Results 8,421-8,440 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The application for a supplementary pension by the person to whom the Deputy refers is being processed by officials in the Pension Unit of my Department.

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 191 and 235 together. Circular 70/2011, which clarified the position on qualification allowances for teachers, schools and the public, was published on my Department's website on Friday, 16 December 2011. This Circular outlines the position in relation to existing teachers and those entering the profession on or after 5 December 2011. Individual teachers who...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The current cost of prefab rental at the school referred to by the Deputy is €48,448.40 per annum. With regard to the question of the projected cost of prefab rental between now and 2017, a review of the continued need for the temporary accommodation at all schools that are renting is conducted every two - three years. The next review for the school referred to by the Deputy is due from...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Forward Planning Section of my Department has examined all areas of the country to determine where additional school provision will be required at both primary and post-primary level up to 2017. The data indicates that there will be a modest increase in enrolments at both primary and post-primary level in the Ballina area. However, it is anticipated that this increase may be catered for...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I want to clarify for the Deputy that I have no intention to forcibly close any schools, in County Cork or elsewhere in Ireland , arising from the announcement I made on 5th December 2011. I would advise the Deputy to read the detail of that announcement, available on www.education.ie, so he can familiarise himself with what I actually announced in the Budget. The criteria under which...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 197 and 233 together. The new simplified approach to the General Allocation Model of support for schools will make it easier to automatically update it annually in line with the changes in the number of classroom teachers in each school. Schools will also have autonomy on how to deploy the resource between language support and learning support depending on...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has asked the school, referred to by the Deputy, for further information relating to its application for permanent accommodation. When this information is received the application will be assessed and a decision on the matter will be conveyed to the school authority.

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has developed revised draft syllabuses in Leaving Certificate Physics, Chemistry and Biology. The Council has just completed a public consultation process on these drafts, and is currently finalising its advice to me, based on the feedback. I expect the revised syllabuses to be submitted to me with the Council's advice during this year. A...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the project to which he refers has commenced on site.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed that the student referred to by the Deputy made an application to City of Dublin VEC. The awarding authority have confirmed that a decision letter issued to the student on 19th January 2012.

Written Answers — Education Staff: Education Staff (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is very conscious of the potential impact on service provision of the expected increase in retirements on or before 29 February 2012. The effective management of staffing resources within Employment Control Frameworks and/or the moratorium on public sector numbers is ongoing within each organisation in the education sector, through prioritisation of work and working practices....

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 203, 206, 227 to 229, inclusive, 237 and 238 together. At a time of great strain in our public finances, we have to ensure that the very valuable but limited resources available for the education system are used in the best way possible. The staffing schedule at primary level disproportionately benefits small primary schools. It is worth noting that we have...

Written Answers — Public Service Contracts: Public Service Contracts (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Works to which the Deputy refers were competitively tendered as is required under EU regulations. The Contractor appointed was deemed to have submitted the most economically advantageous tender when assessed against the criteria set out in the invitation to tender.

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: A redundancy application from the person referred to by the Deputy was received by my Department on 15th 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 July 2011 are currently being processed. Extra resources have been assigned to the Redundancy Unit to ensure...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware, the Government's Medium Term Infrastructure and Capital Investment Framework, which was published on 10th November last, sets out the demographic challenge facing the education system. Total enrolment in both primary and post-primary schools is expected to grow by almost 70,000 between now and 2018 - over 45,000 at primary level and 25,000 at post primary - and will...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 208 and 209 together. The school to which the Deputy refers applied to my Department for major capital works. This application was assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria and was assigned a band rating of 1.2. A major project for the school was included in the Ministerial Announcement on 24th January 2011 to progress into...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Jan 2012)

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 to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. All schools have now received their resource...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the deputy that over 1,600 primary schools throughout the country will be identified as base schools for about 2,450 full-time resource teaching posts. The aim is to have a good geographic spread of full-time resource posts in base schools so that the teachers in these full-time permanent posts are in place to undertake the National Council for Special Education (NCSE)...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 212 and 224 together. The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains extensive data at individual school level in county order. The most recent information available relates to the 2010/2011 school year. Statistical information in respect of the current school year is currently being compiled in my Department and is due for publication in September...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (24 Jan 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: For student grants purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. An independent mature student is defined as a mature student who was not ordinarily resident with his or her parents or legal guardian from the October preceding entry or re-entry to further or higher education....