Results 8,141-8,160 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

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

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that due to the need to close the gap between revenue and spending, unpalatable savings measures are necessary and savings in the student grant scheme were inevitable as part of that. In this regard, I have adopted a fees only contribution at postgraduate level but this will continue to provide support for a relatively wide number of post-graduate students. While...

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (15 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) is a third-level admissions scheme for students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The scheme is operated by a number of higher education institutions and not by my Department. Admissions to the institutions under this programme are regulated by the institutions themselves. Further details are available at www.accesscollege.ie

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (15 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Scheme for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers in Second Level Schools is set out in Circular 29/2007 and was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers' Conciliation Council, a body established in accordance with the terms of the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for Teachers which is made up of representatives of the teacher representative bodies, school management...

Written Answers — Third Level Expenditure: Third Level Expenditure (15 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I would like to apologise to the Deputy for the delay in supplying this information, but as outlined in my response of the 29th November, in most cases the information sought was not readily available. The HEA has been liaising with the seven universities over the last number of weeks with a view to obtaining as much information as is possible. This information is now attached. Please note...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The student in question wished to be assessed as an independent mature student for student grant purposes. His grant awarding authority decided that the documentation submitted by him did not sufficiently support this position. This decision was upheld by its appeals officer. Following a review of the case, my Department subsequently upheld the appeals officer's decision. This outcome was...

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

Ruairi Quinn: Until now, a specific resource was provided for guidance in addition to the standard teacher allocation to post primary schools. In future, schools must meet their guidance requirements from within the overall resource provided by that normal staffing schedule. Individually schools can continue to make provision for guidance and counselling. Decisions on how this will be done will be taken at...

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

Ruairi Quinn: A major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy was included in the School Buildings Work Programme for 2011 announced last January. The project was listed for completion of the brief and the appointment of a design team. The brief was recently completed and the process of appointing a Design Team will commence shortly.

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

Ruairi Quinn: The new school referred to by the Deputy is one of eight schools which were approved for inclusion in the 3rd Bundle of schools to be procured via Public Private Partnership. This Bundle was handed over to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) in July 2010 to commence the tender procurement process. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that tenders were received on 5th July 2011 and...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy contacted my Department regarding a proposed extension. Following communications between my officials and the school, an application for major capital works was furnished to my Department in October 2011. This application is being assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large-scale building projects. The...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (15 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The school in question submitted an application in April 2011 for Emergency Funding for a sewerage system upgrade. 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 2nd June 2011.

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (15 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The position is that under my Department's Free Fees Scheme, students who have previously pursued but have not completed a course of third level study and subsequently resume third level studies are not eligible for free fees for the equivalent period of time spent on the first course of study. As the Deputy may be aware it is the third level institution concerned that determines a...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The teacher referred to by the Deputy was not eligible for access to the redeployment panel in respect of the current school year. My Department will begin the process early in 2012 of identifying schools with vacancies to which surplus permanent and CID holding teachers in primary schools will be redeployed for the 2012/13 school year. As part of this process the redeployment...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (15 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The school in question submitted an application in October 2010 for emergency funding for a perimeter fence. 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 17th November 2010. The school applied for a Summer Works...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (15 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has received an application for additional funding from the school in question. This application is being assessed and the school authorities will be notified of the outcome as quickly as possible.

Seanad: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (15 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Senator for raising this issue as it affords me the opportunity to outline the position on the staffing schedule for small schools for the 2012-13 school year. As part of the budget decisions announced recently, the number of pupils required to gain and retain a teaching post in small primary schools will gradually be increased between September 2012 and September 2014. The...

Seanad: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (15 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: When the value for money report is published, I hope this House and the Dáil will have an opportunity to debate it. I am not in the business of wanting to close schools per se, but we need to achieve better value for money from the existing school infrastructure. There are alternative ways of amalgamating, combining and clustering schools, all of which should be open for examination.

Seanad: School Staffing (15 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Government has prioritised targeted supports for schools with the most concentrated levels of educational disadvantage. These supports will continue to be targeted through the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools scheme, which is focused on 670 primary schools and 195 post-primary schools with particularly high levels of disadvantage. This scheme is designed to ensure the most...

Seanad: School Staffing (15 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I have heard what the two Senators have said. The Department will make contact with all the schools affected by these decisions early in the new year. There will be an additional three months in which to meet each school to go through in detail the reason it as a DEIS school has additional resources, when other DEIS schools in a similar category have fewer resources. The Department will...

Private Members' Business, Special Educational Needs: Motion (11 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I move amendment No. 2: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: -acknowledges that the plans set out by the Government in Budget 2012 form an important step in returning Ireland's economy to a sound footing and regaining our economic sovereignty; -recalls the pioneering measures first taken in 1996 by the then Fine Gael-Labour Party Government by the...

Private Members' Business, Special Educational Needs: Motion (11 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The education allocation for current expenditure in 2012, including from the national training fund, will be €8.604 billion. This represents approximately 17% of all current expenditure this year. Savings measures announced in the budget will provide net savings of €76 million in 2012, increasing to €241 million in 2014. Achieving savings in my Department's budget has required very...