Results 13,281-13,300 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (20 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. In relation to the availability of school places in the specific schools referred to by the Deputy, my Department has no applications on hands from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (20 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The building project to which the Deputy refers is currently under construction. Works are progressing on site and the project is scheduled for completion in 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (20 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Literacy is a national priority under the Programme for Government. The Government is determined that all young people will leave school able to read, communicate orally, in writing and in digital media, and be able to understand and use mathematics in their everyday lives and in further learning. The Literacy and Numeracy Strategy which was launched in July 2011 adopts a modern and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Grants (20 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that a dedicated capital assets test implementation group was established to bring forward detailed implementation proposals on new means testing arrangements for student grants, to include the value of assets. I have received a draft report from the implementation group. This is currently under consideration and I will be consulting further with my cabinet...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (21 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As you are aware, I endorsed the framework for system development laid out in the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 which outlines a developmental pathway towards designation as a Technological University for merged institutes of technology who seek to apply. The implementation process of this is well underway. The Landscape document published in February 2012 lays out a clear...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (21 Feb 2013)

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, his student grant application was appealed to the appeals officer in SUSI and the original decision was overturned. The student's application was reassessed and on the 8th February 2013, a request for further documentation was issued. When the requested...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (21 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The decision on eligibility for new student grants is a matter for Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). Officials in my Department have confirmed with SUSI, that on 13th February 2013, 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. If an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (21 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Circular 31/2011 details a cascade of measures for recruitment of teachers, prioritising unemployed registered teachers over retired registered teachers and registered teachers over unregistered persons. It is important to note that schools themselves employ teachers and not the Department of Education & Skills. Ultimately, the decision lies with the principal and/or board of management...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (21 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The assessment of means under my Department's student grant scheme is based on gross income from all sources. The means test arrangements of the student grant scheme are applied nationally. In the case of both employed and self-employed applicants, gross income is assessed with certain specified social welfare and health service executive payments excluded. Eligibility for Farm Assist is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (21 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested by the Deputy is personal information and I do not propose to make it available. It was the agreement "Towards 2016" Ten Year Framework Social Partnership Agreement 2006 – 2015 which provided that all payments to teachers paid on the Department payrolls would be made electronically. The agreement was contained in Section 31.22 titled " Rationalisation of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Services Provision (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: All recognised post primary schools in Galway have been connected to the Schools High Speed 100 Mbit/s Broadband Network, with the exception of Gairmscoil Fheichin Naofa, Corr na Mona, which is due to be installed by early March 2013. Under the Schools Broadband Access Programme the Department provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all recognised primary schools in Galway. All...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: In the case of teachers who obtain part-time hours in a casual /non-casual capacity in post primary schools, the rate of pay is based on the annual rates of pay divided by 735 hours (maximum teaching contact hours per annum) to get an hourly rate, as opposed to the annual rate of pay divided by 365 and multiplied by the hours worked plus 8% holiday pay. This ensures that qualified part-time...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Design (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: In the absence of all of the details that would be contained in an individuals application form, it is not possible for me to say how a student should be assessed. However, from the scenario presented by the Deputy, it would appear that the student is progressing from an undergraduate to a postgraduate course. In such circumstances, the year of entry for student grant purposes means the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. In that regard, during the past two years my Department has provided funding towards additional accommodation and refurbishment works to both of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As part of the Government's budgetary considerations and the Comprehensive Expenditure Review carried out in 2011, a decision was made to abolish the payments by this Department towards the cost of attendance at Gaeltacht courses by students commencing their programme of primary initial teacher education. The decision came into effect for the 2012/13 academic year. As the Deputy will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Redundancy Payments (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Details on the cost of redundancy payments and the number of SNAs who received a redundancy payment annually for the years 2008-2012 is contained in the attached document. These figures include both full redundancy payments and compensation for loss of hours ('partial redundancies'). It is not possible to give an exact breakdown of the redundancy payments between the Primary and Post Primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Following an independent identification process in 2005, 875 schools were selected for inclusion in DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools). The school to which the Deputy refers was among a number of schools that was judged not to have a sufficient level of disadvantage to warrant inclusion in DEIS. Furthermore, an appeal by this school to the independent review body...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that the student referred to by the Deputy has had his application reviewed and a revised award letter issued on 20th February 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The school referred to by the Deputy has recently been approved devolved funding to build a 2 classroom extension under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland, that on 12th February 2013, 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.