Results 7,941-7,960 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The results of the Maths Teaching Survey conducted by the Teaching Council have been received by my Department. The results provide a good overview of the current situation in schools. All post primary schools were requested to participate in the survey and there were 422 valid responses. The results of the survey shows that 66.4% of maths teachers are fully qualified to do so, 31.1% have...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 173 together. At this point I do not propose to give any specific commitment on the allocation of teachers to schools for the 2012/13 school year. The staffing schedule is the mechanism used for allocating mainstream teaching posts to all schools. It currently operates on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 28 pupils. The...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The school in question submitted an application in February 2011 for Emergency Funding for replacement of windows. As the scope of works for this project is outside the terms of the Emergency Works Scheme it cannot be considered for emergency funding. A refusal letter in respect of this application issued to the school authorities on 4 May 2011. As outlined in my reply to the Deputy's...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an early stage of architectural planning. The Stage 2a submission (Developed Sketch Design) was recently received in my Department and is currently being reviewed. On completion of that review, officials from my Department will be in contact with the school authority regarding the further progression of the project.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The estimated savings to the State from the loss of 2,000 Primary School Teaching Posts would be approximately €120 million in a full year. I do not propose to give any specific commitment on the overall number of teaching posts in the education sector. These are issues that I am considering with my colleagues in Cabinet in the context of the forthcoming budget and meeting our obligations...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The estimated full financial year cost of providing funding to postgraduate students under the student grant scheme in the form of maintenance and fee grants is some €76m.

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A redundancy application from the person referred to by the Deputy was received by my Department on 8 September 2011. Applications are processed in date order of receipt and every effort is being made to process these applications as quickly as possible. Applications received in June / July 2011 are currently being processed. Extra resources have been assigned to the Redundancy Unit to...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The number of staff in the Department at the end of 2008, 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011 is outlined in the following table. YEAR STAFF NUMBER (WTE*) End 2008 1331 End 2009 1270 End 2010 1271 To date 2011 1260 There was a small increase in 2010, primarily due to the transfer of certain functions and an associated 31 posts to this Department from then named Department of Enterprise,...

Written Answers — Departmental Reviews: Departmental Reviews (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A value for money review on small primary schools is currently underway in my Department. This review 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. Work on the review is well advanced and I expect that the report of the review...

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Government published details of the capital funding available to the Department of Education and Skills for the period 2012-2016. The level of funding available for investment in higher education infrastructure provides for funding of projects where legally binding contractual commitments exists. In this regard 2 projects at Cork Institute of Technology - the repatriation of apprentices...

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I have asked the Higher Education Authority for its formal advice on the draft criteria for Technological University designation and the on a suitable process for application and assessment against those criteria. Following consideration of this advice it is my intention to publish the designation criteria and the process arrangements so that Institutes of Technology which are considering...

Written Answers — Infrastructure Investment: Infrastructure Investment (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the Third Level capital projects that will not proceed is as follows: 1st Bundle 3rd Level Projects Limerick Institute of Technology - Library Information Resource Centre University of Limerick - Library Phase 2 Cork Institute of Technology - Library Extension Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology - Digital Media Teaching...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is in contact with the Diocesan Office concerning the future use of the school building and temporary accommodation units, referred to by the Deputy, having regard to school accommodation requirements in the area. We expect to be in a position to finalise our consideration of the matter shortly.

Written Answers — Fee-Paying Schools: Fee-Paying Schools (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A distinction is made between those private fee paying schools which are financially aided by the Department (in the form of payment of teacher's salaries) and those that receive no financial assistance from the Department. The numbers of pupils attending fee paying Department-aided second level schools, for 2009/10 and 2010/11 are as follows: 2009/10 = 26,277 2010/11 = 26,219 It should be...

Written Answers — Fee-Paying Schools: Fee-Paying Schools (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Since the salaries of teachers are paid in both fee-charging schools and schools in the Free Education scheme, the cost is marginal in relation to an individual student transferring from a fee-charging to a State funded school. It represents the difference between the average cost of a teaching post allocated at a ratio of 19: 1 as against the average cost at a ratio of 20:1, which is...

Written Answers — Departmental Legal Costs: Departmental Legal Costs (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: It is not possible to provide the information requested in the time available. A reply will issue to the Deputy as soon as the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested is not readily available within my Department and it would require a very substantial amount of administrative time to identify and extract the full range of details sought. My Department does, however, have some relevant information to hand as compiled recently for other purposes. The information in question relates to the following expenditure by my Department and...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (30 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The 30th June 2011 was set as the deadline for the completion of all programmes supported by the Labour Market Activation Fund 2010. Projects have been informed that no further funding is available to extend their programmes beyond that date. Funding from the LMAF was made available to established education programme providers and not to individual participants. While the student is question...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (30 Nov 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 students in question to contact County Mayo VEC to ascertain the position regarding their grant applications.

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (30 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: To be eligible to apply for JobBridge the applicant must be on the live register and have been in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance/Benefit or have been signing on for credits for at least 3 months. Incremental credit or pension credits will not be awarded to unemployed teachers who take up such internships as participation in the programme does not constitute employment and, as such,...