Results 5,401-5,420 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Retirements (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Government recently announced a targeted voluntary redundancy package which is initially to be rolled out in three areas including specific parts of the Education Sector. Officials of my Department are currently liaising with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with a view to finalising arrangements for the roll out of a targeted scheme for the Sector. Accordingly, a scheme is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: My officials understand from Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy appealed the original decision to its appeals officer on 6th March , 2013. SUSI aims to issue appeal determinations as promptly as possible and within the specified timeframe specified in the Student Support Act, 2011.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that the student referred to by the Deputy has had his application reviewed and he was subsequently awarded the non-adjacent rate. A revised award letter issued on 18th February 2013. I understand that a revised rate of payment was issued to the student referred to by the Deputy on 13th March 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Delays (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand from Student Universal Support Ireland that it is up to date with processing all complete applications. In this regard as at the close of business on the 17th March 2013 is that 59,684 applications have been processed to completion. As part of the close out strategy for the 2012/13 academic year, SUSI is currently contacting applicants who have not completed their application...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Childhood Education (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department does not currently collect data on whether or not primary schools are operating early childhood care and education facilities. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs does have information on whether the early years service is located within school grounds but doesn't have information on whether the facility is being operated by the primary school or by an independent...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Information in respect of the current status of all assessed applications for major capital works at primary and post primary schools, including details of those projects where funding has been approved, is available on my Department's website, broken down by county, at www.education.ie, which is updated regularly throughout the year. The 5 Year Construction Plan that I announced on 9 March...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that discussions are ongoing between officials in Co. Donegal VEC and my Department in relation to identifying a suitable site to cater for the proposed campus development to which he refers. Due to the commercial sensitivities attaching to site acquisitions generally, I am not in a position to comment further at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The information sought is not readily available in my Department. Officials of my Department have asked the Higher Education Authority to contact the institutions seeking details and I will forward the available information to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I can inform the Deputy that Circular 8/2013: Budget 2012 – Public Service-Wide Review of Allowances and Premium Payments, was issued on 25 January 2013. The Circular is available to download from my Department's website.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Croke Park Agreement Issues (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The proposals put forward by the Labour Relations Commission on an extension to the Croke Park Agreement include a provision that there will be full co-operation by the parties with the follow up to the Government's allowances review. The public service trade unions are currently considering the outcome of these negotiations. Their members now have an important decision to make and in my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested in relation to the gender breakdown of Primary School Principals is being compiled and will be provided directly to the Deputy. It would take the staff in my Department some time to compile this information on a County basis. I do not therefore propose to divert them from their current work in order to provide this.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 254 and 256 together. The allocation process for the 2013/14 school year is currently underway in my Department and the staffing arrangements, including the appeals process, for primary schools have been published on the Department website. The final staffing position for all schools will not be known until later in the year when the allocation process will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that a variety of options are in place for young persons, including those with special education needs, to continue with educational provision after the age of 18. My Department provides funding to Vocational Education Committees (VECs) nationwide for a range of part-time and full-time accredited and non-accredited further and adult education programmes which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department had a leasehold interest in the premises occupied by the school to which he has referred. The lease ran from 1939 for a period of 50 years, thus it expired in 1989. The property in question is no longer used as a national school following the construction of a new purpose built school on a different site.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Delays (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand that the Deputy is referring to the appeals on decisions made by Student Universal Support Ireland which are on hand to be considered by the independent Student Grants Appeals Board (Appeals Board). I can confirm to the Deputy that the Appeals Board is currently sitting at weekly intervals to clear the appeals on hand. This arrangement will be continue into April and will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Issues (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The 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 is available for downloading...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: All major school building contracts include a clause specifying the payment of the appropriate Registered Employment Agreement rates of Pay and Conditions of Employment. This is a standard clause in the Public Works Contracts. My Department is continually seeking ways of improving the effectiveness of the delivery of the school building programme particularly in the area of compliance....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Courses Feedback (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The information sought is not readily available in my Department. Officials of my Department have asked the Higher Education Authority to contact the institutions seeking details and I will forward the available information to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that the student referred to by the Deputy has been awarded a grant and an award letter issued on 6th March, 2013

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Croke Park Agreement Issues (20 Mar 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform has decided that public servants who retire before the end of August 2014 will have their pension and lump sum calculated by reference to the current pay rates, i.e. the rates before the pay reductions which will apply from 1st July 2013.