Results 9,061-9,080 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy was included in the five year construction programme and is listed to proceed to construction in 2015/2016. The building project is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The design team are currently working on completing the stage 2(b) submission which will then be submitted to my Department for review. For the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The project to which the deputy refers is close to completion. However, there are a number of technical issues which need to be resolved before the building can be handed over to the school authority. It is anticipated that these issues will be resolved in the coming weeks. There is currently only one small prefab leased by the school and the rent is €2,878.20 (VAT incl) per annum. The...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Pension schemes generally make provision for the payment of benefit where a member retires because of a medical condition the nature of which makes him/her incapable of discharging the duties of the occupation and is likely to be permanent. Retirement on ill health grounds is a major decision that impacts both on the scheme member and the organisation. The award of pension in such...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The table attached details the number of staff employed in my Department by salary band and job title at the end of 2011. As of end December 2011, the number of staff employed in my Department, including staffing of the Inspectorate and of the National Educational Psychological Service, was 1,251 whole time equivalents (WTE). The number of staff at the end of March 2012 was 1,216 WTE. PQ...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 113 together. An analysis of payments made in respect of travel and subsistence in my Department during 2011 shows an average payment of €461 per claimant for Foreign Travel and €1,718 per claimant for Domestic Travel. The payment of Travel and Subsistence by officers within my Department in connection with official business is made in accordance...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I attach a breakdown outlining details of expenditure from my Department's administrative budget subhead A3.1 (Official Entertainment) in 2011. Cost Centre: Payment: Description: HIGHER EDUCATION PRS €314.00 Lunch hosted by Tánaiste (Mary Coughlan) MINISTER €89.00 Credit Card Charge - Hotel Meeting - Tánaiste (Mary Coughlan) MINISTER €70.00 Hotel Accommodation - Tánaiste (Mary...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The total expenditure on uniforms by my Department in 2011 was €4,174.27 This expenditure is in respect of uniforms (including a footwear allowance) for my Department's service officers.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The overall allocation for postal and telecommunications services in my Department for 2012 is €2.64 million. This funding is provided in my Department's Administrative Budget, subhead A4. The 2012 allocation represents an increase of approximately 10% over actual expenditure in 2011. The reason for the increased provision in 2012 is twofold: a) Some flexibility is required in relation to...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The allocation for my Department's office premises expenses for 2012 is €2.34 million. The funding is provided in my Department's Administrative Budget, subhead A6. The 2012 allocation for subhead A6 represents an increase of approximately 43% over actual expenditure in 2011 (€1.635 million). The reasons for this level of provision in 2012 are as follows: a) An allocation of some €0.4...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested is being compiled at present and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware all primary and post-primary schools have access to psychological assessments either directly through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). Schools that do not currently have NEPS psychologists assigned to them may avail of the SCPA, whereby the school can have an assessment...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: A9 is a new subhead for 2012 to cover costs to my Department of our Presidency of the EU in 2013. The provision of €175,000 is made up of €137,000 for pay costs and €38,000 for non-pay costs. The pay provision is for additional full time and part-time staff for the Presidency, including two interns who are to take up duty in the Irish Permanent Representation in Brussels from July of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI), the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC), and the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) had a combined exchequer outturn for current expenditure of €12.935m in 2008, when the decision to amalgamate those agencies into a single qualifications and quality assurance body was announced. Their 2011 exchequer...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Funding is provided from my Department's Subhead B.3 to support the following activities: - The costs of Ireland's participation in the education and training related work of the OECD and the Council of Europe. - A financial contribution to the College of Europe, including scholarships for Irish students. - Scholarships for Irish students and for the expenses involved in Ireland's...

Written Answers — UNESCO Contribution: UNESCO Contribution (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The purpose of UNESCO contribution in subhead B.4 is to meet the costs arising from Ireland's membership of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, by way of the payment of a membership contribution. The subhead also provides for international exchange programmes. The Teacher Exchanges programme for second-level teachers France: 2 Irish teachers visited...

Written Answers — Research Funding: Research Funding (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The B.5 subhead, entitled "Research and Development Activities" has two components. 1. Research and development 2. EU projects 1. Research and development. The purpose of the Research and Development subhead (B5.1) is to fund individual researchers and research institutes for specific educational research projects. A Departmental Research and Development Committee assesses applications for...

Written Answers — In-service Training: In-service Training (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In 2011 there were 130,679 training places provided by my Department funded support services for teachers. This figure includes the primary and post primary sector. Each year Vocational Education Committees (VEC) are allocated funding for the delivery of a Continuing Professional Development programme for Youthreach, Senior Traveller Training Centre (STTC) and Vocational Training...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The NCCA's 2012 allocation reflects an increase of €.077m (8%) on the 2011 outturn which my Department considers sufficient to allow the Council to continue to fulfil its statutory obligations as laid out in the Education Act 1998. A core element of its work for 2012 is to continue to support Junior Cycle reform. It is important to note that reform will be introduced on a phased basis....

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: There are six projects in Local Drugs Task Force areas which receive allocations from subhead B8 of my Department's Vote. Four of the projects are administered by the VECs in Dublin City, Dublin County (2) and Dun Laoghaire; my Department also provides each VEC with an allocation towards administration costs. The remaining two projects are administered directly by my Department. The...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: There were no projects or schemes that failed to access funding under educational disadvantage schemes administered by my Department in 2011 or 2012. The 1% decrease alluded to in the Deputy's question refers to the allocation for B10 Educational Disadvantage (Dormant Accounts Funding) in 2012, of €1.6 million. This allocation is some €13,000 or 0.81% less than the outturn under B10...