Results 13,901-13,920 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (17 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Pupil teacher ratios for the 2012/2013 academic year are currently being compiled and will be available during the summer of 2013. Figures for the 2011/2012 academic year are available on the Department's website at http://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Statistics/. The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (17 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts to schools for the coming school year 2013/14 is set out in Circular 0013/2013, which is available on the Department website. Under the terms of this Circular, where a school is expanding the number of intake classes which would generate a new stream of pupils, the school must have received prior approval for such expansion from both...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (17 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 109 together. A Value for Money examination of small schools is being finalised within my Department and I expect to publish the analysis and findings in the near future. I hope that this report will foster constructive engagement both in the Oireachtas and among all interested parties in looking at the challenges ahead and how best to make provision...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (17 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to assure the Deputy that ongoing measures to address school attendance, participation and retention are part of the Government's overall strategy to deal with educational disadvantage. DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) is part of a continuum of interventions delivered by my Department to address educational disadvantage including early school leaving from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Fee Paying Schools (17 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 111 together. The salaries of teachers employed within the approved annual staffing allocation for fee charging schools by my Department, are paid by the State; an arrangement that pre-dates the introduction of the Free Education scheme and which exists since the foundation of the State. The estimated cost of these posts is in the order of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 116 together. The 5 Year Construction Plan I announced in March 2012, together with my recent announcement of the 50 school projects from that Plan which are scheduled for construction in the current year as part of a €2 billion capital investment programme, outlines the major school projects that will commence construction over the duration...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (17 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113, 114, 115, 117 and 118 together. The Statistics section of my Department's website contains information relating to pupil teacher ratio (PTR) at primary and second level. Pupil Teacher Ratio in respect of all schools is only available at national level and not disaggregated by county or any other variable. Pupil teacher ratios for the 2012/2013...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (17 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 120 together. The number of teachers required to retire on a mandatory basis on reaching maximum age is approximately ten per cent of annual retirements. The vast majority of teachers choose on a voluntary basis whether and when they will retire and are required to give notice to their management authority of their intention to do so. Accordingly...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Application Numbers (17 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The current status of all projects, including those in County Kildare, may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie and this will be updated regularly throughout the year. The 5 Year Construction Plan that I announced in March 2012, together with my announcement last December of the 50 school projects which are scheduled for construction in the current year as part of a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (17 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, in June 2011, I announced new arrangements for the recognition and determination of patronage of new primary and post-primary schools. The patronage of the new post-primary school in Maynooth was decided under these new arrangements and details of the decision making process in that case are available on my Department's website. The ethos of the new post-primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions Issues (17 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: In addition to the broad range of foreign language courses available across the higher education sector, institutions also offer students an opportunity to take language modules as part of other undergraduate programmes across business, the arts, the humanities and the sciences, even where it is not a named component of a degree. There are also increasing opportunities for students to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Languages Programme (17 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Currently, the language syllabuses at junior cycle focus on the use of language in real-life situations, and on the writing, reading and aural understanding of these languages, as well as considerable degrees of cultural awareness. The new Framework for Junior Cycle, announced in October 2012, will build on the development of these competences and will reinforce language learning at Junior...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Employment Support Services (17 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Springboard programme strategically targets funding of free part-time higher education courses for unemployed people in areas where there are identified labour market skills shortages or employment opportunities. All courses approved for funding under Springboard are selected by an independent panel with industry and educational expertise, having regard to published selection criteria and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (17 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas as required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions Issues (18 Apr 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. In relation to the evolutionary pathway laid out in the National Strategy for institutes of technology, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (18 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that the student referred to by the Deputy has been awarded a grant and an award letter issued on 4 January, 2013. If the student is commencing a new course of study in the academic year 2013/14 it will be necessary for her to establish her eligibility by submitting a fully completed online grant application to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (18 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The school project referred to by the Deputy is included in the 5 year construction programme announced in March 2012 and is scheduled to progress to construction in 2015/16. The delivery of this school has been devolved to Westmeath County Council who are in the process of appointing the Design Team. Details of all school building projects included in the 5 year construction programme are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (18 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The student referred to by the Deputy should contact the SUSI Helpdesks in relation to making enquiries to complete a grant application form in order to determine his eligibility for student support. While maintenance support is not available for students entering approved postgraduates courses, those who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the Student Grant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Issues (18 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 to 95, inclusive, and 97 together. I established the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (RISF) Board pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act, 2012, with effect from 25 March. The Board will oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million pledged by the religious congregations to support the needs of some...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (18 Apr 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The criteria for eligibility for a student grant is set out in the Student Support Act, 2011 and the Student Support Regulations 2012 and in the Student Grant Scheme 2012. Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, approved course, previous academic...