Results 14,361-14,380 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Tax Code (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The rate of VAT charged on educational e-books is subject to the requirements of EU VAT law. Under the EU VAT Directive, electronic publications are treated as the supply of a service liable at the standard rate of VAT. There is no option under EU VAT law to exempt e-books from VAT or to apply a reduced rate to them. This issue is of concern not only in Ireland but in a number of EU member...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: School building projects are tendered in line with public procurement procedures. There are two methods of tendering (the Restricted procedure and the Open procedure). In both procedures there are minimum standards for participation (including previous experience, turnover, insurances, capacity to obtain a bond etc). The minimum standards for participation are stated in the Contract notice/...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. Stage 2b of the project which includes Planning Permission, Fire Certification, Disability Access Certification (DAC) and the preparation of tender documents has been approved. The project was recently authorised to pre-qualify for contractors which will complete Stage 2b. The project is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has been in discussion with South Dublin County Council regarding Council owned land adjacent to the existing location of the school to which he has referred. Given the challenges identified with this site, particularly those related to its small size, my Department and South Dublin County Council are exploring whether other options in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand that the issue of the payment of the household charge will not be taken into account in relation to the award of student grants.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Administration (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The staff resources recommended by the review have already been sanctioned. The resources include three additional management posts and some 23 (whole time equivalent) additional processing staff. This will help to ensure that qualifying students have their applications assessed as quickly as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Council for Special Education recently published its policy advice on Supporting Students with Special Educational needs in Schools. This report recommended that a robust regulatory enrolment framework should be introduced for schools, to ensure that every child with special educational needs is protected from school enrolment practices or policies with overt or covert barriers...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that last year, I requested the NCSE to review and make recommendations on the supports that we provide to children with special educational needs and how they are allocated, to ensure we are delivering the best possible educational experience and outcomes for our children. The NCSE have now published thier policy advice on Support Students with Special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Delays (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand from Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that, as at close of business on 26th May 2013, 547 applications are currently with SUSI for processing, most of which are awaiting final elements of documentation from students and are expected to be closed out in the coming week. I am informed by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that, in preparation for the 2013/14...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: FÁS Training Programmes (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 236 together. I am informed that FAS provides the following Java/Oracle IT courses. FÁS eCollege provide online learning - Java Associate Developer SE7 - Online - Java Professional Developer SE7 - Online. Courses are also run in FÁS Training Centres as demand dictates leading to Oracle Certification at Java Level I or II - JAVA...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Issues (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: While the Schedule to the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002, specified named institutions, section 4 of the Act allowed for the insertion into the Schedule of "any industrial school, reformatory school, orphanage, children's home, special school which was established for the purpose of providing education services to children with a physical or intellectual disability or a hospital...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Redeployment (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers to other schools that have vacancies. The redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers is key to the Department's ability to manage within its payroll budget and ceiling on teacher numbers. Thereafter, schools are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Commission (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The information as requested by the Deputy is not available. The details of the number of retired teachers employed in the period January to March 2013 will be forwarded to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Issues (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Issues (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations and determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted, including the supervision of examinations. In view of the above, I have forwarded your queries to the State Examinations Commission for direct...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Issues (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Suicide Prevention (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am aware of the serious problem of youth suicide and of the role that schools can play in prevention . My Department produced guidelines for schools in this area last year. Well-Being in Post-Primary Schools: Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention, which I launched jointly with Minister Kathleen Lynch in January 2013, was developed by my Department in conjunction...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 223 and 230 together. The July Education Programme provides funding for an extended school year for children with autism and children with a severe or profound general learning disability. This Programme is available to all special and mainstream primary schools which have special classes catering for eligible pupils. Where school based provision is not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Expenditure (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the proposed expansion of the school to which he refers was announced to commence construction in 2014/2015 as part of my Department's Five Year Plan. While architectural planning for the delivery of the project had commenced, the Design Team encountered significant difficulties which would have major implications for the successful...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Vocational Education Committees Amalgamation (28 May 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The position is that the Department following the establishment of the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) will determine the ECF targets for individual ETBs and will communicate this to each ETB, including Cork ETB.