Results 6,841-6,860 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (21 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions 85 to 87, inclusive, together. I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has already approved grant aid towards the provision of an additional classroom at the school to which he refers to facilitate an additional teacher appointment. The school subsequently sought to expand the project and in this regard, my officials have advised the principal that a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (21 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I understand my Department has responded to certain queries raised by the teaching staff of the school referred to by the Deputy. In the case of one teacher arrangements are being made to pay arrears of salary.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (21 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I have accepted the recommendations set out in a report commissioned by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on the structures of initial teacher education. The purpose of the report, which I requested, was to identify new possible structures to improve initial teacher education in Ireland so that it is comparable with the best in the world. The international panel of education experts...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (21 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Third Level Access Measure provides support for disadvantaged students through two sub-priorities: the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities. The objective of the Student Assistance Fund, is to assist students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise, due to their financial circumstances, be unable to continue their third level studies....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (21 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: An integral part of the overall plan for the reform of the administration of student grants is to move on an incremental basis to an earlier grant application process, with a view to ensuring earlier decisions on grant applications, and more timely payment of grants. Opening the application process early would enable the necessary information to be submitted, so that an application can then...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (21 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will appreciate that as the preparation of the Estimates for any Budget including Budget 2013 is carried out on a strictly confidential basis, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on specific issues or proposals, including those relating to student grants, in advance of the Budget announcement.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Semi-State Sector Remuneration (21 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Information in respect of the number of semi-State agency executives and employees that have salaries of more than €100,000 per year, including any additional allowances and bonuses are included in the table. As matters relating to pay and pensions are an administration matter for the bodies themselves the information requested by the Deputy in respect of the annual cost to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Semi-State Sector Remuneration (21 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 95 together. I can confirm, in respect of FÁS, 3 former members of staff are in receipt of pensions in excess of €90,000 per annum. Details of non commercial state agencies under the remit of my Department can be downloaded from my Department's website.

Estimates for Public Services 2012: Motion (20 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I move:That leave be given by the Dáil to introduce the following Supplementary Estimates for the service of the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2012:–Vote 12 — Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary Estimate). Vote 20 — Garda Síochána (Supplementary Estimate). Vote 22 — Courts Service (Supplementary Estimate). Vote 31 —...

Estimates for Public Services 2012: Referral to Select Committee (20 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I move:That, subject to leave being given to introduce the following Supplementary Estimates for the service of the year ending on 31st December, 2012, the Supplementary Estimates be referred to the following Select Committees or sub-Committees, as appropriate, pursuant to Standing Orders 82A(3)(c) and (6)(a) and 159(3), and paragraph (8) of the Orders of Reference of Select Committees, which...

Credit Union Bill 2012: Financial Resolution (20 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I move:THAT provision be made in the Act giving effect to this Resolution for the charging in accordance with that Act of certain levies on credit unions, being levies for the purposes of financing, as nearly as may be taking one year with another, half the total expenditure incurred by a body (being a body to be established by that Act and to be known as the Credit Union Restructuring Board)...

Other Questions: School Curriculum (20 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: If I may, I will address Deputy O'Donovan's comments first. In September 2011, a conference - its website was www.transitions.ie - examined the bridge between second and third levels. Three weaknesses were found. Two were on our side of the equation, as it were, and one was on the universities' side, namely, the 300% increase in offers for courses. Compared with ten years ago, the choices...

Other Questions: School Curriculum (20 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Let us be clear about this issue. Every organisation across the education spectrum welcomed the proposed changes in the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA. The objection raised by teachers was not to the content of the new curriculum but to the decision by me to stand down a State examination, the junior certificate examination, because I no longer considered it relevant....

Other Questions: School Curriculum (20 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I intend to do so.

Other Questions: Third Level Sector Reform (20 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I will attempt to get the figures rather than hazard a guess across the floor. A huge increase in productivity is evident when one matches the reduction in funding with the increase of student numbers. That has possibly resulted in the deterioration in quality of some services, although that has not been brought to my attention. It certainly shows there is an extraordinary capacity to...

Other Questions: Third Level Sector Reform (20 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The documents were put on the website on Friday evening and the hard copies can be downloaded. The committee can decide if they want to discuss them with the Higher Education Authority. I share Deputy Wallace's concerns, and there is a sense in many smaller legal firms, which would be well able to provide legal service or collaborate with others, that the big five seem to have been enabled...

Other Questions: School Curriculum (20 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The new framework for junior cycle is based on advice given to me by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA. Teacher organisations are represented on both the NCCA council and the NCCA's junior cycle review committee. In addition, I have established a group of education partners to discuss and support implementation of the new junior cycle. Bodies representing second...

Other Questions: Third Level Sector Reform (20 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Reforms in the higher education area include academic staff delivering an additional hour per week resulting in more than 100,000 additional lecturing hours which, if they had to be paid for, would amount to an estimated €8 million annually. Since the Croke Park agreement, the student-to-staff ratio in higher education institutions has increased by 18%. The employment control...

Other Questions: Third Level Sector Reform (20 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: If the Deputy will bear with me, I have to hand a note which hopefully will provide him with the information he seeks. The anticipated question was on what savings have been achieved under the employment control framework, which came in just before the present Government took office but which is within approximately the same time period. Under the employment control framework, core staff...

Other Questions: Departmental Reports (20 Nov 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: First, I want to pay tribute to the third level sector because, despite declining current account support from the Department of Education and Skills, which will continue through this year, the number of students entering the college system is increasing. By and large, outcomes are still good and there has not been a marked deterioration in standards. The Deputy will be aware that the HEA...