Results 5,721-5,740 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Appointments to State Boards (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I established the Student Grants Appeals Board (Appeals Board) on 8 September 2011 in accordance with Section 25 of the Student Support Act 2011. The Appeals Board is independent in the performance of its functions. It comprises of a Chairperson and six ordinary members, all appointed in their individual capacities based on their knowledge and expertise. The membership of the Appeals...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: We collect information on primary children by the year that they were born rather than by date of birth. Please see the attached table with the number of 4 and 5 year old children enrolled from 2007-2011. Year Age Mainstream Pupils 2007 4 26256 2007 5 36043 2008 4 26932 2008 5 37415 2009 4 25894 2009 5 38027 2010 4 25016 2010 5 37947 2011 4 26768 2011...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: We collect information on primary children by the year that they were born rather than by date of birth. Please see the following table with the number of 4 year old children enrolled from 2007-2011. Year Age Mainstream Pupils 2007 4 26256 2008 4 26932 2009 4 25894 2010 4 25016 2011 4 26768

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Childhood Education (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department doesn't have a policy of encouraging schools to set up pre-school services in competition with services that have been funded through the EOCP or its successor programme. If the Deputy knows of schools where this has occurred, perhaps she could bring them to my attention.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Design (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The assessment of means under my Department's student grant scheme is based on gross income from all sources. Therefore, all income is assessed from the same starting point, eliminating any distortion which might arise from different spending decisions. I have no plans at present to change this arrangement in respect of the determination of income for grant purposes.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department has recently authorised the issue of the letter of intent to the preferred bidder. The contractor must now produce certain documentation such as a bond, insurances, tax clearance etc. Subject to receipt of all the required documentation and provided no further issues arise, it is anticipated that the contractor will commence on site later...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Design (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that a dedicated capital assets test implementation group was established to bring forward detailed implementation proposals on new means testing arrangements for student grants, to include the value of assets. No decisions have been taken in relation to the inclusion of farm or other business assets in any new means testing arrangements. I have received a draft...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that in 2011, I launched a discussion paper on school enrolment. The "Discussion Paper on a Regulatory Framework for School Enrolment" contains suggestions on how to make the process of enrolling in schools more open, equitable and consistent and is available on my Department's website. I also invited education partners and interested parties to submit their views...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: A syllabus for Politics and Society as a new subject in the Leaving Certificate was submitted to my Department by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment in May 2011. The implementation issues are being examined at present in the context of overall system priorities and resources.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (26 Feb 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 20th February, 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested is being currently being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: In March 2012 the school referred to by the Deputy was approved devolved funding for the construction of 2 mainstream classrooms under my Departments Additional Accommodation Scheme. The school authorities have applied for additional funding to enable them build 2 mainstream classrooms and a GP Room. A member of the Department's Professional and Technical staff is due to visit the school in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Issues (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 was enacted in July 2012 and provides for the establishment of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board. The Board is being established to use the cash contributions of up to €110 million pledged by the religious congregations to support the needs of some 15,000 survivors of residential institutional child abuse. This...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland 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.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Agencies (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the Civil Service Scheme of performance related awards for posts at the levels of Assistant Secretary and Deputy Secretary the Chief Executive Officers of both the State Examinations Commission and the National Council for Special Education were eligible for awards. This Scheme was terminated in 2009. Awards made to individual officers under this scheme for 2008 are not disclosed as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Agencies (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The information sought by the Deputy is being collated and will be forwarded as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that there were four major projects in County Kerry announced under my Department's Five Year Capital Investment Programme. The construction of new school buildings for Presentation School and Nagle Rice NS in Milltown has been devolved for delivery to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA). The NDFA has recently appointed a Design Team to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. A Revised Stage 2(a) Submission is currently with my Department for review. Once this Review is complete, and subject to no further issues arising, the project will progress to Stage 2b which includes applications for Planning Permission, Fire Safety Certification,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Major Building Project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. The Stage 2a submission is currently with my Department for review. Once the review is complete, subject to no issues arising, the project will progress to Stage 2b which includes applications for Planning Permission, Fire Safety Certification, Disability Access...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Major Building Project for school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning.