Results 9,521-9,540 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

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

Ruairi Quinn: Officials from my Department have recently been in contact with the school to which the Deputy refers and further information regarding their application has been received. This is currently under consideration and a decision will be conveyed to the school in due course.

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

Ruairi Quinn: The measurement of the distances for student grant purposes is a matter for grant awarding bodies - the relevant local authority or VEC. There has been no change as to how these distances are measured. As in the past for all cases, the shortest most direct route to the institution attended is measured. I understand that a range of mechanisms can be used, for example, online mapping such as AA...

Written Answers — Stay Safe Programme: Stay Safe Programme (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Last Autumn, my Department 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 — 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 grants,...

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

Ruairi Quinn: 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 gradually increased between September 2012 and September 2014. The schools concerned are those with four or less classroom teachers. The phasing of these measures can provide the schools concerned with time to consider the potential for amalgamation with...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Office has corresponded previously with the person concerned. The position in relation to the proposed Statutory Fund is that last July, I announced that the Government was proceeding with legislation to provide for the establishment of a Statutory Fund to support the needs of victims of residential institutional abuse, as endorsed by Dáil Éireann in the aftermath of the publication of...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 to 242, inclusive, together. The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations, determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations and making arrangements for the marking of...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The total staffing compliment for the school referred to by the Deputy in 2011/12 is 7.83 posts. 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....

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

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has an application with the Department for a major school project involving school refurbishment and ancillary accommodation. Information in respect of the current school building programme along with all assessed applications for major capital works, including this project, is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie....

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

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations, determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations and making arrangements for the marking of work presented for examination. In view of this I have forwarded...

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. Applying the new staffing schedule for Band 1 schools to this school, it is due to lose one...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The person is question has not applied for early retirement at this time. However, he has recently sought details from my Department as to the earliest date at which he may retire with a pension. The information sought by the person in question is being compiled in the Pension Unit of my Department and will issue to the person in question within the next 2 weeks which is well within the...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The decision on eligibility for grant assistance under the student grant scheme is a matter for the relevant grant awarding authority, i.e. local authority or Vocational Education Committee. The closing date for receipt of completed grant applications including all required supporting documentation for the 2011/12 academic year was the 31st August, 2011. It is a matter for each grant...

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

Ruairi Quinn: A student may appeal the decision of the grant awarding authority's appeals officer to my Department or the Student Grants Appeals Board, as appropriate. Appeals on grant applications made under the Student Grant Scheme 2011 and subsequent schemes are appropriate to the Appeals Board. This is provided for under the Student Support Act 2011. Appeals on applications under all previous schemes...

Written Answers — National Lottery Funding: National Lottery Funding (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Revised Estimates Volume (REV) published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform provides summary details of programmes part-financed by the National Lottery and disbursed by relevant Government Departments and Offices. The REV provides these details at Vote subhead level and identifies the aggregate amount of National Lottery funding towards the programmes in question,...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (27 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested by the deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded in the near future.

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

Ruairi Quinn: There are 439 laptops currently deployed within my Department. No tablet PCs have been purchased for use by officials. My Department does not have an annual programme for the upgrading of laptops. Individual laptops are replaced when deemed beyond repair. Since the start of 2012, a need to replace 5 laptops has been identified.

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (28 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The attached document provides the relevant details of all appointments (and re-appointments) made to bodies under the aegis of my Department without advertisement since my appointment as Minister. In addition, in accordance with Government policy, expressions of interest have been sought through the Public Appointments Service (PAS) from suitably qualified and experienced persons for...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (28 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy may be aware, the school he refers to has previously refused two substantial grants offered to address accommodation issues namely in 2003 under the Small Schools Initiative and in 2006 under the Small Schools Scheme. In view of the need to ensure that every child has access to a school place, the delivery of major school projects to meet the demographic demands nationally will...

Written Answers — Teaching Council of Ireland: Teaching Council of Ireland (28 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 113 together. The Teaching Council was established in March 2006 to promote teaching as a profession and the professional development of teachers, to maintain and improve the quality of teaching in the State, to provide for the establishment of standards, policies and procedures for the education and training of teachers, to provide for the...