Results 9,081-9,100 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: At the end of December 2011 the Redress Board had accepted 15,404 applications of which 14,855 had been processed resulting in 13,915 awards. A total of €866.58m was paid out in awards and €166.34m was paid in legal and associated costs. The Board's annual report provides a more detailed breakdown of the legal payments to solicitors in any one year. At end 2011, the Redress Board had a...

Written Answers — Good Friday Agreement: Good Friday Agreement (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement there are four designated areas of cooperation in the area of education; special education needs, educational underachievement, teacher mobility and school, youth and teachers exchanges. My Department funds a number of initiatives in these four areas. A list of projects currently funded is attached as Appendix A for the deputy's information. In...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the Schools Broadband Programme services are secured by my Department on behalf of schools through a public tendering process. All schools wishing to avail of broadband under the Programme are currently in receipt of the best available connections within resources. As the Deputy will be aware, broadband capacity can vary due to geographical location. However, since the commencement of...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Teachers in Primary Schools are paid salary in accordance with the Common Basic Salary Scale. This scale ranges from €30,904 to €59,359 for those whose first appointment was prior to 1st January 2011 (full details in Circular 04/2010). For those Primary Teachers whose first appointment was on or after 1st January 2011, the salary scale ranges from €27,814 to €53,423 (full details in...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware Budget 2012 provided for a 2% reduction in the funding for capitation and related grants to primary and second level schools in both 2012 and 2013 and a further 1% in 2014 and 2015. Due to my decision of 21st February last, to retain posts from previous disadvantage schemes in DEIS Band 1 and Band 2 primary schools, it was necessary to generate alternative savings...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 139 together. The amount spent on renting temporary accommodation at primary and post-primary level, including – but not limited to - prefabricated accommodation has reduced in recent years as outlined below: 2012: €29.3m (allocation) 2011: €28.9m 2010: €29.3m 2009: €39m As the Deputy is aware I announced an initiative to replace rented...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 138 together. The number of retired teachers in receipt of pension benefit under the Primary School Teachers Pension Scheme is in excess of 13,000. The number of retired teachers in receipt of pension benefit under the Secondary, Community and Comprehensive School Teachers Pension Scheme is in excess of 9,500. The Pension Unit of my Department is...

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

Ruairi Quinn: This Government has protected education as much as it can. Far greater reductions in expenditure and in the number of public servants are being made in other sectors relative to those in schools. But there are limits to the level of expenditure on education and the number of teaching posts we can afford. The Budget 2012 measures in relation to the post-primary sector are set out in the...

Written Answers — Third Level Progression: Third Level Progression (3 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The HEA is responsible for the collection of data on student progression. The most recent report by the HEA entitled 'A study of Progression in Higher Education', published in October 2010, is available on the HEA website. The proportion of new entrants in 2007/08 who were not present one year later was 15% on average across all sectors and NFQ Levels. However, the Deputy will appreciate that...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The number of teachers who retired from primary and secondary schools in the months of January and February 2012 is 1166. The compulsory retirement age where applicable is generally attained at the end of the school year in which the teacher reaches age 65 years. Accordingly, no compulsory retirements are included in this figure. Information is not available on a regional basis. The Pension...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 May 2012)

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. This facilitates access to individualised education programmes, fully qualified professional teachers who may draw from a range of autism-specific...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (2 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In order for a member of a pension scheme administered by my Department to claim pension payment it is necessary to make application to my Department. Specific application forms for this purpose are available on my Department's website or by writing to the Pension Unit of my Department. The Pension Unit has now issued the necessary application form to the person to whom the Deputy refers....

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (2 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As outlined in the Five Year Plan, the delivery of major school projects required to meet demographic demand will be the main focus for capital investment in the coming years. Due to the financial constraints imposed by the need to prioritise available funding to meet future demographic demands, it has not been possible to advance all applications for capital funding concurrently. The...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has an application with my Department for capital funding for a major school project. Information in respect of the current status of all assessed applications for major capital works, including this project, is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie. As outlined in the Five Year Plan, the delivery of major school...

Seanad: Employment Equality (Amendment) Bill 2012: Second Stage (2 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: If I may first mark this unique occasion by saying it is a testimony to the respect and the commitment to this matter of both the Minister for Justice and Equality and myself. I thank Senator Power for affording the Oireachtas the opportunity to debate this legislation. Our agreed programme for Government states that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people should not be deterred from...

Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (2 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I move amendment No. 10: In page 7, to delete lines 45 to 49 and substitute the following: "(a) the Teaching Council shall provide the Minister and each vocational education committee with information which is held by it in respect of each person who is or was a registered teacher, and". I understand that Deputy Crowe will speak first on this amendment.

Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (2 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: To ensure section 30 is effective, we need to ensure the Department and the VEC only pay those who are registered teachers. Amendment No. 10 is largely technical in nature and is intended to ensure the Teaching Council can share information with my Department and the VECs, not only in respect of those who are registered with it but also those who were but are not currently on the register....

Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (2 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: We are moving into new territory in regard to the employment of teachers. Under this legislation, only a registered teacher will be legally eligible to be paid by a school with moneys derived from the taxpayer by way of the Department of Education and Skills. Therefore, it behoves every prospective teacher, like every prospective voter, to ensure they are registered. What we are seeking to...

Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (2 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The amendment seeks to ensure that a person cannot be employed in place of a registered teacher without this being governed by ministerial regulation. As written, the provision states that where the Minister is satisfied that it is necessary to facilitate the urgent, temporary or occasional staffing needs of recognised schools, he or she may, from time to time, prescribe regulations...

Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (2 May 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I move amendment No. 13: In page 9, to delete lines 5 to 13 and substitute the following: "(a) a requirement that a person referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (8) be employed in the place of a registered teacher in a recognised school in a position remunerated, or to be remunerated, out of monies provided by the Oireachtas if, and only if, no registered teacher is available to...