Results 17,781-17,800 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Order of Business (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Like the Deputy and my constituency colleague, Deputy Kevin Humphreys, I have a constituency interest in the Dublin Docklands Development Authority legislation. The heads of that Bill were passed by the Cabinet three or four weeks ago and we expect to have the legislation before the summer recess. I do not know whether it will be dealt with and completed before the recess. The other...

Order of Business (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I think everyone in the House got a similar e-mail and all of us cannot but empathise with her difficulty. I do not have the information, but I suggest the Deputy table a written question or raise it by way of an oral question with the Minister for Health.

Order of Business (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I think the Deputy is referring to the technological universities legislation. The draft heads of that Bill have gone to the Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection for scrutiny. I am hoping to get a report back from the committee as soon as possible, but realistically sometime between May and June. Then it will go to the Parliamentary Counsel for drafting. I do not expect to...

Order of Business (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The first matter in respect of adoption is up for discussion within the Cabinet. There are issues with it that I know the Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, is anxious to resolve and to bring forward the legislation as quickly as possible. The other matter raised is still under consideration.

Order of Business (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. It is something in which all of us, especially those of us on the Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection, have a big interest. It has gone to the Parliamentary Counsel for drafting. The content and the heads of the Bill have been agreed and cleared. Much work has been done prior to this and there are about 15 sections in the Bill. I...

Order of Business (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy for his question. I share his sense of frustration that we are not processing business as quickly as we would like. One of the factors that has surprisingly caused us a delay has been the length of time that some committees are taking to process legislation, but ultimately responsibility rests with us. There are Bills ready to go and I think the Whips can discuss this in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Contracts Social Clause (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 and 73 together. The details of schools to which the Deputy refers are set out in the following table. The schools were bundled under 3 separate contracts. The contractor for bundle 1 commenced on site in February while the contracts for bundles 2 and 3 commenced in late March. To date the contractor on bundle 1 has employed 8 people who have been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) was established through the amalgamation of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI), HETAC and FETAC in November 2012. QQI assumed responsibility for the functions undertaken by those bodies including those functions, such as ACELS, which are carried out on an administrative basis. Since its establishment,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that the establishment of a network of autism-specific special classes in schools across the country to cater for children with autism has been a key educational priority in recent years. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Services (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department facilitates payments in a number of different ways, principally via banking on line through commercial bank accounts, and via paper instruments such as cheques. Additionally within the Government sector my Department also facilitates payments from other Government Departments via the Office of the Pay Master General's system of Internal Fund Transfers. My Department has not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Schemes (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 emphasised the need for a coherent and streamlined funding framework to allocate resources into the higher education sector. For this reason, the Higher Education Authority has the remit to consider all requests for funding and assess them in terms of prioritisation of currently available resources for the system. I understand that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that, despite the assertion made by the organisation referred to by the Deputy to the effect that my Department had not responded to their letter of 30 August 2013, my Department in fact responded on a number of occasions both to that letter and to subsequent letters. The initial contact from the organisation was on 30th August by way of email. Officials from my Department met...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Since March 2006, the Teaching Council is the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the recognition of teaching qualifications and the registration of teachers. Neither I, nor my Department, are involved in dealing with individual registration queries or applications. There are a number of avenues of appeal open to a person who is unhappy with a decision of the Council in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Schemes (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The national agencies for Erasmus+ in Ireland are Léargas for school, adult education and vocational education and training and the Higher Education Authority for higher education. The national agencies are responsible for promoting and implementing the programme at national level. The overall national authority for the education and training elements of the Erasmus+ programme in Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved additional resource room accommodation in March 2012. However a further application was received recently from the school in question requesting that an adjustment to the accommodation approved. Following assessment of the further application concerned and the additional information provided, my Department has advised the school authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: In 2012 a public service-wide review of allowances was carried out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. As a result of the review, qualification allowances and certain other premium payments were abolished with effect from 1st February 2012. Department of Education and Skills Circular 0008/2013 outlines the effect of this decision on teachers. The Circular was agreed under the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school in question applied to my Department for major capital funding for the replacement of prefabricated accommodation with a permanent structure and also for the provision of a General Purpose Room. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that funding for the replacement of the prefabricated accommodation was provided under the 2012 Prefab Replacement Scheme. In view of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (3 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the policy of my Department is to secure the maximum possible level of inclusion of students with special educational needs in mainstream primary and post-primary schools, in order to ensure that as many children as possible can be educated with their peers within their own community, regardless of their domiciliary status. My Department provides for a range...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (8 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: In 2012 a public service-wide review of pay and allowances was carried out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. As a result of the review, qualification allowances and certain other premium payments were abolished with effect from 1st February 2012. Department of Education and Skills Circular 0008/2013 outlines the effect of this decision on teachers. The Circular was agreed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: SOLAS Training and Education Programmes Places (8 Apr 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: This is a day to day operational matter for SOLAS. I have asked SOLAS to contact the individual in question to discuss the apprenticeship options available to him.