Results 12,501-12,520 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (12 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department procures a broad spectrum of goods, services and works in support of its role in administering the wider education sector. These goods, services and works are not procured centrally. Rather they are procured by many different business units and, in accordance with national and European Union procurement procedures, the method of procurement varies depending on the value of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Psychological Service (12 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I can inform the Deputy that an official from my Department's National Educational Psychological Service has been in communication with the authorities in St. Pauls Secondary School in relation to the student referred to in his question, in order to assess the need and appropriateness of undertaking an educational psychological assessment. I shall revert to the Deputy when a determination is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Computerisation Programme (12 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As you will be aware, integrating ICT into teaching and learning in schools is a major priority for this Government. My Department's ICT in Schools programme sets out a clear agenda to be pursued in this regard, focusing on four main priorities: ICT Infrastructure in schools, the Schools Broadband Scheme, the development of teacher skills, and the provision of curriculum-relevant digital...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (12 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, his student grant application was unsuccessful and that she appealed the decision to the appeals officer in SUSI and their original decision was upheld. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by SUSI, and remains of the view that SUSI has not interpreted the scheme correctly in his/her...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (12 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Details of the savings measures for the Education and Skills Vote announced as part of Budget 2013 are available on my Department's website as follows: Details of the 2013 Budget skeleton for the Education and Skills Vote, in both the new Performance Budgeting format and the old format, are at: . In addition, 'The Department of Public Expenditure & Reform Expenditure Report 2013',...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Back to Education Allowance Payments (12 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Back to Education Allowance and decisions in relation to funding for that scheme are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection. Officials in my Department are in ongoing contact with officials in the Department of Social Protection in relation to issues affecting learners who are also clients of that Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Vocational Education Committees (12 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I want to clarify for the Deputy that while the budget measure I announced in relation to VEC funding involves a reduction in the allocation for 2013 it is not a cut in real terms. This is because it takes account of the capacity of VECs to utilise cash balances on a once off basis.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (12 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take questions 85 and 86 together. As announced in the Budget, the income thresholds for student grants will be reduced by 3% for the 2013/14 academic year. Between 1997 and 2009, the income limits were increased by 82%. The income limits have remained unchanged over the past three years due to the absence of data from the CSO, but data now indicates that average wages have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (12 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The staffing arrangements in small primary schools are considerably more favourable than other medium to larger schools. The measure that was announced in Budget 2012 is focused on dealing with this cost premium, on a phased basis, through progressively increasing the pupil thresholds for the allocation of classroom teachers in small primary schools. This budget measure relates to the number...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (12 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that, in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, a fee grant has been awarded and an award letter issued on 4th December 2012. Under the Student Grant Scheme this student is not eligible for a maintenance grant as he is in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA).

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (12 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that, in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, a grant has been awarded and an award letter issued on 11th December 2012.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (12 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware the recurrent provision for the higher education sector has reduced as announced in Budget 2013. The recurrent provision made available for 2012 to the University and Institutes of Technology sectors was some €1.119 billion while the provision for 2013 is €1.036 billion which includes a 2% reduction in both core pay and non-pay as announced in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Retirement Scheme (12 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have made enquiries with the employer of the person to whom the Deputy refers and established the facts of the case. An application for ill health retirement pension benefit was made by the person to whom the Deputy refers and the application was processed by the employer in accordance with my Department's guidelines. The application for retirement pension benefit...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Expenditure (12 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The total set-up cost for Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) to end of

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Remuneration (12 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Government agreed on 20 December, 2011, that some additional resources would be required to carry out the responsibilities of the EU Presidency which included the provision of temporary acting-up allowances where staff are assigned to positions in the Presidency normally carried out by staff of a higher grade. Administrative Officer assigned to acting Assistant Principal Officer...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2013 (13 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Government has protected frontline services in schools to the greatest extent possible in the recent budget and there will no reduction in teacher numbers in primary schools and in free second level schools for the 2013/14 school year as a result of the budget. The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on my Department's website and the staffing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (13 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support If the applicant considers that the grant awarded is not the correct one, she may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by SUSI, and remains of the view that SUSI has not interpreted the scheme correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Maternity Benefit (13 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Changes are being introduced in relation to the maternity leave entitlements for teachers and SNAs, however the statutory 26 weeks of paid and 16 weeks of unpaid maternity leave available to teachers and SNAs are completely unaffected by this decision. These additional days, which are taken during a period when the school is open, require the school to employ a substitute teacher or SNA to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Delays (13 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with SUSI, the new centralised grant awarding authority, that on the 12th December, 2012 a request for further documentation was issued to the student referred to by the Deputy. When the requested documentation is returned the student will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (13 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with SUSI, the new centralised grant awarding authority, that on the 12th December, 2012 the student was requested to submit his Final Course Acceptance Form. When the document is returned to SUSI the student will be notified directly of the outcome.