Results 10,981-11,000 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Jul 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 have just recently completed the Stage 2a Submission (Developed Sketch Design), which has been forwarded by the school to my Department for review. Following completion of this review and assuming no issues arise, the project will then proceed to stage 2(b) which...

Written Answers — Cross-Border Education Initiatives: Cross-Border Education Initiatives (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: At the NSMC Education meeting held at Farmleigh House, Dublin on Friday 15 June 2012, the Ministerial Council considered the progress made towards the development of a questionnaire and mechanisms for a joint attitudinal survey to inform cross-border pupil movement and school planning; agreed the planned next steps for the conduct of the survey including finalisation of survey questions,...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that in primary schools, including schools in the DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) programme, teaching supports for pupils with special education needs are provided though two channels. Under the terms of the General Allocation Model (GAM) of teaching supports, schools are resourced to cater for pupils whose educational psychological assessment...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Details of the current funding allocated to each Vocational Educational Committee in 2011 are listed in the attached table. These allocations enabled the VECs to provide a broad range of educational services. In addition to providing post-primary education and further and adult education, VECs also have responsibilities in areas such as community education, training for early school leavers,...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In October 2011 the General Scheme of an Education and Training Boards Bill was referred to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education. The General Scheme was also published at that time. Following discussions with this Department and relevant stakeholders, the Committee prepared a report which I responded to at a meeting of the Committee on 25 January 2012. The...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Responsibility for the management and delivery of the two projects referred to by the Deputy was devolved to the school management authorities. I understand the difference in costs arose as one of the schools was allocated funding under my Department's 2007 Small School Scheme to extended and refurbish their existing school building which had difficult site conditions while the other school...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware a new student contribution charge of €2,000 was introduced in higher education by the previous Government with effect from the 2011/2012 academic year. This charge replaced the previous Student Services Charge and applies to all students who currently benefit under the 'free fees' scheme. The Charge is due to increase to €2,250 for the next academic year. The...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware of the Government's ongoing commitment to ensuring that all children with special educational needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs. Many children with autism are fully integrated into mainstream classes. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) provides additional resource teaching hours and special...

Written Answers — Third Level Staff: Third Level Staff (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The recent report from the Comptroller and Auditor General confirms that over €8 million in unauthorised payments were made to senior university staff over the period June 2005 to February 2011. This is completely unacceptable behaviour and represents a failure in governance in our universities and is a serious breach of public pay policy. Since the formation of the current Government...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand that a draft report is currently under consideration by the Implementation Group and that I should receive the report in the coming weeks.

Written Answers — Third Level Grants: Third Level Grants (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: A table shows the estimated percentage of new awards made to students from farming backgrounds. This indicative data is subject to considerable qualification for interpretation purposes in relation to its reliability due to, inter alia, the level of undeclared status amongst the returns from the awarding authorities and the provision of accurate and or/adequate information in respect of...

Written Answers — Third Level Grants: Third Level Grants (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The number of third level students who qualified for a student grant in each year for the past five years is detailed in a table. Number of third level students who qualified for a student maintenance grant 2011/12 65,889 * 2010/11 62,366 2009/10 57,233 2008/09 47,751 2007/08 46,632 * Provisional figure

Written Answers — Third Level Funding: Third Level Funding (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 163 together. The internal budget allocation between various headings within higher education institutions is a matter for each institution. My Department has no role in this matter and therefore the information sought by the Deputy is not available to the Department. The Higher Education Authority has put in place an agreed framework with the higher...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and I will arrange for it to be forwarded to him.

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, the review of allowances in the public service which is ongoing at the moment is being conducted by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and I understand that the Minister intends to bring proposals to Government shortly.

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As a result of Budget 2012, Circular 70/2011 provides that teachers who had been engaged in a public sector teaching post on or before 4 December 2011 are eligible to retain the qualification allowances they were entitled to be in receipt of on that date. Such teachers will not be paid any additional allowance where they acquire any further qualification on or after 5 December 2011. The...

Written Answers — Technological Universities: Technological Universities (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: A clear four stage process and criteria for designation as Technological University was published by the HEA in February of this year. Institutions proposing to merge and apply for designation as technological universities, will need to submit a formal expression of interest within a six month period and will be advised within a further six months whether they can proceed to the second stage...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I am informed by the Higher Education Authority that the ratio of students to teaching staff at third level in the past five years was as follows: 2007/08 ratio 16.2:1. 2008/09 ratio 16:1 2009/10 ratio 17.6:1 2010/11 ratio 18.4:1 2011/12 ratio 18.6:1. The increase in the ratio since 2008/09 reflects increased enrolments across the sector and the reduction in numbers employed in line with the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: All Primary schools with full recognition received the Minor Works Grant for the five school years from 2007/2008 to 2011/2012. Each school received a basic grant of €5,500 plus €18.50 per mainstream pupil and €74 per special needs pupil in respect of each school year. The amounts that issued to schools on a calendar year basis are as follows: 2011 - €28.232m 2010 - €28.169m 2009...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (19 Jul 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Over 5,000 people took up places Springboard 2011 of which 3,500 are now graduating with qualifications relevant to employment in areas such as ICT, medical devices, biopharma, green economy and financial services. A further 6,000 places on 220 programmes ranging from certificate to masters degree level opened for applications in May 2012. Further information on Springboard courses is...