Results 5,801-5,820 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Evaluations (19 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I launched a new system of school self-evaluation for all schools last November. My Department issued circulars 0039/2012 (primary) and 0040/2012 (post-primary) which explain the school self-evaluation process and the actions required at school level. The Inspectorate has published comprehensive guidelines for schools and is delivering a range of other supports for school self-evaluation....

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

Ruairi Quinn: The proposed building project referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. Due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget, imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet those increasing demographic requirements, it was not possible to include this project in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Application Numbers (19 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: For the 2011/12 academic year, some 88,834 students applied for a higher education grant - 45,715 new applications and 43,119 renewals for continuing students. In addition some 13,883 students applied for a further education grant - 11,920 new applications and 1,963 renewals for continuing students. This information has been compiled from data provided by the 66 grant awarding authorities...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that policy can be expressed and manifested through a variety of forms. Explicitly, it is communicated via legislation, regulations, rulings, orders, plans, strategies, policy statements, and other forms – or through a combination of these. Therefore the Deputy will appreciate that specific policies and objectives are not always articulated in just one...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Application Numbers (19 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The table contains the available information in the Department in this matter. The data refers to the 2011/12 academic year and refers to new applications only. The equivalent data for 2012/2013 will not be available until the end of the current academic year. The information has been supplied by 66 grant awarding authorities. It is indicative data only as, for data protection reasons, it...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Application Numbers (19 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Data is not collated on average incomes for any socio-economic group. Grant applications are means tested on gross income from all sources earned inside and outside the State within a specified reference period. Various income thresholds for a grant apply depending on the number of dependent children in a family and/or the number of children attending further and higher education. Any...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (19 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 340 and 341 together. 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 decision has been taken on setting a limit on the value of farm or other business assets that may...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Childhood Obesity (19 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Currently, all primary and second-level schools provide PE as part of the curriculum and there are approved syllabuses for the subject. The new Framework for Junior Cycle which I published last October will, inter alia, aim to increase the importance of physical wellbeing in several ways: - The Framework is based on eight Principles. The Principle of "Wellbeing" undertakes to ensure that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (19 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The pay scale and allowances of the person referred to by the Deputy are being checked at present. An official of my Department will contact the person referred to, as soon as possible and advise her of the position.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (19 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that the student in question appealed the original decision on his grant application to the appeals officer in SUSI and the original decision was overturned. The grant application was reassessed and a letter issued to the student on 25th January 2013 requesting further documentation. When the requested...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision (19 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department does not maintain a database of State owned schools that are supplied with mains water. The matter of utility supplies and costs to schools is a matter for individual school authorities and the utility provider. It is expected that schools prioritise the use of school funds to finance the cost of their water supply. Accordingly, the information sought by the Deputy is not available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Rainwater Harvesting (19 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 346 and 347 together. A number of test projects, the first in 2004 were completed to establish the opportunity and associated issues with the use of rainwater recovery systems in schools. Following the evaluation of these schemes, rain water harvesting systemifs were introduced for major school building projects in 2008. Since then all major school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (19 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The appeal from the student referred to by the Deputy was considered by the appeals officer in Student Universal Support Ireland and the outcome issued to the student by letter dated 21st January 2013.

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

Ruairi Quinn: The proposed building project referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. Due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget, imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet those increasing demographic requirements, it was not possible to include this project in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Panel Rights (19 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I have arranged for officials of my Department to make direct contact with the teacher referred to by the Deputy in relation to the application for panel rights.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Computer Coding Classes (19 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I am aware of the excellent work of the Coder Dojo movement. Through this initiative young people learn how to code, develop websites, applications, programs and games. One of my Minister's of State has established a Coder Dojo in his constituency. I have no plans to introduce Coder Dojo into the curriculum at present. The overall approach to ICT, based on the advice of the National Council...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (19 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 his grant application to be processed to finality. This has been requested of the student.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Tax Code (19 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: In relation to the VAT rate charged on the purchase of e-books, this matter has been raised with the Department of Finance and I am advised that the VAT rating of goods and services is subject to the requirements of EU VAT law with which Irish VAT law must comply. The general position is that school books are zero-rated. The zero rate applies to printed books. All digitised publications are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (19 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that requested additional supporting documentation has been received from the student and an outcome to his application will issue directly to him shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (14 Feb 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The expenditure information requested by the Deputy is not available on a regional basis. However, based on the estimated number of full-time students at First, Second and Third Levels in the 2011/12 academic year, and the 2012 provisional outturn of expenditure for my Vote, an estimate of the spend per capita is contained in the following table. Estimated expenditure per full-time student...