Results 11,021-11,040 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that officials from my Department have been in discussions with Co. Wicklow VEC regarding a permanent site for the school to which she refers. However, given the sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally, I am not in a position to comment further at this time. The acquisition of a site and the delivery of the school building project will be...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 to 63, inclusive, together. Co. Mayo VEC has provided the statistical information sought by Deputy and this is contained in the following table. The administration of the student grant application process is matter for the management of each grant awarding authority – in this case the Chief Executive Officer of the VEC. I am aware that the timing for...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Based on an analysis of payments made by my Department to date in 2011 that were liable for VAT at the rate of 21%, it is estimated that the cost of a 2% increase in VAT in 2012 would be of the order of €64,000. This is based on the assumption of an equivalent level of expenditure in 2012 as in 2011. This estimate does not include expenditure made by schools and other bodies in the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The school authority referred to by the Deputy has applied to my Department for major capital funding for a new school. The current status of all projects on the school building programme, including this school, may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie and this will be updated regularly throughout the year. The Government's Medium Term Infrastructure and Capital Investment...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants to schools to support children with special educational needs. SENOs also make recommendations to my Department where assistive technology is required. The NCSE...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware of the Comprehensive Expenditure Review that was undertaken in all government Departments at the request of the Minister of Public Service Expenditure and Reform. While a key priority for me is to continue to prioritise and target resources at schools with the most concentrated levels of educational disadvantage, the current economic climate and the challenge to meet...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: In preparing the answer referred to by the Deputy (Question No. 84 of 24 November 2011) my officials contacted the Deputy's office to seek clarification as there are two schools with the same name in that area of County Dublin. The answer provided on 24 November referred to the girls national school as identified by the Deputy's office. The details provided in respect of this school are...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The current status of all projects on the school building programme, including the school referred to by the Deputy, may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie and this will be updated regularly throughout the year. The Government's Medium Term Infrastructure and Capital Investment Framework, which was published on 10 November 2011, sets out the demographic challenge facing...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The provision of a new building for the school to which the Deputy refers necessitates the acquisition of a site. I wish to advise the Deputy that a suitable site has been identified for the proposed school and my Department is working with the local authority to acquire this site. When the site is acquired, a project for the school will be considered within the context of my Department's...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The major building project at the school referred to by the Deputy was included in the Work Programme for 2011 announced last January. The Design Team are currently working on finalising the Stage 2(b) Submission (Detailed Design) which will then be submitted to my Department for review. Upon completion of Stage 2(b) the Design Team will submit the required documentation to the Department....

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that all 3248 eligible primary and special schools received the Minor Works Grant for 2011/2012 at the end of November with a total grant of over €28m paid out. I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers is an eligible school and has been paid the grant.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department provides funding to primary schools by way of per capita grants, which affords schools considerable flexibility in the use of these resources to cater for the needs of their pupils. A calendar of when these grants are issued to primary schools is available on the website of my Department at http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/pri_grant_calend ar_2011.pdf

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The correspondence to which the Deputy refers raises concerns regarding the specific approach to internationalisation taken by a number of named higher education institutions, and with the international education strategy itself. Both the national strategy and the internationalisation policies of the institutions concerned have my support and confidence. No evidence is presented in the...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75, 77 and 78 together. The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains information relating to class size in primary schools. The information includes the number of pupils in each class, the number of pupils in each class size range and the number of teachers in each school. As you will be aware from the budget announcements yesterday, there is no...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The school to which the Deputy refers is a recognised national school and attracts funding from my Department in the same way as all other recognised national schools. All recognised national schools running costs are met by my Departments scheme of capitation and ancillary grants. Schools will receive capitation funding in January and June, and the ancillary services grant in March. In...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79 and 82 together. As the Deputy may be aware, my Department is in the process of acquiring a site for the school, in question, for the purpose of constructing permanent accommodation. In the meantime, grant aid is provided by my Department to the school authorities concerned for the rental of temporary accommodation to meet the schools interim accommodation...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The circulars issued to schools on standardised testing provide that students may be excluded from standardised testing if in the view of the school principal they have a learning or physical disability which would prevent them from attempting the tests or, in the case of migrant students, where the level of English required in the test would make attempting the test inappropriate. The...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: One of the key goals contained in the Programme for Government is to raise educational standards in literacy and numeracy at both primary and post primary education. That is why I have prioritised the publication and implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy 2011-2020 since becoming Minister for Education & Skills. Despite increased investment in education in recent years,...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 83 and 85 together. The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs. The Deputy should note that SENOs are...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (6 Dec 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: As the Deputy will be aware, the area in Co. Cork in which the school to which she refers is located, has been identified as one of the areas projected to experience a significant increase in demand for school accommodation in the coming years and the requirements of the school in question are being considered in this context. My Department is in the process of acquiring, subject to...