Results 10,201-10,220 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy is aware, I will shortly publish a five year plan outlining the school building projects that will commence construction in that time. In view of the need to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place, the delivery of major school projects to meet future projected demographic demands will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming...

Written Answers — Industrial Relations: Industrial Relations (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: It is a matter for the Board of Management as the employer, in consultation with the relevant school management body and trade union, to conduct grievance procedures in respect of a teacher. My Department has no function in this area.

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The independent Student Grant Appeals Board was established in September 2011.The Appeals Board sits at regular intervals to consider appeals submitted under Section 21 of the Student Support Act 2011. The appeal of the person referred to by the Deputy is one of thirty six appeals to be considered at the February sitting of the Appeals Board which takes place on Tuesday 21st February. The...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Work is well advanced on the value for money review of small primary schools. I expect that the report of the review should be available to me shortly. I will then have to consider its outcomes and proposals. When this process is complete, publication will be arranged.

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Vocational Education Committees (VECs) are paid directly by the Committees which employ them. The Deputy should note that the CEO is not a member of the VEC. Apart from basic salary, CEOs may qualify for payment of allowances in respect of the discharge of the role of Transport Liaison Officer and/or as Secretary to a Board of Management of a Comprehensive...

Written Answers — School Closures: School Closures (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Diocesan Office recently facilitated a visit by my Department to the property in question. My Officials will be in further communication with the Diocesan Office shortly.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (21 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: There are currently seven retired public servants serving on boards of bodies under the aegis of my Department where annual remuneration fees apply. In addition the Chairpersons of both the Residential Institutions Redress Board (RIRB) and the Residential Institutions Review Committee (RIRC) are both retired public servants and are paid salaries subject to pension abatement. Two other members...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (16 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 87 together. As announced in the house on the 11th January, I have asked my Department for a report on the impact of the withdrawal of certain posts allocated under previous disadvantaged schemes in DEIS Band 1 and Band 2 primary schools. This report, which is currently being finalised, will detail the facts for each individual school affected by this...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (16 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The school authority has appealed the Department's decision to withdraw grant aid. The appeal is currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as this process has been completed.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (16 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The new simplified approach to the General Allocation Model of support for schools will make it easier to automatically update it annually in line with the changes in the number of classroom teachers in each school. Schools will also have autonomy on how to deploy the resource between language support and learning support depending on their specific needs. The arrangements for the staffing...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (16 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy is referring to funding arrangements for primary schools, and has not been previously raised with my Department by schools or their management bodies. The manner in which primary schools are funded takes account of the fact that the State's accounting period is based on a calendar year, while schools traditionally operate on the academic year commencing in September. Thus, primary...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (16 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: 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 they were entitled to be in receipt of on that date. Such...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (16 Feb 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 — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (16 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: In the context of the overall necessary but difficult expenditure reduction measures announced in Budget 2012, new students entering postgraduate courses from the 2012/13 academic year onwards will not be entitled to any maintenance payment under the Student Grant Scheme. Existing postgraduate students will not be affected. However, those students who meet the qualifying conditions for the...

Written Answers — School Placement: School Placement (16 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The school to which the Deputy refers has recently submitted an application for additional accommodation to my Department and further information has been requested from the school authorities in this regard. When this information is received, the application will be further considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as this process has been completed.

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (16 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm to the Deputy that the numbers quoted on the previous parliamentary questions does refer to primary school teachers only. The vast majority of primary school teachers register with the Teaching Council as soon as they have completed their college course. As soon as they gain employment in schools for the required period (a minimum of 50 consecutive days), they complete a...

Written Answers — Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications Services (16 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: A working group comprising representatives from my Department, HEAnet and the Department of Communications and Natural Resources have recommended a strategy for the roll out of 100mbps to post primary schools. All schools will be connected by the end of 2014. The strategy which has been accepted by Government is based upon the best technical advice available and was designed to achieve best...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (16 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The information which the Deputy has requested is available on the Social Inclusion section of my Department's website at following link - http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/deis_school_list .htm.

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (16 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The examination fee for repeat candidates has increased from €284 in 2011 to €301 in 2012, an increase of 6%. This is the same level of examination fee increase which has applied to the fees generally for Leaving Certificate candidates, where the fee has increased from €109 to €116. Special examination fees for repeat candidates were introduced in 1987 on the basis that it is not...

Written Answers — School Management: School Management (16 Feb 2012)

Ruairi Quinn: The grievance procedures are agreed between the school management bodies and the teacher unions. The Department of Education and Skills is not a party to these procedures and so it cannot intervene in their operation. Non-compliance with the procedures should be brought to the attention of the school's board of management, as the employer, in the first instance. The board may thereafter...