Results 6,661-6,680 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Post-Leaving Certificate Courses (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The number of participants on PLC courses in the 2010-11 academic year was 38,774 and in the 2011-12 academic year was 36,587. The PLC programme provides full-time courses at levels five and six on the National Framework of Qualifications for school leavers and adults returning to education. It provides successful participants with specific vocational skills to enhance their prospects of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: EU Presidency (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Directors General of Vocational Education and Training (DGVET) meet during each EU Presidency. Ireland will host a meeting of the DGVET on 20-21 May 2013 in Dublin Castle. The programme for this event is still under consideration. Also, a number of Irish Presidency conferences will address themes which cut across many sectors of education, including further education. These include...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: At this point I do not propose to give any specific commitment on the allocation of teachers to schools for the 2013/14 school year. The number of teaching posts that we can afford to fund in schools is a matter that I will have to consider with my colleagues in Cabinet in the context of the next budget. The Government will endeavour to protect frontline education services as best as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Value for Money Reviews (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: All of the submissions regarding the value for money review of small primary schools, including those received from the school to which the Deputy refers, were carefully considered. The terms of reference of the review specify a focus on the organisation of the primary school system, rather than on individual schools. It is intended that the review will contribute to an evidence base to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: An straitéis 20 bliain don Teanga Ghaeilge 2010 go 2030, tá sé mar aidhm aice cur chuige iomlánaithe a fheidhmiú don Teanga Ghaeilge a bheadh comhsheasmhach leis an gcleachtadh idirnáisiúnta is fearr. Tá sé geallta ag an Rialtas tacaíocht a thabhairt don straitéis i gClár an Rialtais 2011 go 2016. Ina theannta sin, dreamanna poibli...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the application of the student referred to by the Deputy is currently being assessed and that SUSI will be in contact with him directly in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand that the Deputy is referring to caretakers and maintenance staff employed in the school. The school in question is a fee charging school and does not receive grant-aid from my Department to fund the cost of employing support staff, such as caretakers and maintenance staff. Accordingly, the pension arrangements are exclusively a matter for the school authorities.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: It was necessary for my Department to introduce an interim payment arrangement for teachers who were first appointed to the teaching profession since 01st February 2012 pending the outcome of the review of public sector allowances by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Arrangements are being made to have the payment issues raised by the Deputy resolved and officials of my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cross-Border Co-operation (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 201 and 202 together. My Department co-operates with a number of Departments and Offices in Northern Ireland in co-sponsoring projects which have a cross-border dimension and include among their objectives increasing mutual understanding and advancing peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland. The projects and Northern co-sponsors are listed in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that on the 3rd December, 2012 a request for further documentation was issued to the student referred to by the Deputy. When the requested documentation is returned the student will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, his student grant application was unsuccessful and that he appealed the decision to the appeals officer in SUSI and their original decision was upheld. The student submitted an appeal to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board and the appeal was considered at a sitting of the Board on the 27th November 2012. A...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy a grant has been awarded and an award letter issued on 29th November, 2012.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Payments (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that further documentation was received from the student referred to by the Deputy on 12th November 2012 and this documentation is currently awaiting review. The student will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that on the 27th November, 2012 a request for further documentation was issued to the student referred to by the Deputy. When the requested documentation is returned the student will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Ireland (SUSI), the new centralised grant awarding authority, that the student referred to by the Deputy submitted a grant application after the closing date on the 14th September. Upon initial assessment it was determined that the form was not completed in full and the student has been advised by letter on the 3rd December,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, his student grant application was unsuccessful and that he appealed the decision to the appeals officer in SUSI and their original decision was upheld. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by SUSI, and remains of the view that SUSI has not interpreted the scheme correctly in his/her...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In October of last year, I announced and published the headquarter locations where VECs are being merged as a result of the Government decision to reduce the number of VECs from 33 to 16. In relation to the specific merger of City of Limerick VEC with Co. Limerick VEC and Co. Clare VEC as you know I have decided that the headquarters of the Education and Training Board will be in Limerick...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: EU Programmes (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Erasmus programmes: figures for Ireland 2007 - 2012 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12* Total Number of Students on Erasmus Study Mobility 1,514 1,421 1,660 1,918 1,898 Total Number on Erasmus Placements in companies 303 417 528 653 789 Total Number on Teaching Mobility 193 189 205 200 190 Total Number on non-academic Staff Mobility 18 28 38 43 74 Expenditure (€)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: 73 small primary schools were originally due to lose a classroom teacher in September 2012 as a result of the budget measure to increase the relevant pupil thresholds. The Staffing Appeals Board considered appeals from any of the 73 schools that could show that their projected enrolments for September 2012 were sufficient to allow them retain their classroom teacher over the longer term. 63...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Survey (4 Dec 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: A working group chaired by the HEA which includes institutional and student representatives has been established to oversee the introduction of the new national student survey which is being introduced as part of the reform programme. I understand that it had been planned that a pilot of the new National Student Survey would be ready to be tested during the third quarter of this year....