Results 2,121-2,140 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that under the Education Act 1998, legally, all schools are managed by school Boards of Management, on behalf of the school patrons or trustees, and it is the Board of Management that employs the teachers at the school. Accordingly, whereas I provide funding and policy direction for schools, neither I nor the Department have legal powers to instruct schools to follow...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department did not attend a meeting in respect of the proposed amalgamation of the two schools, in question, in 2013. My Department did however meet with the school authorities, at their request, in July 2012. At this meeting, the school authorities gave details of their proposed future plans for the schools in question including the option of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Retention Rates (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The HEA does not have the exact data in the format requested. However, analysis of data in the HEA Student Record system of those progressing from 1st year to second year showed that for those who entered higher education in 2010/11 approximately 11% of Level 8 and approximately 29% of Level 6/7 new entrants did not progress to second year. In the academic year 2013/14 it is estimated...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Services Provision (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Department does not maintain a list of schools broadband connections by Dail constituency. I am providing the Deputy with a list of all schools in Dublin. It should be noted that all post primary schools and those special schools that offer junior and senior cycle exams are due to be connected with 100Mbit/s shortly, if not already done so. Those schools that are listed as having no...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Work Placement Programmes (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Work Placement Programmes (FAS WPP1 for graduates and WPP2 for non-graduates), along with the JobBridge National Internship Scheme are managed by the Department of Social Protection. In November 2010, Circular Letter 66/2010 issued by my Department set out how schools could participate in the FAS Work Placement Programme, operated by the Department of Social Protection since January...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that additional information has been requested from the student referred to by the Deputy. When the requested documentation is returned, the student will be notified directly of the outcome. Where an individual applicant considers that he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that it is awaiting the final course acceptance form from the student in question to enable her grant application to be processed to finality. This has been requested from the student in writing. The assessment team in SUSI have tried to phone the applicant in order to request same but the number...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Regulations (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: School buildings are constructed to the highest possible standard utilising many different methods of construction. Like all modern buildings, schools may be constructed from different building materials. Modern methods of construction such as steel frame, timber frame and precast panels are utilised as well as more traditional blockwork. The specification of walls in school buildings are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Staff (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 291 and 292 together. My Department has sought clarification from the Chief Executive of Galway and Roscommon ETB in this matter and I will arrange for a reply to issue to the Deputy once his response is received.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is currently considering how the accommodation needs of the school, referred to by the Deputy, can be addressed. In that regard, the recent visit by my Department's technical staff will assist in that process. My Department expects to be in touch with the school shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Under my Department's student grant scheme, eligible candidates may receive funding provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution as defined in the scheme. The student referred to by the Deputy is attending a course in a private institution. An appeal was received by the Student Grants Appeals Board from the student. The appeal reply issued to the student on 22...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have been informed by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the application of the student referred to by the Deputy, is under review and the student will be notified shortly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy has been awarded a postgraduate fee contribution of €2,000 and is ineligible to have his fees paid up to the maximum fee limit. Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme 2013 postgraduate students who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that commensurate with the level of funding available for the Summer Works Scheme, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that commensurate with the level of funding available for the Summer Works Scheme, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Bodies (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The members of my Department's Audit Committee are appointed by the Accounting Officer. The Committee has a membership of five including three external members, one of whom is Chairperson. The current members have had varied backgrounds and occupations bringing a breadth of experience, skills and knowledge in areas important to the Department, to their work. There is no requirement for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Major Building Project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an early stage of Architectural Planning. The site has been secured and the design team are working on the design of the school. The project was included in the 5 Year Construction Programme announced in March 2012 and is scheduled to commence construction in 2015/16.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: 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. The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware and further to the encouragement of the Ombudsman for Children my Department advised during the course of last year that it was preparing to bring together all of the facets of the policy on the education of children with autism into one document to provide further clarity on the issue. However in the interim I requested the National Council Special Education (NCSE) to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Appointments to State Boards (28 Jan 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested on the number of appointments made to State boards in the last three years is outlined in the following table. It should be noted that Board appointments, while made by me as Minister, are not in all cases made at my sole discretion. Individuals may be nominated for appointment by various organisations as specified in the relevant statute of the body concerned. ...