Results 9,801-9,820 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 179 and 221 together. A public service-wide review of allowances, announced by the Government as part of Budget 2012, is currently being led by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Under Circular 70/2011 teachers who had been engaged in a public sector teaching post on or before 4 December 2011 are eligible to retain the qualification allowances...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for Capital funding for additional accommodation at the school referred to by the Deputy. The application is currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as this process is completed.

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving proposals in relation to the realignment or amalgamation of the two schools to which he refers. It is open to the schools in question to furnish details of their proposals to the Department for consideration.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme to carry out various improvement works to their school building. As the scope of works for which funding is sought is outside the terms of the scheme it cannot be considered for funding. The school authority has been informed of this decision.

Written Answers — Education and Training Boards: Education and Training Boards (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Education and Training Boards will take over the work of vocational education committees and will have an expanded role in the delivery of further education and training across the country. In October 2011 the General Scheme of an Education and Training Boards Bill was referred to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education. The General Scheme was also published...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 202 together. The staffing arrangements for the 2012/13 school year are set out in Primary Circular 0007/2012 which is available on my Department's website. This includes the detail of the reform of the allocation process which is designed to bring a more equitable distribution of existing posts between schools. The new arrangements incorporate a...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My priority as Minister for Education and Skills is to preserve access to undergraduate higher education courses despite the difficult circumstances in our public finances. As a result, no changes were made to the eligibility criteria for undergraduate students in the recent Budget. It is also worth emphasising that 41% of all undergraduate students currently receive a grant and pay no...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 222 together. The staffing arrangements for the 2012/13 school year are set out in Primary Circular 0007/2012 which is available on my Department's website. This includes the detail of the reform of the allocation process which is designed to bring a more equitable distribution of existing posts between schools. The new arrangements incorporate a...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: With the passage of the Student Support Act in 2011, specific offences and penalties were introduced relating to the provision of false or misleading information in the context of a student grant application. Under Section 23 of the Act, a person who furnishes information to an awarding authority which is false or misleading or who is reckless as to whether it is so is guilty of an offence,...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Language Education Policy Profile for Ireland was published jointly by this Department and the Council of Europe in 2008. On the foot of the profile, a Working Group was set up to consider the main recommendations of the profile and to draft proposals for consideration by the Department. These proposals are still under consideration.

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Circular 0003/2012 stipulates that allowances are not payable to new beneficiaries; i.e. those who become eligible for receipt of the allowance in question on or after 1 February 2012. Chief Executive Officers who are appointed in a temporary acting capacity after this date will not qualify for payment of an allowance in respect of the discharge of the role of Secretary to a Board of...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The staffing schedule, Circular 0007/2012 includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeal Board. Details of the criteria for appeal are contained in Primary Circular 0007/2012 which is available on the Department website. The closing date for submission of appeals for the April meeting of the Staffing Appeal Board is 23 March,...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations, determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations and making arrangements for the marking of work presented for examination. In view of this I have forwarded...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is currently awaiting receipt of the Tender Report from the Board of Management and their Design Team. Assuming no issues arise with the Tender Report when received, the project will progress to the award stage and then construction.

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: A curriculum framework for SPHE as a senior cycle subject was submitted by the NCCA to my Department in mid 2008. A copy of the curriculum framework is available on the NCCA Website (www.ncca.ie). However, the Department is not in a position to proceed with its implementation in the current budgetary climate. The priority in this area is to continue to enhance the implementation of SPHE at...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I fully appreciate the importance of Physical Education in promoting positive well being, and mental and physical health in schools, and the role this plays in supporting student achievement. As part of the revised Junior Cycle framework, there are 24 statements of learning which set out what students should learn in Junior Cycle. One of the statements of learning provides that, at the end of...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Primary education has a pivotal role in the preservation and expansion of the first official language. The promotion of the Irish language has been an important aim of successive Irish Governments and its place in our education system has been consistently protected. This is reflected in the fact that in recent years a significant number of new gaelscoileanna have been recognised by the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 196 and 205 together. The staffing arrangements for the 2012/13 school year are set out in Primary Circular 0007/2012, which is available on my Department's website. This includes the detail of the reform of the allocation process which is designed to bring a more equitable distribution of existing posts between schools. The new arrangements incorporate a long...

Written Answers — School Building Projects: School Building Projects (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware I recently announced an initiative to replace rented prefabs in schools. Almost 200 schools have been offered an opportunity to replace rented prefabs with permanent accommodation. The school referred to by the Deputy is one of the schools being offered grant aid to replace rented prefabs.

Written Answers — School Building Projects: School Building Projects (13 Mar 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I take it that the Deputy is referring to Scoil Caitlín Maude. I can confirm that my Department is currently examining an application for improved accommodation from the school in question. So that the matter can be considered fully, a technical assessment of the site on which the school is located is required. Officials from my Department will be in further contact with the school...