Results 10,641-10,660 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (27 Jun 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In November 2010, officials of my Department issued a questionnaire to each VEC. Information provided by the VECs, in response to this questionnaire indicates that 13 of the 33 VECs own their headquarter premises, while 20 rent or lease their premises. The following information sets out the position regarding the remaining term of the leases as advised by the relevant VECs. VEC ...

Written Answers — Health Professions Admission Test: Health Professions Admission Test (27 Jun 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The selection criteria for admission to medical programmes are determined by the higher education institutions in line with their statutory autonomy in academic affairs. The introduction of HPAT in 2009 had regard to the findings of the Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education & Training: Medical Education in Ireland: A New Direction (the Fottrell report). It recommended that the...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I have endorsed the broad thrust of the proposals on junior cycle reform submitted to me by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment in late 2011 following an extensive consultation process. They envisage that all students will be expected to achieve 24 statements of learning over the period of their junior cycle. These include valuing local and national heritage and recognising...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (27 Jun 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 89 together. Ireland has a high proportion of primary schools relative to its population and has a high proportion of small primary schools. Many of the small primary schools are located in rural areas. The current configuration is being examined by my Department in a value for money review of the provision of small primary schools. Among the issues...

Written Answers — Student Grant Scheme: Student Grant Scheme (27 Jun 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The new central grant awarding authority Student Universal Support Ireland, (SUSI, a division of the City of Dublin VEC) which will administer the Student Grant Scheme on behalf of my Department has been established. The online grant application system, administered by them, went live via the www.studentfinance.ie website on 11th June 2012. To date over 11,000 fully completed student grant...

Written Answers — Teacher Training: Teacher Training (27 Jun 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In the 2011/2012 school year over 17,500 teachers attended training in the areas of literacy and numeracy across the primary and post primary sectors. Training has been provided to school principals and teachers in a variety of formats including seminars, workshops, online provision and summer courses. Participant evaluation has been collated for the school leader events with a satisfaction...

Written Answers — Third Level Admissions: Third Level Admissions (27 Jun 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In relation to the evaluation of the Leaving Certificate Examinations and the A Level examinations for the purposes of entry to Irish universities, it should be noted that universities are autonomous academically independent institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997 and my Department does not have any functions in relation to their admissions policies and criteria. I can...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports including Resource Teaching and Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support, to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. The Design Team are currently working on the Stage 2a Submission (Developed Sketch Design) and, when complete, the school will forward this submission to my Department for review. To ensure that every child has access to a school place, the delivery of projects to meet the...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The first school referred to by the Deputy was considered to be in good condition and well maintained when acquired by my Department. In the period since the purchase, my Department was advised by the school of issues with the accommodation. A technical assessment has been carried out recently by Department staff and the report in the matter is being considered. My Department will be in...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Bill: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Bill (27 Jun 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Bill provides 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 the Ryan Report. The Bill follows an extensive consultation process undertaken by my Department which involved meetings with the religious congregations, with groups representing survivors of...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (27 Jun 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Ongoing evaluation of the operation of the DEIS programme is being undertaken both by the Education Research Centre (ERC) and by the Inspectorate of my Department. Three reports arising out of this work were published earlier this year. These were 'A Report on the First Phase of the Evaluation of DEIS', available on www.erc.ie, which concentrates on Literacy and Numeracy achievements in...

Written Answers — Points System: Points System (27 Jun 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Following the publication of the NCCA-HEA report on Transitions into higher education last December, I asked for proposals from the higher education institutions in relation to the implementation of the recommendations in the report. I have been informed that the universities are currently finalising a report for submission to me in the coming weeks.

Written Answers — Third Level Grants: Third Level Grants (27 Jun 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The student grant scheme does not extend to third level courses pursued outside the EU. Students undertaking postgraduate studies may however, be eligible for tax relief for tuition fees. Details in relation to this are available from the applicant's local tax office or on www.revenue.ie.

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

Ruairi Quinn: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an early stage of architectural planning. The Design Team are currently working on the Stage 2a submission (Developed Sketch Design) of the design process. The project is included on the 5 year construction programme and is scheduled to proceed to tender and construction in 2014/2015.

Written Answers — Third Level Grants: Third Level Grants (27 Jun 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for the relevant grant awarding authority. The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form and supporting documentation, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student should qualify for the special rate of maintenance grant....

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

Ruairi Quinn: The capital allocation available in 2012 under the principal subhead for primary and post-primary schools amounts to €357m of which €148.7m has been expended to date. In percentage terms expenditure has reached 42% of the 2012 allocation and this compares with an expenditure level at the end of the equivalent month in 2011 of 34%, in 2010 of 18% and in 2009 of 23%.

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

Ruairi Quinn: For purposes of the 5 Year Plan announced in March 2012, new school building projects as well as major extensions have been prioritised on the basis of meeting demographic needs in areas where such needs have been identified. In addition, school building projects that were not included in the 5 Year Plan and that are currently in architectural planning will continue to progress through the...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The Study Leave scheme previously in place provided for teachers to avail of paid leave of absence, subject to a maximum of 2 school years, in order to pursue their studies, while imposing an obligation on the teacher to re-imburse the school for the costs involved in employing a replacement teacher. It is my Department's experience that such costs imposed financial hardship on individuals on...

Written Answers — Emergency Works Scheme: Emergency Works Scheme (27 Jun 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme. This application was refused as the scope of works for which funding was sought was outside the terms of the scheme. An appeal has recently been received and is currently being examined by my Department. The school authority will be notified of the decision as soon as possible.