Results 6,461-6,480 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Application Numbers (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The table provides a breakdown on a county basis of the status of student grant applications received by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). The data provided is at a point in time on the 18th December 2012. It gives the position for student grant applications for attendance at both further and higher education. This data has been provided to my Department by SUSI. SUSI is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: An application for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme to replace the fire and intruder alarm systems along with upgrading the exterior security lighting and CCTV system has been received from South Tipperary VEC in respect of the school referred to by the Deputy. As the scope of works for this project is outside the terms of the Emergency Works Scheme they cannot be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I am assuming that the Deputy is referring to the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) which is a professional body with a division of behaviour analysis. I can inform the Deputy that there is no record in my Department of a formal bilateral meeting during the period in question with the PSI on applied behaviour analysis or indeed of a request from the professional body for such a meeting.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions 210, 211 and 221 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 recent budget. The DEIS scheme for disadvantaged schools is also fully...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Higher Education Authority gathers Equal Access information each year from new entrants at undergraduate level on their socio-economic background, disability and ethnicity. The survey however is not mandatory. For the academic year 2011/12 it demonstrates that the proportion of student entrants from farming backgrounds who qualify for a grant is estimated at some 41.8%. This compares...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with SUSI, the new centralised grant awarding authority, that grants have been awarded to both students. An award letter issued on 17th December to the first student referred to by the Deputy while an award letter issued on 12th December last to the second student referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Expenditure (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: During the transition period which migrates the administration from the local authorities and VECs to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), staff resources and associated staffing costs will continue to be incurred by both the local authorities and VECs, as well as SUSI. Staffing resources and staffing costs associated with the processing of grant applications for students renewing their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Application Numbers (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand from Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that, as at the close of business on the 16th December, it has received 67,029 student grant applications for this academic year. A survey completed by the grant awarding authorities in January each year provides details in relation to processing of grant applications as at the third week in January. The processing position as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Expenditure (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The funding allocation for student grants for future years will be determined in the context of the overall Estimates and Budgetary process undertaken by all Government Departments. It is not, therefore, possible at this stage to predict what the allocation for student grants, will be in the future.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Expenditure (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The funding allocation for student grants for future years will be determined in the context of the overall Estimates and Budgetary process undertaken by all Government Departments. It is not, therefore, possible at this stage to predict what funding will be available for students of low income families.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Post-Leaving Certificate Courses (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 218, 239 to 242, inclusive, and 262 together. The pupil-teacher ratio for Post Leaving Cert (PLC) courses - which are mainly geared at school leavers and adults returning to education - is more favourable than the ratio in second level schools. The Government has decided to raise the pupil-teacher ratio for PLC courses to the same level as that which applies...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Delays (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The old system of student grant administration involved 66 awarding authorities - 33 local authorities and 33 VECs. This arrangement was widely acknowledged as not being an effective means of administering student grants. Maintaining a system of 66 separate grant-awarding bodies in the face of rising demand was not sustainable. While it has to be acknowledged that Student Universal Support...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: European Council Meetings (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Minister for Education & Skills sits on the EYCS (Education, Youth, Culture & Sport) Council of the European Union. From March 9th, 2011 to date, there have been 5 meetings of the Council. The dates of each meeting, along with the details of Ministerial and official attendance at same, are as follows: Date: 20 May 2011 Ministerial attendance: Minister for Education &...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The Design Team is currently working on the Stage 2(b) Submission, including the preparation of tender documents, which, on completion, will be forwarded to my Department for review. The project is on the 5 year construction programme and is scheduled to commence...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Contracts (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Government's Public Service Reform Plan recognises the key strategic importance of public procurement and provides for the development of a new policy framework for procurement. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has recently notified Departments and public bodies of the mandatory requirement to use central contracts, put in place by the National Procurement Service...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Contractor has been appointed and that construction on the project commenced earlier this month.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with SUSI, the new centralised grant awarding authority, that the application of the student referred to by the Deputy has already been awarded a grant and an award letter issued on 14th December 2012.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Comhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Tá sé de rún agam Ceisteanna Uimh. 226 and 227 a fhreagairt le chéile. Bheinn ag súil le COGG a bheith ag cur a chuid feidhmeanna reachtúla i gcrích i gcónaí de réir mar a bhaineann leis an nGaeilge, trí Ghaeilge, agus ag déanamh cumarsáid leis an bpobal sa chaoi chéanna is a ndéanann siad faoi láthair.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: A Comptroller and Auditor General special report on a variety of matters arising from recent audits of financial statements of higher education institutions was published earlier this year. The report noted that universities and Institutes of Technology (IOTs) had cash balances of €706 million at the end of the 2010/11 academic year. When account is taken of restricted reserves and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (18 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware, my decision to reduce the VEC allocation for 2013 took account of the capacity of VECs to utilise cash balances on a once off basis. The balance in each VEC will be taken into consideration when the individual budget for each VEC is determined in the New Year. Details of the deposit balances in each VEC as of 30th September 2012, the most recent date for which...