision of the previous Government to implement a recruitment and promotion moratorium in the public sector, which is binding upon all Government departments, non-commercial state bodies and agencies. In respect of Vocational Education Committees, including Co Wexford VEC, positions other than teacher and SNA posts in schools, and teacher equivalents that...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (25 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I regret that the grant awarding authorities do not collate information on the number of independent mature students in receipt of the various rates of student grant. The rates of grant effective from January 2011 are: .......................................Non-Adjacent Rate.........Adjacent Rate Full Maintenance........................€3,120................. .....€1,250 Part Maintenance...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (25 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Eligibility for the Back to Education Allowance and associated payments is determined and administered by the Department of Social Protection. The BTEA scheme was established to assist people who have been out of the workforce for some time and whose opportunities of obtaining employment would be enhanced by participation in the scheme. In this regard, I understand that there is a...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (25 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The total expenditure in 2010 incurred by my Department on ICT, including staff costs was € 8,246,061. This figure represents expenditure by my Department only. The information sought in relation to all agencies under the aegis of the Department is not readily available and would involve an inordinate amount of administrative time to compile. However, if the Deputy has any particular...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (25 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Catchment boundaries have their origins in the establishment of free post-primary education in the late 1960's and were determined following consultation with local educational interests. For planning purposes the country was divided into geographic districts each with several primary schools feeding into a post-primary centre with one or more post-primary schools. The intention was and...

EU Funding (26 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank Deputy Doherty for affording me the opportunity to speak on this important issue. I am not certain whether I have full answers to all of his questions, but I will follow up with subsequent information if necessary. Ireland has an enviable record in the EU in sourcing European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, EGF, co-financing assistance to support redundant workers. To date, €38.2...

EU Funding (26 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I share with the Deputy my concern about the maladministration of this set of programmes by the previous Administration. I will be honest with the Deputy. It is not a satisfactory situation. I am not sure what precisely we can do at this point in time but we have certainly missed one tide in regard to it and I hope we have not missed the whole tide. I apologise to the workers involved....

Minority Faith Schools (26 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I assume the Deputy is referring to the withdrawal of certain funding from minority faith schools with effect from 1 January 2009, which realised an annual saving of €2.8 million to the Exchequer. The grant was withdrawn due to real concerns about the constitutionality of making it available to fee-charging schools of one ethos and not to those of another. As these schools no longer...

Minority Faith Schools (26 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy would be aware, this country has lost its economic sovereignty. We are under a programme of restructuring. We are required to extract from the public expenditure side of our equation a sum of the order of €3.63 billion plus for the coming fiscal year, 2012.

Minority Faith Schools (26 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: That is the Deputy's educated estimate. I will stick to the brief I have. That money will be a mixture of expenditure reduction and changes in taxation, and decisions on those matters have not yet been finalised. They are under active discussion. The Department of Education and Skills is one of the big spending Departments along with the Department of Health and the Department of Social...

Summer Works Scheme (26 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. St. Mary's boys national school, Belturbet, County Cavan, applied to the Department of Education and Skills under the 2011 summer works scheme to construct a new flat roof extension to contain four additional toilets and a new disabled toilet of solid block construction with asphalt concrete roof. The school has a staffing level of three teachers...

Summer Works Scheme (26 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I share the Deputy's concern in this matter. I will take a personal interest in the appeal process.

Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: It is dangerous to lose possession.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (26 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The processing of student grants is carried out by local grant awarding authorities – VECs and local authorities. In the circumstances, it will be necessary for the student in question to contact her grant awarding authority to ascertain the position with her application.

Written Answers — Third Level Charges: Third Level Charges (26 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 to 38, inclusive, together. Universities are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997 and my Department does not have any function in relation to their academic affairs, including decisions concerning course provision, postgraduate fees, consultation processes with students or the issuing of diploma supplements. I understand...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (26 Oct 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The processing of student grants is carried out by local grant awarding authorities – VECs and local authorities. In the circumstances, it will be necessary for the student in question to contact his grant awarding authority to ascertain the position with his application.