Results 16,561-16,580 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

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 associated...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The major building project for the schools referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning, stage 2(a) - Developed Sketch Design. On the satisfactory completion of stage 2a, and subject to no other issues arising, the project will progress to Stage 2(b) which includes applications for Planning Permission, Fire Safety Certification, Disability Access Certification and...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The procurement process to appoint an architectural design team for the major building project at the school referred to by the Deputy is underway. The appointment of the design team should be completed early in the New Year, at which point the architectural design phase of the project will commence with immediate effect.

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

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 253 together. I am informed by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that SUSI had awarded over 55,000 students as at close of business on 11th December, 2013. SUSI has given final decisions on all completed applications received including 10,000 late applications which were received up until the final closing date of 20th November, 2013. The...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 251 and 252 together. The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, which is funded by my Department, plays a key role in advising on future enterprise skills needs and any emerging gaps. As well as providing a valuable input to education policy and the development of course curricula by individual institutions, EGFSN research also provides the basis for the...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The new post-primary school opening in Greystones in 2014 will operate under the patronage of the Church of Ireland. The new post-primary school under Educate Together patronage is planned to open in 2016. While this school will serve the north Wicklow area, its location has not yet been decided as this will depend on site availability. When applying for patronage of new post-primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I have asked my officials to liaise directly with the Deputy on the issue in question.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Consultancy Contracts (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 257 and 259 together. In addition to the spend on IT consultancy services, the IT unit of my Department engages contract staff and external service providers to provide specialist technical support and to deliver specific projects where needed. The total spend on external staff (consultancy, contractors and external service providers) was as follows:- ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Legal Costs (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Legal costs incurred by the State, in defending those cases which are brought to court, are generally not met directly by my Department. In accordance with financial procedures in cases involving damages or compensation against the State, legal costs are generally charged to the Chief State Solicitor's Office Vote as sanctioned by the Attorney General. My Department does not generally...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (17 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested will be forwarded to the Deputy in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: SOLAS Training and Education Programmes Certification (18 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: This is a day to day operational for SOLAS. SOLAS has introduced the following assistance for Redundant Apprentices who have a time deficit in their apprenticeship: 1. A Competency Determination Mechanism (CDM), this mechanism will provide redundant apprentices with the opportunity, subject to demand, to demonstrate their skills and knowledge against the occupational standard for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (18 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The underlying criteria for participation in DEIS is a school's relative level of disadvantage against all other schools therefore those schools with the highest concentration of disadvantage were selected for participation in the DEIS programme. The identification process for DEIS was in line with international best practice and had regard to, and employed, the existing and most appropriate...

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

Ruairi Quinn: This project is being delivered by the Office of Public Works (OPW) on a devolved basis. In August, 2012, a planning application for the delivery of a primary school in Kanturk was lodged by the OPW with Cork County Council. In April 2013, Cork County Council notified the OPW that planning permission for the new school had been refused. Officials in the Building Unit of my Department are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Establishment (18 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware, a process is in place under which the issue of permanent recognition, for the school referred to, is being assessed. This process is based on the school's progress in fulfilling the undertakings supplied by the school's patron to meet permanent recognition criteria in accordance with the requirements of the Education Act 1998 and the Rules for National Schools. All...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (18 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: There are no catchment areas specifically for Irish-medium schools. However for planning purposes the country is divided into geographic districts each with several primary schools feeding into a post-primary centre with one or more post-primary schools. These defined districts facilitate the orderly planning of school provision and accommodation needs. The school referred to by the Deputy...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 94 together. I can confirm that a proposal for a school campus development has been received from the two schools, referred to by the Deputy. This proposal envisages that the development concerned will be progressed on the campus site also referred to by the Deputy. Both schools have the same patron, who owns the existing school sites concerned. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (18 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The manner in which primary schools are funded takes account of the fact that the Department's accounting period is based on a calendar year, while schools traditionally operate on the academic year commencing in September. Thus, primary schools receive capitation funding in January and June, and the ancillary services grant in March. The amount of grant paid to an individual primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Establishment (18 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 to 98, inclusive, 104 and 105 together. I have met with representatives of the Maynooth Schools Group and I also recently wrote to the Chairperson of that Group fully outlining the reasons for my decision to provide Maynooth with two fully-vertical post-primary schools and confirming that I am adhering to this decision. There are fundamental educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (18 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: There are 3 post-primary schools to be established in the Carrigaline/Cork South Suburbs area, one Irish medium school (Gaelcholáiste) in 2014 and two English medium schools in 2016. The delivery of the proposed new Gaelcholáiste in Carrigaline has been devolved to Cork Education & Training Board. The new Gaelcholáiste will be delivered as part of a three school Campus...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (18 Dec 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. From September 2010, all...