Results 9,161-9,180 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Languages Programme: Languages Programme (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The EU has a positive policy towards regional and minority languages, enshrined in Article 22 of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, which states. "The Union respects cultural, religious and linguistic diversity". While there have been projects to support minority languages, I am not aware of any EU funding for teaching of minority languages in primary and post-primary schools.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Vacancies created in the teaching profession by teachers who retired up to February 29th 2012 will be filled. Students and pupils will not be left without teachers to teach them as a result of retirements. Furthermore, the turnover in teaching staff will provide many newly qualified teachers with opportunities to gain employment. The filling of vacancies in individual schools will be...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The amount spent on renting temporary accommodation at primary and post-primary level, including – but not limited to - prefabricated accommodation from 2008 to 2011 is outlined on a county by county basis in the table. In 2007 €35.5m was spent on rented accommodation and a breakdown by county is not readily available for that year. Rental Costs 2008 to 2011 County Year 2008 2009...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The expenditure information on refurbishment and extension works 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. The level of resources required to compile the information sought would not be warranted. Should the Deputy require information on a particular school I...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As I outlined to this House previously, the issues raised in the correspondence in question are many and varied. They relate to the teaching of Maths and the qualifications of Maths teachers. The correspondent makes some interesting points and statements, many of which, however, I would not support. I do not propose in this statement to address each of these considerations. Rather, I will...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As outlined to the Deputy in previous replies, the work of calculating pension benefit entitlements and enabling the smooth transition to pension of the large number of teachers who have retired at this time is the priority for officials in the Pension Unit of my Department and this work will continue for the next number of weeks. While the 29 February 2012 has passed the final number of...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: There is no increase in the staffing schedule general average of 28:1 for the allocation of classroom teachers at primary level. However, there is a phased increase in the pupil threshold for the allocation of classroom teachers in small primary schools. As part of the Budget decisions announced, the number of pupils required to gain and retain a teaching post in small primary schools will be...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The evaluation of broadband tenders is underway and I expect that it will be complete by the end of this month. New contracts for the supply of services will be awarded shortly thereafter. My Department's aim is to optimise the quality of connectivity for all schools. Schools do not need to apply for new connections. Decisions concerning connections are made on the basis the most...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In his address to Dáil Éireann on December 5th 2011 the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced that Public Service bodies will have to achieve a reduction of 5% in the cost of allowances and premium payments in 2012. In order to achieve the necessary reduction, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is conducting a review of allowances and premium payments across the...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The reality of the economic situation and the public expenditure corrections which must be made in the coming years present challenges across all areas of public expenditure, including higher education. Moreover, the projected growth in demand for higher education over the next two decades creates further challenges for funding. Careful planning and consideration of available evidence will...

Written Answers — Child Protection Guidelines: Child Protection Guidelines (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has recently published updated "Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools". These procedures are based on the recently published "Children First – National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2011" and apply to all primary and post-primary schools, irrespective of size. The new procedures incorporate significant improvements to the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on my Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The relevant appointment and retention figures for mainstream staffing for the...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that, in the context of the necessary but difficult expenditure reduction measures announced in Budget 2012, new students entering postgraduate courses from the 2012/13 academic year onwards will not be entitled to maintenance payments under the Student Grant Scheme. However, those students who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant will be...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has one office in Tralee, Co. Kerry which accommodates psychologists and school inspectors. There are no plans to close this office or reduce the number of staff.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: With regard to my Department, funding is provided to a wide range of bodies that support our education system across all sectors. These bodies include: Schools (both first and second level); Vocational Educational Committees; Higher Level Institutions (Universities, Institutes of Technology and Teacher Training Colleges); Teacher Education Centres; and agencies under the aegis of the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 62 together. The staffing arrangements for the 2012/13 school year are set out in Primary Circular 0007/2012 which is available on my Department's website. This includes the detail of the reform of the allocation process which is designed to bring a more equitable distribution of existing posts between schools. The new arrangements incorporate a long...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The School to which the Deputy refers was not included as part of the Report on the net impact, in terms of posts, of Budget measures on these DEIS Band 1 and Band 2 urban primary schools, that still had additional posts allocated under disadvantage schemes pre-dating DEIS, which was published on 21 February 2012, as it is a DEIS rural primary school. Of the 328 DEIS Rural primary schools,...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on my Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedules for the 2012/13 school year were published on my...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Due to conflicting numbers of posts being reported as potentially lost to DEIS Band 1 and Band 2 urban primary schools it was necessary to obtain clarity with regard to the net effect of a range of factors on teacher allocations in these schools; for example, increasing and decreasing enrolments, the reforms to the existing teacher allocations process and up to date enrolments, all of which...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (7 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has expanded the existing appeals process so that it is accessible to the 73 small schools that are losing a classroom post as a result of the budget measure. It is worth noting that there are almost 1,200 small schools with 86 pupils or less and no small school will be forced to close as a result of this decision. Such schools will not lose their classroom post if they are...