Results 13,541-13,560 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: There are 8 mobile phones used by myself, Minister Ciarán Cannon and politically appointed staff. The total cost of these phones since March 2011 is €9,113.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The following tabular statement contains the information sought by the Deputy. My Department does not hold details of the yearly costs of ministerial cars in 2010, as the provision of ministerial cars and garda drivers at that time was administered by the former Department of Justice. However, I understand the cost of the previous Ministerial Transport arrangements under the last Fianna Fail...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Two business credit cards are held and operated by staff in my Department. One card is held in the name of and operated by the Private Secretary in the Minister's Office and the second is held in the name of and operated by the Private Secretary in the Minister of State's Office. These cards allow for expenditure to support the business needs of the Department, in extremely time limited...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Issues (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The State Examinations Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate examinations. Applications for such accommodations are submitted by schools on behalf of their students. Full details of the scheme is available for downloading...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland, that on 8th March 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.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (12 Mar 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: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand from Student Universal Support Ireland that as of 10 March 2013, 6,041 appeals were received by SUSI and that, of these 3,486 were overturned, 2,049 decisions were upheld and 506 are awaiting a decision from the appeals officer. The Department has asked SUSI for a report on the overturn rate.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Application Numbers (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand from Student Universal Support Ireland that it is up to date with processing all complete applications. In this regard, as at close of business on 10th March 2013, 57,957 applications have been processed to completion. As part of the close out strategy for the 2012/13 academic year, SUSI is currently contacting applicants who have not completed their application by submitting...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Eligibility for a student grant or for an increased level of grant may be assessed or re-assessed,as the case may be, during an academic year where a permanent change of circumstances arises. Applicants should contact their grant awarding authority for advice where such circumstances occur.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The school referred to by the Deputy has been approved devolved funding under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme to build one mainstream classroom.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Student Grant Appeals Board deals with appeals arising from student grant decisions made by 66 grant awarding authorities and not just SUSI. Appeals are received by the Student Grants Appeal Board on an on-going basis throughout an academic year. Since its establishment, Appeal Board sittings have taken place at intervals varying from 2 to 4 weeks. It is currently sitting at weekly...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Delays (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland, that on 5th March 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.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil Transfers (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department's policy in relation to pupils repeating the same grade in primary school is set out in Primary Circular 32/03. However, the circular provides that pupils who have completed sixth class must not transfer to another primary school to repeat sixth class and that in the event that a school were to enrol pupils from another school to repeat sixth class the pupils shall not be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gratuity Grant Applications (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a gratuity under the Superannuation Act, 1887, was approved by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in respect of the retired employee of the Limerick Model School. Payment in respect of the gratuity issued to the former employee in February 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Redeployment (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: In line with procedures agreed under the Public Service (Croke Park) Agreement 2010 - 2014 this person was placed on the Public Appointments Service re-deployment resource panel. A suitable vacancy was identified in Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) and the person was redeployed to LIT in line with the agreed procedures. Following the redeployment decision, the individual referred...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (12 Mar 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. It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department understand from Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student in question does not meet the terms and conditions of the student grant scheme for the special rate of grant. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI. Where an individual applicant has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Regulations (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is probably aware, the National Procurement Service (NPS) is already supporting Small and Medium Business Enterprises (SMEs) to participate in public sector procurement competitions through its education and guidance strategies. All of the NPS tender documents explicitly seek to encourage the participation of SMEs in competitions, by encouraging them to explore the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Disputes (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I appreciate the concerns you raise in your question. While my Department sets out the constitution of Boards of Management and rules of procedure it is not directly involved in the management of schools. Under the provisions of the Education Act, 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school, and it is the Board of Management which employs the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (12 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The course referred to by the Deputy has not been approved as it has not been demonstrated that it represents academic progression from the qualification required for entry to the course. I have no plans to extend the student grant scheme to include this course on that basis.