Results 681-700 of 14,576 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Travel (13 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I currently do not have any official foreign travel planned. Minister of State, Ciarán Cannon, T.D. has the following official travel planned: In May 2014 he will travel to Brussels to attend the EU Education Council meeting. In June 2014 he is expected to travel to Paris to address the 34rd Ashoka Global Summit, a forum in which leaders and entrepreneurs will look at ways to create...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is currently considering how the accommodation needs of the school, referred to by the Deputy, can be addressed. In that regard, the recent visit by my Department's Inspectorate will assist in that process. My Department expects to be in touch with Donegal ETB in respect of the College, in question, shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The contractual position in respect of the working hours of SNAs is as outlined in their contracts of employment which were agreed with the school management authorities and the relevant Trade Unions representing SNAs (IMPACT and SIPTU) prior to their introduction in 2005. Links to the SNA Contracts of Employment are as follows:Department of Education and Skills Circular SNA 12/05...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department's policy is focused on ensuring that all children, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. The policy is to provide for children with special educational needs, including autism, to be included in mainstream schools unless such a placement would...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Remuneration (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The employer of the person to whom the Deputy refers was informed by my Department's Payroll Division on 21 March 2014 that, as the requirement for continuous service outlined in circular letter 0034/2009 had not been satisfied, a Contract of Indefinite Duration could not be awarded in this case. There is an appeals procedure which may be availed of as set out in circular letter 0034/2009...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take questions Nos. 60 to 63, inclusive, together. My Department provides capitation funding to all recognised primary schools and post primary schools within the free education scheme. My Department provides funding to all recognised primary schools by way of per capita grants. Enhanced rates of capitation funding are paid in respect of children with special educational needs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Primary Online Database (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Primary Online Database (POD) will replace the current annual census of primary schools, and will involve schools maintaining and returning data on pupils to the Department at individual pupil level on a live web-based system which is currently being developed by a project team in the Department. The database will allow the Department to more closely monitor and evaluate progress and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Councils Issues (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I have asked my officials to forward the information to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The school to which the Deputy refers submitted a proposal to relocate the school in question to alternative permanent accommodation to meet its long term requirements. The Department has contacted the school Patron seeking further details in respect of the proposal. Once a response is received, the matter can be given further consideration. In the meantime, my Department approved funding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. The staffing arrangements for the 2014/15 school year (Circular 0007/2014) were published on 24 January, 2014. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Services Provision (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) approves special classes for schools. Such a special class was approved for the school referred to by the Deputy in 2011. My Department has arrangements in place whereby a substitute teacher is employed by a school if a teacher, including special class teachers, is absent on certified sick leave as is the position in this case. The criteria...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Charges (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: It is presumed that the Deputy is referring to the Student Contribution which currently stands at €2,500 for the current academic year and is payable by students who qualify under my Department's free fees schemes. I have already signalled my intention to increase the Student Contribution by €250 each year hereafter until the 2015/16 academic year when the contribution will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: In May 2013, I asked the Higher Education Authority to implement the agreed future system configuration noted by Government. This included allowing the three applicant groups of institutes of technology who had submitted a formal expression of interest to merge and to apply to become a technological university to proceed to the second stage of the four stage process, published in February...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Postgraduate Education (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) was established in 2006 and projects approved under the Fund were aimed at institutional reform, enhancing teaching and learning, improving access and lifelong learning and enabling the development of fourth level activity. Funding for the SIF from the Department ended in 2012. One of the key objectives of the SIF was 'to prepare for the expansion and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Access to Higher Education (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: In the context of the necessary but difficult expenditure reduction measures announced in Budget 2012, new students entering postgraduate courses from the 2012/13 academic year onwards are not entitled to maintenance payments under the Student Grant Scheme. Those who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the Student Grant Scheme are eligible to have their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Assistance Fund (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: A new National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education is currently being developed by the National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education in consultation with my Department. This will include new targets to increase participation by under-represented groups. The Third Level Access Measure provides support for disadvantaged students through two sub-priorities: the Student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Assistance Fund (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The table gives details of the allocation to the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) and the numbers of students who benefitted for the past five years. - 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 Funding allocation (€) 5,000,000 5,000,000 5,012,000 9,000,000 11,000,000 8,350,000 Number of beneficiaries 7,776 7,681 8,301 13,347 16,721 n/a  2013-14 beneficiary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Fund for Students with Disabilities (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The table gives details of the allocation to the Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) and the numbers of students who benefitted for the past five years. FSD Number of beneficiaries Total Funding Allocated 2008-09 3,483 11.7m 2009-10 4,964 12.1m 2010-11 6,097 13.7m 2011-12 6,849 10.8m 2012-13 7,897 10.3m 2013-14* 9,020 10.2m*Provisional.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The DEIS Action Plan (2005) provides that increased access to higher education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds will be promoted, in co-operation with the National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education. Reports of progress by higher education institutions to the Higher Education Authority, indicate that the majority of post-primary, DEIS schools are linked with the access...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Scholarship Schemes (8 May 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The table details the number of places awarded on the Irish Scholarship Schemes for the past eight years. Number of Irish Scholarships Awarded Academic Year Ón nGaeltacht Trí Ghaeilge: Teoranta Neamh – Theoranta TOTAL 2006/07 15 14 17 46 2007/08 15 7 15 37 2008/09 16 5 15 36 2009/10 15 4 20 39 2010/11 17 7 19 43 2011/12 15 7 15 37 2012/13 0 0 0 0 2013/14 0 0 0 0