Results 16,081-16,100 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (6 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The majority of schools receive grant assistance in respect of caretaking or secretarial services under the Capitation Grants scheme. Within the Capitation grant scheme, the level and extent of services provided is a matter for the school authorities who, through the discretion afforded under the scheme, apply diverse arrangements for secretarial and caretaking services according to their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Waiting Times (6 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have been informed by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that there is currently no backlog in the processing of student grants, all priority applications have been processed and SUSI is meeting its targets for the processing of completed grant applications currently on hand. SUSI is calling on those students who have not yet submitted the documentation or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (6 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy appealed the original decision of the awarding authority. The appeal was received by SUSI on 24th October, 2013 and it is intended that it will be dealt with within the statutory timeframe of 30 days set down in the Student Support Act 2011. Where an appeal is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers Panel Rights (6 Nov 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. Thereafter, schools are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent vacancies from supplementary panels comprised of eligible fixed-term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers. Preparation for the staffing and...

Topical Issue Debate: Institutes of Technology Issues (7 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I would like to thank the Deputy for raising this serious matter. Institutes of technology are autonomous statutory bodies established under the Institutes of Technology Act 2006. An institute's academic council has statutory responsibility to protect, maintain and develop the academic standards of the institute and, subject to the approval of the governing body, for the making of academic...

Topical Issue Debate: Institutes of Technology Issues (7 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank Deputy Keaveney for his opening comments regarding my presence here, which I appreciate. GMIT has an excellent reputation and plays a key role in supporting the development of the western region. It facilitates access to third level education for people from Galway, Mayo and beyond and plays a key role in the development of business and industry in the region. It is proposing to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Employment Support Services (7 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Springboard programme strategically targets funding of free part-time flexible higher education courses for unemployed and previously self-employed people in areas where there are identified labour market skills shortages or employment opportunities. Courses are selected for funding following a competitive tender process that is open to public, private and not for profit higher education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (7 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts to schools which is available on the Department website, includes the provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts on developing grounds, using projected enrolment. The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (7 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The capital allocations issued by my Department since 1 April 2011 to primary and post-primary schools in County Westmeath are as follows: PRIMARY SCHOOLS 2011 (April - December) - €4.038m 2012 - €1.542m 2013 to date - €1.700m TOTAL April 2011 to date - €7.280m POST-PRIMARY SCHOOLS 2011 (April - December) - €3.263m 2012 - €4.235m2013 to date -...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Delays (7 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy his application has been assessed and a letter informing him of the outcome will issue shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (7 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that, following an appeal to SUSI from the student referred to by the Deputy, a letter issued on 22nd October 2013 upholding the original decision of the awarding authority. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform adjudicates on a person's entitlement to remain in the State and on the stamp...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (7 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has authorised Dublin Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board to proceed to tender on the project for Castleknock Community College. The tender specification is currently being finalised by the ETB and its design team and is expected to issue to the prequalified contractors later this month. Following completion of the tender process the start on site date will then be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (7 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The school referred to by the Deputy have been approved devolved funding to replace prefabs at their school. The school have submitted a further request for capital funding to provide additional car parking spaces on their school site. I wish to advise the Deputy that, in general, individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Staff Sick Leave (7 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Following a review of sick leave arrangements and the binding Labour Court Recommendation No. LCR20335, a new Public Service wide Sick Leave Scheme will be introduced across the public service. In recognition of the differences in the education sector, the Labour Court Recommendation stated that while the revised sick leave arrangements should be of general application to all categories of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (7 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The school building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. An appeal to an Bord Pleanála has recently been concluded and the Design Team are working on the completion of stage 2(b) of Architectural Planning. When the Stage 2b Report has been submitted and reviewed, my Department will contact the Board of Management with regard to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Issues (7 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am aware that there are a range of views among the survivors of institutional abuse. Some 15,000 survivors have received awards from the Residential Institutions Redress Board and some 60% of applications are from survivors living in Ireland. I have no plans to facilitate a national meeting of survivors as proposed. The legislation establishing the Residential Institutions Statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme Issues (12 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115 to 118, inclusive, together. The Redress Board was established under the Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002 to make financial awards to those, who as children were resident in scheduled institutions and who have or have had injuries that are consistent with abuse received while resident in the institutions. Abuse is defined in the 2002 Act and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools (12 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that I recently published new anti-bullying procedures for all primary and post primary schools. These new procedures have been developed following consultation with the relevant education partners and replace guidelines that were issued to schools in 1993. The procedures are designed to give direction and guidance to school authorities and school personnel in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Equipment Grants (12 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Grant aid is available to primary and post primary schools to fund the purchase of furniture/equipment for educational purposes for special needs pupils. Changing benches are included in that category. On the basis of the information submitted by the school authority the equipment that they requested grant aid for is outside the scope of aid provided by my Department. The school principal...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The main financial support available to students attending higher education is my Department's Student Grant Scheme. 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 attainment and means. There was no change in the...