Results 2,861-2,880 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Remuneration (19 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has no discretion in relation to the recovery of monies from staff who have been overpaid. When a staff member is appointed they agree to refund any monies paid are not properly payable and to comply with the Overpayment Policy as outlined in Circular 15/04 in this regard. A detailed breakdown of the calculation of the overpayment amount has been sent directly to the person...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Courses Availability (19 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Students at third level institutions across the country have access to a range of agriculture-related courses that can be taken as core subjects or in combination with a range of other disciplines. Information on all agriculture-related courses is available on the Qualifax website, www.qualifax.ie.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Traveller Community (19 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Current and future policy in relation to Traveller education is underpinned by the Report and Recommendations for a Traveller Education Strategy which was launched in 2006, following wide ranging consultation with relevant stakeholders including Traveller representative groups. The principle of inclusion is at the core of the Strategy and, accordingly, the focus of both current and future...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (19 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Mock examinations are not part of the State examinations system. The decision to organise and/or charge for mock examinations is made at school level. Mock examinations are not a requirement of my Department. Schools are provided with capitation and school services grants to meet their running costs. DEIS schools receive additional funds for targeted interventions to improve educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Courses Provision (19 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: A new National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education (2014-2019) is currently being prepared by the National Access Office for my Department. This will include new targets to increase participation by under-represented groups. The Springboard programme strategically targets funding of free part-time flexible higher education courses for unemployed and previously self-employed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Remuneration (19 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The detailed arrangements regarding supplementary assignment arrangements for SNAs for the 2013/2014 school year are set out in Departmental Circular 0037/2013 which issued on 1 July 2013 and which is available on the Department's website at the following address: With effect from 1 May 2013 once an SNA with a minimum of one year's service is notified by his/her employer that he/she is to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (19 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The school, to which the Deputy refers, has submitted an application to the Department for additional accommodation. In that regard, my Department sought further information which has since been received and which is currently being considered. My Department expects to contact the school shortly in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (14 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The policy of my Department is to ensure, as far as possible, that the Managerial Authorities of schools give priority to unemployed registered teachers who are fully qualified when filling vacant teaching posts. It is important to note that schools themselves employ teachers and not the Department of Education and Skills. However my Department has issued a number of circulars addressing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (14 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 61 together. The Teaching Council was established on a statutory basis in March 2006. The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the financial statements of the Teaching Council since its establishment is set out in the attached table. This information is also available on the Teaching Council's website as part of its published financial...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Plean Teanga (14 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Is é an bunchritéar, agus scoil á roghnú le bheith rannpháirteach i scéim DEIS, leibhéal míbhuntáiste na scoile i gcomparáid le scoileanna eile. Tar éis próiseas aitheantais, ar aon dul le dea-chleachtas idirnáisiúnta, inar úsáideadh na foinsí sonraí ab fhearr dá raibh ar fáil, roghnaíodh...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (14 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on the Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing arrangements for the current school year 2013/14 are set out in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (14 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding to provide a new school building. The current status of all projects on the school building programme, including the school in question, may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie. In view of the financial constraints imposed by the need, as outlined in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (14 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the number of applications for major school capital works with my Department is in excess of 1,000 at both primary and post primary levels. The current position of such projects may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie, which is updated regularly. Projects are grouped into various categories including projects at application stage, in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (14 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that the previous Government, as part of the Programme for National Recovery, introduced a cap on the number of Special Needs Assistants. This figure was set at 10,575 posts and has remained in place since the 2011/12 school year. Since the cap was introduced, every child meeting the criteria for access to SNA support has received this support, with some remaining...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reports (14 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: A review of the configuration and development of post-primary provision for Limerick city and part of its environs over the period 2014 to 2024 for the Department was commenced by George O'Callaghan in October 2013. It is anticipated that the report concerned will be made available, when completed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (14 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 74 together. Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department, or in the case of an Education and Training Board (ETB) school to the ETB in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (14 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware, I launched a public consultation on promoting inclusiveness in primary schools in September. Working in conjunction with the National Parents' Council - Primary, an information leaflet on the consultation, specifically targeted at parents, was distributed to all parents' associations. The associations were asked to use the leaflet as part of their efforts to raise...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Strategy for Higher Education (14 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: An Implementation plan which sets out the actions necessary to implement the recommendations in the Strategy is available on my Department's website at . The Plan identifies the lead organisations and the timeframe for implementation of each action. A detailed progress report on the implementation of all of the actions in the Plan to the end of 2012 is also available on the website. In May...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Freedom of Information Manuals (14 Nov 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I would like to inform the Deputy that my Department's Section 15 and Section 16 Freedom of Information manuals are available on the Department of Education and Skills website. They can be accessed at

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (14 Nov 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, occasionally, on the basis of some other criterion. The criteria to be applied by schools in such...