Results 6,161-6,180 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 135, 137, 148, 149, 158 and 159 together. The reduction of €13.2 million in 2013 VEC allocations is separate to the change in the pupil teacher ratio for Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses. That reduction takes account of VEC capacity to utilise cash balances on a once off basis. While it would have been preferable not to have to make any...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Proposed Legislation (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The passing of primary legislation is required for the establishment of SOLAS. The Heads of a Bill for the establishment of SOLAS were approved by Government last year. The Bill will, among other things, provide for the establishment of SOLAS, the dissolution of FÁS and the transfer of the FÁS training services to the Education and Training Boards that are being established under...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: In general, the management authorities of schools are responsible for renting or purchasing prefabs. In current economic circumstances it is important that small and medium sized businesses are not hindered in competing for contracts that they are performing effectively and centralising the process would make it more difficult for these to compete. In recent years the emphasis within my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Directive 2005/36/EC, which has been transposed into Irish law, provides the framework for the recognition of the qualifications of professionals moving within the EU. In December 2011, the European Commission produced a legislative proposal to modernise this Directive and it has been examined by the European Council and the European Parliament since then. The facilitation of the mobility...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Literacy Levels (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Over the period since the launch of the Strategy in July 2011, there has been significant progress under many of the 41 actions and almost 180 sub-actions. I have increased the time spent on literacy and numeracy at primary level and the revision of the English and Irish curricula is being prioritised in Junior Cycle Reform. Major changes are being made to initial teacher training and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Skills Development (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 141 and 278 together. A wide-ranging programme of reform is currently being rolled out across all levels of the education system to ensure the continued development of skills appropriate to enterprise, particularly through the implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy and the reform of the Junior Cycle. A range of recommendations to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Delays (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: All of the additional resources requested by Student Universal Support Ireland to address the delays in the processing of student grant applications were approved. I understand from SUSI that grants processing is now largely up to date and that completed applications are being dealt with as they come in. Priority continues to be given to some 3,700 students who are due payment of their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Delays (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: An initial appeal to the relevant grant awarding authority is provided for under the Student Support Act 2011. This provides for a review of the decision by an appeals officer, independently of the original assessment process. If the grant applicant is still not satisfied with the outcome of the initial appeal, a further appeal can be made to the Student Grants Appeals Board which is fully...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Assistance Fund (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The Student Assistance Fund is managed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on behalf of my Department. As administration of the fund is devolved to the individual higher education institutions, the HEA is not currently in a position to provide the data in the format requested by the Deputy. However, a survey conducted by the HEA in November 2012 shows that the higher education sector...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I have established a group of education partners to discuss and support implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle. Bodies representing second level teachers are members of this group as well as representatives from the National Parents Councils at primary and post-primary levels. It is intended that the group will continue to meet regularly over the 8 year phasing in period of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Delays (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The processing of student grant applications is up to date for all students who have submitted completed applications to Student Universal Support Ireland. Those students who have yet to return the required supporting documentation should do so immediately to enable their applications to be processed to completion. Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies. As such, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: The submission on system configuration of the IUA to the HEA in response to the landscape process currently underway demonstrates a welcome willingness to engage with the formation of regional clusters. Building regional collaborative clusters of all our institutions is key to the delivery of the objectives of the National Strategy including achieving a more coherent, higher quality...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 151, 282 and 288 together. The Government recognises that small schools are an important part of the social fabric of rural communities. They will continue to be a feature of our education landscape. In these extremely challenging times, all public servants are being asked to deliver our public services on a reduced level of resources and teachers in small...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 152 and 274 together. The Government has protected frontline services in schools to the greatest extent possible in the recent budget and there will no reduction in teacher numbers in primary schools and in free second level schools for the 2013/14 school year as a result of the budget. The DEIS scheme for disadvantaged schools is also fully protected with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Reform (22 Jan 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. I have received a draft report from the implementation group. This is currently under consideration and I will be consulting further with my cabinet...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Agencies (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 154 and 236 together. In the new arrangement, I have made the decision to integrate COGG into the NCCA on an administrative basis. No immediate change will be made to the statutory functions of either COGG or the NCCA. The new arrangements will require COGG and the NCCA to work closely together on the many developments relating to the Gaeilge curricula at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Agencies (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 155 and 237 together. I have made the decision to integrate COGG within the NCCA on an administrative basis. Funding for COGG will be provided as a sub-head within the NCCA budget from 2014. It will be ring-fenced for COGG activities. It is intended to review the legislation pertaining to both organisations in order to determine whether a more formal...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Delays (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand from Student Universal Support Ireland that grants processing is largely up to date and that completed applications are now being dealt with as they come in. The current position on processing of grants by Student Universal Support Ireland, as at close of business on 20 January 2013 is that 47,674 applications have been processed to completion. Of the remaining applications,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Social Welfare Code (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: Allowances for further education and training participants are being progressively aligned to social welfare payments and accordingly, as part of Budget 2013, a number of changes were made in this area with effect from 1 January 2013. Previously participants on Youthreach and VTOS courses and FÁS training schemes could have their social welfare entitlement increased to a maximum...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (22 Jan 2013)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy may be aware, the closing date for completion of the current phase of parental surveys on primary patronage is Friday 8 February 2013. At that stage officials in my Department will prepare a report for the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG). I expect that the New Schools Establishment Group will make recommendations to me on the survey outcomes within a matter of weeks...