Results 15,921-15,940 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (15 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that under the provisions of the Education Act 1998 the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. It is important that the school management authority requests parents to ensure that the school is made aware of any medical condition suffered by any pupil attending. Where the school is aware of potential difficulties that may...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (15 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including the allocation of resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (15 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73 and 74 together. Section 15 of the Education Act, 1998 requires the Board of Management, in carrying out its functions, to have regard to the efficient use of resources, and in particular, the efficient use of state funds. Boards of primary schools therefore have a statutory duty to ensure that appropriate systems and procedures are in place to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Services Provision (15 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the Schools Broadband Access Programme the Department provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all recognised primary schools. All contracts under the Schools Broadband Access Programme were re-tendered last year under a public procurement competition. As a result of this the number of service providers has been expanded from 6 to 13 with the aim of ensuring that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (15 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Section 24 of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act, 2012 provides that the Redress Board can furnish the RISF with the name, address and date of birth of recipients of awards. The Act stipulates that the information can only be used by the RISF to determine a person's eligibility to make an application to the Board. I understand that the RISF has been furnished with this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Freedom of Information Remit (15 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Schools are not currently covered by the Freedom of Information Acts. All Board minutes and other school records and data must be maintained in compliance with relevant data protection legislation. The responsibility for compliance with data protection legislation rests with each individual school.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (15 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on the Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (15 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 81together. Educational book publishers are independent private companies not under the direct control of the Department. I have no powers to regulate the textbook market, as suggested by the Deputy. Apart from a small number of prescribed texts at second-level, mainly in the case of language subjects, decisions on textbooks are taken at school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Charges (15 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take questions 82, 87 and 88 together. As the Deputies will be aware, the Student Contribution stands at €2,500 for the current academic year and is payable by students who qualify under my Department's free fees schemes. I have already signalled my intention to increase the Student Contribution by €250 each year hereafter until the 2015/16 academic year when the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (15 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including the allocation of resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (15 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that where a school authority can clearly demonstrate that the planning permission process is delaying their project my Department will grant an extension of time provided the school authority is making every effort to address the issues delaying the granting of planning permission.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (15 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, stage 2(b). The project was included in the 'Investment in Infrastructure & Jobs' Programme announced in June 2013. A Revised Stage 2b (Detailed Design) submission is expected shortly from the Design Team for review by my Department and will include a prequalified list of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Expenditure (15 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: There was no change in Budget 2013 to any of the student grant rates including the non-adjacent or adjacent rates of grant, or the higher special rate of grant, for the 2013 financial year. As the Deputy will be aware, the reality of our economic situation presents significant challenges that have to be reconciled with limitations on public resources. This is a very stark reality, which,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Postgraduate Loan Scheme Implementation (15 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Following discussions with my Department, with support and advice from the National Treasury Management Agency, a specific loan initiative was introduced by Bank of Ireland in 2012 to provide finance for fees and living costs for postgraduate students. While developed in conjunction with the Department of Education and Skills, it is a Bank of Ireland product and further information on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Payments (15 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that the student referred to by the Deputy has, following an appeal, been awarded the maximum postgraduate fee grant of €6,270. This amount has now been fully paid to the institution in respect of the academic year 2012/13. Tax relief is also available on postgraduate tuition fees. Details in relation...

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy.

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to share time with the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly.

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As we come to the end of Ireland’s bailout, there are increasing reasons to be optimistic about our future. That said, we all know this year’s budget will ask more from our people, and more from our public services. Education is no different from other areas in needing to contribute to the stabilisation of the nation’s finances, but I firmly believe protecting the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (16 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Students who qualify for the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA), may be considered for support for the student contribution under the student grant scheme provided they satisfy the conditions of the relevant Student Grant Scheme and Student Support Regulations including those relating to , residence, nationality, approved course, previous academic attainment and means. To determine...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Haddington Road Agreement Implementation (16 Oct 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Department Circular 49/2013 sets out the position in relation to the Haddington Road Agreement and the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013 for teachers in post-primary schools and is available at the following address: The Agreement applies to teachers employed in Education and Training Board schools (apart from Designated Community Colleges). In general, the FEMPI...