Results 7,341-7,360 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Leaders' Questions (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: It is attached to the name of the Irish republic. Fianna Fáil claimed we would not be able to negotiate components of that memorandum of understanding but we have succeeded in so doing. We will continue to do so. It is not easy and the euro crisis has been ongoing for more than three years.

Leaders' Questions (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: We are trying to convince those forces that it is in everybody's interest that the Irish get the kind of deal that other member states have been privy to as we were the first over the line. That is why the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach, together with our political families in Europe, of which no other parties in this House are members-----

Leaders' Questions (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: We will get their political support and make progress at this Council. Nobody can say what the extent of the progress will be but I know it will go in the right direction.

Leaders' Questions (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: This week my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, launched the reform proposals for local government. These are the most dramatic initiatives of their kind since the formation of local government in 1898. Some commentators have said that this is a usurpation or diminution of powers, with one commentator stating that the Minister had...

Leaders' Questions (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: There are two issues. I did not see the television programme but the Deputy indicated there were very serious allegations of secret deals and agreements-----

Leaders' Questions (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: -----to the benefit of one developer over another. I am not sure as I have not seen the programme. The thrust of the Deputy's statement is that wrong practices, including secret deals, were undertaken between the city manager or officials acting on his behalf and a private developer. If that is the case, the first responsibility is with the local government, including the Deputy's party...

Leaders' Questions (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I suggest the Deputy raise the question in the first instance with the council. I will certainly raise it with the Labour Party councillors when I get a chance to see the television programme. However, in regard to the national monument, I am well aware of the extent of the monument. I was taken on detailed and personal tour by James Connolly-Heron, the great-grandson of James Connolly,...

Leaders' Questions (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy for his question. Incidentally, the Taoiseach is the only one of the 27 leaders of the EU member states who had his profile on the front cover of the European edition of Time magazine.

Leaders' Questions (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Many of the Deputies may laugh, but I assure them that the other Heads of Government, some of them from substantially sized countries, would give their right eyes for that kind of recognition.

Leaders' Questions (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Taoiseach is meeting the other Heads of Government from his political family, the European People's Party, EPP, and the Tánaiste is likewise meeting our political family in Europe, the Party of European Socialists, PES. At that meeting, President Hollande of France among other socialist leaders will be preparing politically for the Council meeting later today. My understanding is...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the school to which he refers has been allocated a devolved grant to provide a two classroom ASD Unit with ancillary accommodation. The school authorities have been notified of this decision in a letter dated 4th October 2012. My Department has since received a further application for additional funding. This application is currently being considered...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The teacher referred to by the Deputy is currently on the supplementary special panel. Special schools with vacancies and primary schools with special class and resource post vacancies are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent vacancies from the supplementary special panel when the main and subsidiary special panels are clear. The core function of the redeployment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Fee Paying Schools (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The school to which the Deputy refers is a fee-charging school and therefore, the question of the extent and payment of any fees is a matter between the school and parents involved.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Internet Safety Issues (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Office for Internet Safety has been established by the Government to take a lead responsibility for internet safety in Ireland, particularly as it relates to children. However, it is important for all of us to be vigilant and alert to the potential risks associated with the use and misuse of modern technologies. In this context, individual schools have the capacity to filter the content...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 to 117, inclusive, together. The most recent information on the cost of a pupil attending a national school is for the 2011 financial year. The Department of Education and Skills current expenditure per first level pupil for 2011 was €6,368. Current expenditure per student by the Department of Education and Skills broken down by second level...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I assume the Deputy is referring to the fee-charging second level schools. Grants are not paid by my Department in respect of pupils enrolled in fee-charging schools. The most recent statistics show that a total of over 25,600 pupils attend fee-charging schools. The Department of Education and Skills spends approximately €100 million on current expenditure in these schools and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Department publishes all current circulars on its website at www.education.ie. An e-mail issued to the CEO of County Cork VEC on the 29 June 2009 which advised that the music provision provided by Cork County School of Music was not part of the VEC's Further Education remit and that the appropriate teacher qualifications were those pertaining to primary and second level provision. This...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As previously outlined to the Deputy on 9th October 2012, the priority in the education capital budget sector is to focus on major school projects and smaller projects devolved to schools to meet demographic demands over the next five years. Given the necessity to concentrate on meeting the need for additional school places it is unlikely that funding will be available for a minor works grant...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The school building referred to by the Deputy is currently the subject of a major extension and refurbishment project. This project when complete will provide appropriate accommodation to facilitate the amalgamation of the two nearby primary schools and additional school accommodation to meet additional pupil enrolments in the area. A design team was appointed in September of this year to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants (18 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The waiting time for processing a student grant application by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) varies, depending on a number of factors including the volume of applications received at any given time, the complexity of the grant applicants circumstances, and time taken by the applicant to submit all the required documentary evidence to enable a final decision to be made on an...