Results 7,241-7,260 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for the relevant grant awarding authority. The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form and supporting documentation, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student should qualify for a maintenance grant or which rate of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 206 together. As already advised to the Deputy on 10th October the information requested is not available on a county basis. One hundred and forty retired teachers were employed in the primary sector to cover absences during the period 28th August to 10th October. Thirty one retired teachers were employed during the period 4th September to 1st...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The attached tables detail the number of grant applications that have been received, processed and decided by Student Universal Support Ireland by county and by educational institution. The information contained in the table has been supplied to my Department by SUSI, the new centralised grant awarding authority. Educational Institution Numbers Awarded Aberystwyth, University Wales 1...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the Student Grant Scheme, an approved course is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of at least two years duration or a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one year duration pursued in an approved institution. The Student Support Act 2011 contains an enabling provision for the purpose of including part-time courses in the student grant schemes when resources permit....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, in June of 2011, I announced that 20 new post-primary schools would be established over the next 6 years. This included a new post primary school to open in Claregalway in 2013. Following on from that announcement, the different patron bodies, including Educate Together, were invited to apply to become patrons of the new schools in each area. Educate Together did...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Appointments to State Boards (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 212 and 213 together. Details of Membership of Boards and appointment dates and remuneration can be downloaded from the Department's website, this information is updated when any relevant changes occur - . In accordance with Government policy, expressions of interest have been sought through the Public Appointments Service (PAS) from suitably qualified and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school concerned received funding of €184,830 under the Summer Works Scheme 2010 to upgrade the three existing science rooms. This funding also provided for new science room fittings as requested by the school.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of such...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Programmes (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 216 and 217 together. Annual funding from my Department for the Adult Refugee Programme (ARP) was in the region of €2.5 million. This funding will cease at the end of this year so the projected saving is in the region of €2.5 million. Migrants, including workers and refugees, will continue to be able to access a range of courses that have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: When the moratorium was introduced the Government exempted Principal and Deputy Principal posts in all primary and post-primary schools and these continue to be replaced in the normal manner. The impact of the moratorium is therefore limited to the Director of Adult Education, Assistant Principal and Special Duties allowances payable to teachers on promotion. Vacancies at this level arise due...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with SUSI, the new centralised grant awarding authority, that the distance in the case referred to by the deputy is currently under review and the student will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the total allocation available in 2012 for the capital programme in the school sector amounts to €357m and expenditure to date is in line with expectations. Within the 2012 capital allocation, the more significant expenditure is concentrated on large scale projects which includes the acquisition of school sites and is estimated to be in the order of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The contract for the school building project to which the Deputy refers, is between the school authorities and the contractor in question. Following notification from the school that works did not proceed as expected on October 8th, Department officials met with the school authorities and their Design Team to consider the next steps. My officials are liaising with the school authorities and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with SUSI, the new centralised grant awarding authority, that further supporting documentation was requested from the student referred to by the Deputy. The documentation was received on 12 October 2012 and is currently under consideration. When the analysis is complete the student will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Fee Refund Scheme (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Teacher Fee Refund Scheme 2011 has yet to be finalised as there are a small number of applicants to the scheme whose eligibility may be affected by the review of allowances being undertaken by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The proportion of fees refunded depends on the number of qualifying applicants in any given year. The funding available is allocated on a pro-rata...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Under Budget 2011, the qualifying distance criterion for the non-adjacent rate of student grant increased from 24kms to 45kms. The proposal to amend the distance to qualify for the higher non-adjacent rate to 45km took into account a reasonable radius in which students could be expected to commute on a daily basis. There are no plans at present to revise the distance criteria.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Alongside the Anti-Bullying Forum which took place in May 2012, I established a working group to examine issues related to tackling all forms and types of bullying in schools. As you are probably aware, there is a specific commitment in the Programme for Government to address the very serious issue of homophobic bullying in schools and this is part of the working groups remit. I invited...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of a proposal in relation to a potential permanent site for the school referred to by him. As part of the assessment of this proposal, it was noted that the relevant Local Authority has indicated that it considers the site in question to be unsuitable as a permanent location for a school. An alternative site, which is suitably...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Firstly, I wish to advise the Deputy that the Programme for Government sets out that education will be a priority for this Government and that we will endeavour to protect and enhance the educational experience of children, young people and students. Approximately 15% of the entire budget of my Department – some €1.3 billion – was spent in support of children with Special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (23 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The position is that Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and the criteria governing the level of tuition fees to be charged (EU or Non EU rate), in cases where undergraduate students do not qualify for free fees under my Departments free fees schemes, are a matter for the institutions to determine. The institutions set their own criteria for the determination of the rate of...