Results 11,301-11,320 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I acknowledge that the reduction in resources to second level schools will be challenging for schools. However, the budget measure that requires schools to manage the provision of guidance from within their standard staffing allocation must be seen in the context of the major challenges we have as a Government in trying to shelter public services to the greatest extent that we can in these...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Government recently approved a number of measures relating to public service allowances for new beneficiaries. This follows a public service-wide review of allowances and premium payments conducted by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The main measure affecting teachers is the withdrawal of qualification allowances for new entrant teachers. The Government has decided that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The information as requested by the Deputy is not available as new entrants to teaching may commence in certain categories of teaching posts until the end of the current calendar year.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The information as requested by the Deputy is not currently available as the managerial authorities of second level schools may appoint teachers to temporary contracts until the first working day in November.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Teachers in secondary and community /comprehensive schools are appointed by the managerial authorities of the schools in which they are employed. Teachers in schools operated by Vocational Education Committees (VECs) are appointed by the VECs. Regular part-time teachers in all second level schools may be appointed until the first working day in November. Accordingly, the information...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department were in contact with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government for clarification regarding the decision by some local authorities to collect information on payment of the household charge from students who had applied for student grants or their families. Legal advice from my department also suggests that county councils could not withhold...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: World University Rankings (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the 2012 QS World University rankings, Ireland has 5 universities in the world's top 400 and 8 in the top 700. 3 Irish institutions were placed lower in 2012 than in 2011, 3 were placed higher and 2 showed no change in placement. There continues to be significant debate around the relative importance attached to rankings criteria and on their capacity to fully capture the quality of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Reviews (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: A consultation group on Junior Cycle reform has been established and it had its inaugural meeting on Thursday, September 27, 2012. A series of meetings are planned with the group to explore issues of implementation of the revised Junior Cycle.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Postgraduate Enrolments (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The following table provides data on Postgraduate research (1st year enrolments and all postgraduate 1st year enrolments) for the years 2010/11 and 2011/12. The data show that the number of 1st year Research enrolments (Masters and Phd) increased from 1,862 in 2010/11 to 2,156 in 2011/12 which represents an overall increase of 16%. The number of 1st year postgraduates (research and taught)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The decision on eligibility for new student grant applications from the 2012/13 academic year is a matter for the new centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland). Officials in my Department have confirmed with SUSI that documentation was requested from the student on 30 July, 2012 and 24 August 2012. The requested documentation was received on 21st...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Completion Programme (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that my Department recently terminated the contractor's obligation to complete the works for the school in Ardclough. The original VAT inclusive cost of this project was circa €2.7m. Work on procuring a completion contractor to complete the works is currently under way. The value of the works to be completed by a completion contractor will not be known until...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (2 Oct 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 completion of Stage 2(a) (Developed Sketch Design). Officials of the Planning & Building Unit of my Department held a meeting in September with a delegation from the School Authority in which the current position was fully...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Fee Refund Scheme (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Teacher Fee Refund Scheme 2011 has yet to be finalised as there are a small number of applicants to the scheme whose eligibility may be affected by the review of allowances being undertaken by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The proportion of fees refunded depends on the number of qualifying applicants in any given year. The funding available is allocated on a pro-rata...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Staff Issues (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: There are no retired senior civil servants currently appointed to positions within my Department. On occasion, my Department re-engages retired civil servants on a short-term basis to carry out certain tasks that require their particular experience and expertise. Such short-term engagements are subject to the abatement principle whereby the fees payable are set at a level that ensures that...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Third Level Funding (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Senator for raising this important matter. The Senator may recall that the national strategy for higher education to 2030, a 20-year national strategy for the development and delivery of higher education, was launched in January 2011. The strategy recommends a number of system changes that are aimed at supporting the objectives of the report, including a sustainable system of...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Health Services (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Senator for her question. I very much welcome the opportunity to outline the current position with on Portumna primary health care centre. As the Senator will be aware, the programme for Government sets out the Government's commitment to ensuring a better and more efficient health system; a single-tier health service that will deliver equal access to health care based on need,...

Leaders' Questions (3 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Fianna Fáil spokesperson on health, Deputy Kelleher is well aware of the background to all of this. He asked numerous questions and I understand he tabled questions to the Minister last week. If the Deputy is unable to table a question and pursue a correct and detailed answer from the Minister directly involved, it is more a reflection on Deputy Kelleher.

Leaders' Questions (3 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Deputy Kelleher is trying to-----

Leaders' Questions (3 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I am quite satisfied, on the information I have received from the Minister, that the location of the site in Balbriggan is in accordance with the selection criteria. The story in today's edition of the Irish Independent is one that the Minister has dealt with satisfactorily. If Deputy Kelleher has detailed questions, which clearly he has, but to which he has failed so far to get a...

Leaders' Questions (3 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Deputy Kelleher has attempted to use the protection of this House to suggest there was some financial impropriety in-----