Results 2,441-2,460 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (19 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: There are fundamental educational reasons for not allowing a junior/senior post-post primary school configuration in Maynooth. These include: - The introduction of a third major transfer point for students between primary level and third level. - The question of which school the Transition Year should be placed in. - The undermining of Department policy to maintain as common a curriculum as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (19 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 was not eligible for a grant under the nationality criteria. 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, previous...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (19 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: School patronage was not amongst the identification criteria for selecting schools for participation in DEIS and, consequently, the information requested is not readily available in the time-limit for reply. I have asked my Department to compile the relevant information and forward it to you as soon as is possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Process RIA (19 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has published 6 bills since March 2011. Of these, the three listed below included an RIA which was published on my Department's website: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill 2011 Education (Amendment) Bill 2012 Education and Training Boards Bill 2012 My Department currently has 6 Bills on the Legislation Programme for the Autumn 2013 Session, and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Bodies (19 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: There were no quasi-autonomous NGOs created or in existence within the circumstances outlined by the Deputy. Information in relation to non-commercial State bodies under the aegis of the Department of Education and Skills can be downloaded from my Department's website.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Bodies (19 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the chairpersons of non-commercial State bodies under the aegis of the Department of Education and Skills can be downloaded from my Department's website. No regulators fall within the remit of my Department. For the Deputy's information, the chairpersons that continue to hold office and the circumstances under which they do so are as...

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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Issues (18 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The State Examinations Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate examinations. Applications for such accommodations are submitted by schools on behalf of their students. Full details of the scheme are available for downloading from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Eligibility (18 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm to the Deputy that there are two separate cases where the combined allocation of home tuition initially approved by my Department was appealed resulting in increased allocations. As set out in the Home Tuition Circular, allocations to siblings are reflective of the school grouping principle. The pupil teacher ratio in school settings can result in one teacher being allocated...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (18 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: In 2010 my Department carried out an examination of the long term use of the building referred to by the Deputy and determined that it would not continue with the operation of the facility. There are no plans at the moment to re-open the facility. My Department will make contact with the school authorities to discuss the issues raised.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (18 Dec 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter in the first instance for the awarding authority. The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application in relation to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student would...