Results 9,481-9,500 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The school to which the Deputy refers submitted an application for grant-aid towards ancillary office accommodation in the school. In view of the need to ensure that every child has access to a school place, priority is being given to applications for essential classroom accommodation to meet significant demographic needs. Accordingly my Department is not in a position to provide funding...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas as required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 182 and 229 together. The enrolment of a child in a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools. My Department provides for a range of placement options and supports for schools which have enrolled pupils...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware of the demographic challenges that we are facing. 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 continue to grow up to at least 2024 at post-primary level. As such enrolment increases are not uniformly distributed nationally, my...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that this school has also submitted an application for a major extension refurbishment school project, that includes for the replacement of the temporary accommodation referred to by the Deputy. This project is currently in early architectural planning. Any application for the separate replacement of the temporary accommodation concerned cannot be considered in...

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In view of the need to ensure that every child has access to a school place, the delivery of major school projects to meet significant demographic demands nationally will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years. The five-year programme announced earlier this month is focused on meeting those demographic needs. In that context, it was not possible to advance...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In view of the need to ensure every child has access to a school place, the delivery of major school projects to meet the demographic demands nationally will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years. The five-year programme announced earlier this month is focused on meeting those demographic needs. In that context, it was not possible to advance all...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As I announced last December, the means test for student grants will be amended to take account of the value of certain capital assets as well as income for the 2013-14 academic year. A dedicated Capital Asset Test implementation group has been established. The group has been charged with bringing forward detailed implementation proposals on new means testing arrangements for student...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: School building projects are tendered in line with public procurement procedures. There are two methods of tendering, the Restricted procedure and the Open procedure. In both procedures, there are minimum standards for participation including previous experience, turnover, insurance, capacity to obtain a bond, etc. The minimum standards for participation are stated in the Contract notice...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Three officials from my Department are serving as directors of companies arising from their employment. The officers concerned do not receive remuneration. Mr. Micheál Delaney is a director of Middletown Centre for Autism (Holdings) Limited. Mr. Des O'Loughlin and Ms. Gerardine Skelly are directors of Léargas, the Exchange Bureau. I understand from the Department of Public Expenditure...

Written Answers — Ministerial Expenses: Ministerial Expenses (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Details of the amounts of expenses claimed by the Ministers attached to my Department since March 2011 to date are included in the following table: Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn) Month Paid Amount of Payment Apr-11 €315.21 Jun-11 €2,853.46 Aug-11 €2,072.99 Sep-11 €2,435.84 Oct-11 €1,614.88 Nov-11 €521.53 Dec-11 €3,091.13 Jan-12 €1,289.26...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The total capital allocation for my Department is €430 million, of which €357 million has been assigned to the school sector. Expenditure in 2012 on large scale projects and the acquisition of sites is estimated at €240 million while expenditure under the Additional Accommodation Scheme and the initiative I announced recently to replace rented prefabs in schools will cost in the region...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: 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 details of the reform of the allocation process which is designed to bring a more equitable distribution of existing posts between schools. The overall objective with the reforms is to enable the teacher allocation and redeployment...

Written Answers — Statutory Trust Fund: Statutory Trust Fund (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I had a very constructive meeting with groups representing survivors of residential institutional abuse on 22nd July last, when we discussed the Government's approach to the proposed Statutory Fund to support the needs of victims of residential institutional abuse. The Government is proceeding with the drafting of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Bill on the basis of the General...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 197, 198 and 218 together. The Task Force on Autism Report was published in 2001 and its recommendations concerning broad educational provision for children on the autistic spectrum from pre-school through to third level provided the basis for the development of educational services and supports for persons with autism since then. The Task Force was composed...

Written Answers — Religious Education: Religious Education (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to assure the Deputy that Ireland did not mislead the UN Human Rights Committee in any way in relation to this matter. The UNHRC request in question related to the elimination of religious discrimination in access to education. Ireland did not accept this. There is a growing non-denominational school sector in Ireland, particularly at primary level. These schools cater for all pupils...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department provides for the education of children with special educational needs through a number of support mechanisms depending on the child's assessed disability. In general, educational provision for children with special needs is made; in special schools; in special classes attached to mainstream schools; or in integrated settings in mainstream classes. The Deputy will be aware that...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: On the 12th of March I announced a five year plan which outlined the major school projects that will proceed to construction over the lifetime of the plan. Details of the individual projects and the indicative timeline for when each project is expected to proceed to construction were published as part of the announcement. A total of €1.5 billion will be spent on those projects included in...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I am informed by FÁS that the individual in question commenced an ECDL course on the 20th March 2012 in Drogheda. ECDL courses are very popular and a very high number of clients have been referred to these programmes. As a result of this high demand, waiting lists are necessarily in place.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware, on 12th March last, I announced details of the new major school building projects where construction is expected to commence over the next five years as part of a €1.5 billion major school project capital investment programme. The school referred to by the Deputy was included in that announcement to commence construction of their extension in 2015/2016. The...