Results 16,521-16,540 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Uniforms (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Department of Education and Skills does not purchase school uniforms and has no commercial mandate in this area. In this context, when schools are balloting the parents in their schools, I would expect for discussions to take place within school communities about the value of school uniforms. With this in mind, it would seem prudent for manufacturing companies or retailers who have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Uniforms (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The timeline for the conduct of the school uniform ballots is a matter for each schools Board of Management. My Department suggests that questionnaires be sent to parents by February 2014 before deciding on the position to be adopted for the next school year. In this context, when schools are balloting the parents in their schools, I would expect for discussions to take place within...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The delivery of the proposed new Gaelcholáiste in Carrigaline, Co Cork has been devolved to Cork Education & Training Board. The new Gaelcholaiste will be delivered as part of a three school Campus along with Gaelscoil Carrigaline and SONAS Special Primary School. The Gaelcholaiste is planned to open in temporary accommodation in 2014. The permanent building project is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Physical Education Facilities (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the provision of playspace, where site conditions and circumstances allow, is one of the issues considered in the architectural design of new schools and major extensions. The level of facilities, including playspace, that can be provided in schools will therefore vary depending on the extent of classroom accommodation needed for the school. A suite of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have been informed by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy has been awarded a grant for the current academic year. The applicant has appealed to SUSI for funding for the 2012/13 academic year. The appeal is currently under review and the student will be notified directly of the outcome. Where an individual...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The qualifying criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant in the 2013/14 academic year as specified under the 2013 student grant scheme is as follows: 1. student must qualify for the standard rate of grant; and 2. total reckonable income net of income disregards and Child Dependant Increase must not exceed €22,703 3. As at 31st December, 2012, the reckonable income must...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: An appeal from the student in question was considered by the independent Student Grants Appeals Board on the 19th November 2013. I understand that the appeal was unsuccessful as the Appeals Board upheld the decision of the appeals officer and the awarding authority. The student was notified of the outcome on 20th November 2013.

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

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that my officials have been working closely with officials from Kildare County Council in relation to acquiring a suitable site for the proposed new school building referred to by him. Agreement in principle, subject to contract, has been reached in relation to a suitable site and work is continuing to acquire the site. However, given the sensitivities...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 198 and 199 together. Officials in my Department have been in contact with the Deputy's office to clarify matters around these questions. I will arrange for the information to be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

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

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 200 and 223 together. As part of the Budget 2012 decisions, the number of pupils required to gain and retain a classroom teaching post in small primary schools is being gradually increased between September 2012 and September 2014. An appeals process is available to small schools which have had their staff number reduced as a result of the budget measure....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 201 and 202 together. My Department is aware of the issues in relation to T4 subject equipment. The availability of funding to meet particular school needs is considered in the light of overall priorities and is subject to the availability of resources. I will keep the question of the provision of funding for this purpose under review. Steps have been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff Issues (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 203 and 206 together. The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department. Officials of my Department have asked the Higher Education Authority for details which will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

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

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 204 and 205 together. My Department is currently conducting a tender exercise to put in place a Framework Panel for Consultancy Services for large school building projects. These Frameworks will replace the existing Frameworks which were put in place in 2012 and which expire in April 2014. The panels will provide the basis for Architectural, Engineering...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Numbers (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 207 to 210, inclusive, together. The information requested is provided in the National School Annual Census Return. Results from the Census for the current school year (2013/2014) are not yet available. The attached tables show a list of schools with five or less mainstream class teachers in 2011/12 and 2012/13. It also shows the number of full and part...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. In this regard a Board of Management may find it necessary to restrict enrolment to children from a particular area or a particular age group or on the basis of some other criterion. The criteria to be applied by schools in such circumstances are a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that commensurate with the level of funding available for the Scheme in question, applications are currently being assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the governing Circular Letter for the Scheme. This Circular Letter (59/2013) is available on my Department's website www.education.ie. It is my intention to publish...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to inform the Deputy that all schools were advised to apply to the NCSE for resource teaching and SNA support for the 2013/14 school year by 15th March, 2013. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) published details of all of their allocations for resource teaching and SNA support for the 2013/2014 school year in June of this year. In order to meet any late demand for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Since 1998, the national ICT in Schools programme has focused on building capacity across the schools system for integrating ICT into teaching and learning and developing pupils' digital literacy, The ICT in Schools programme must address new policy challenges and opportunities arising from major developments in curricular reform, digital publishing, digital content dissemination tools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Decentralisation Programme Staff Transfers (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department and a number of its Agencies were part of the original Decentralisation Programme announced in Budget 2004 as follows: Department/Agencies Location Number Department HQ Mullingar 300 Department Staff Athlone 100 Higher Education Authority Athlone 45 NEWB & NCCA Portarlington 70 NQAI/HETAC/FETAC Edenderry 75 FÁS BIRR 250 TOTAL 840The Athlone phase of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The application from the school, referred to by the Deputy, is being considered by my Department, which has been in contact with the school concerned seeking additional information. Once a response has been received, my Department will then be in a position to assess the application further.