Results 7,721-7,740 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The application for funding to replace existing temporary accommodation at the school referred to by the Deputy has recently been received by my Department. My Department has been in contact with the school seeking the submission of further information. Once this information is received, my Department will revert to the school with regard to its application.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (2 Oct 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 and meeting our obligations under the EU/IMF Programme.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested by the Deputy is as follows: Roll No. DEIS BAND School Name Address County Total No. of DAS posts by school 2011/2012 60262T                               ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: University Status (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In the document, Towards a Future Higher Education Landscape, published by the HEA in February last, a clear four stage process and criteria was laid out for institutes of technology who wish to apply for designation as a technological university. Having regard to the process that has been put in place to assess proposals for designation as technological universities I do not propose to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Furniture (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Where the provision of furniture at schools is being grant-aided in whole or in part by my Department, schools must comply with my Department's specifications. These specifications require that school chairs conform to the Irish (and European) Standard which is I.S. EN 1729 Furniture, Tables and Chairs for Educational Institutions. This is a recent standard dating from 2006. Any proposed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Sports Facilities Provision (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The management of facilities on the UCD campus is the responsibility of the university authorities. My Department did not fund the development of this facility and has no function in relation to how it is operated or in determining the charges which are applied for the use of the facility.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Course Applications (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Enterprise Ireland undertake out an annual review of international students in higher education in Ireland. The results of the most recent survey, which covers the 2011/2012 academic year, are being finalised. The initial figures provided by Enterprise Ireland indicate that there were around 32,000 international students registered in public and private Irish higher education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Contracts (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Individual higher education institutions have autonomous responsibility for the management of staff resources. While teaching hours norms are specified under standard agreed contracts for academic staff in the institute of technology sector, in the case of the university sector there would be a variation of individual teaching loads as part of overall academic duties. Under the terms of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Consultancy Contracts (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department. I am arranging for this information to be collected and it will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (2 Oct 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 Primary 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Remuneration (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The following tabular statement gives details of allowances paid to some staff at my Department in addition to their basic remuneration as requested by the Deputy. As the allowances are paid to the general Civil Service grades within my Department to carry out a particular function and were agreed at Central level for the whole Civil Service no business case for their retention was required...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As you will be aware in June of last year I announced that up to 40 new schools are to be established up to 2017 to cater for increasing demographics across a number of locations. These consisted of twenty new primary schools and twenty new post-primary schools. This announcement did not include a proposal to establish a new primary school in the area referred to by the Deputy. However, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The report of the Action Group on Access to Third Level Education made detailed recommendations concerning the introduction of special rates of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students. The target group of "those most in need" was defined in terms of the dependants of people receiving long-term welfare payments, where the necessary conditions are fulfilled. To qualify for the special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. My Department completed a review of the initial Stage 1 Submission for the project. However the stage submission as presented could not be approved at that time. The School Authorities were advised to request their Design Team to submit a Revised Stage 1 Submission which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning. To ensure that every child has access to a school place, the delivery of projects to meet the increasing demographic demands will be the main focus for capital investment over the next 5 years, particularly in those areas where it has been identified that most future demographic growth will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The following table shows Education and Skills Expenditure on my Vote, as detailed in the annual Appropriation Accounts, for the years 1992 – 2011, including as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Direct comparison for the different years is difficult due to changes in the make-up of the Education and Skills Vote, which include, inter alia: (a) The transfer into my Vote in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Article 27(3)(a) of the Student Grant Scheme 2012 provides that the relevant distance will be measured in line with agreed guidelines. These guidelines require that the shortest most direct route between the applicant's normal residence and the institution where the approved course takes place should apply and that, in determining the shortest most direct route, the relevant awarding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (2 Oct 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: Site Acquisitions (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The proposal to purchase land adjacent to the school referred to by the Deputy was considered. While the purchase price of the land is nominal, the development of the land for use as car parking/set down area will incur significant costs. In view of the need to ensure that every child has access to a school place, the delivery of major school projects to meet significant demographic demands...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (2 Oct 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The initiative referred to by the Deputy came to an end last June. This Government does not plan to review the decision to end the modern languages in primary schools initiative. As the Deputy is aware the decision to end the scheme took account of a 2008 Report by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). The report identified serious issues with curricular overload at...