Results 11,081-11,100 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will appreciate that many categories of applicant apply for funding under the student grant scheme. Information is not specifically collated on students who are ineligible on the basis of the residency criteria.

Written Answers — Infrastructure Investment: Infrastructure Investment (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: At its meeting on 11 April 2011, the Government approved the preparation of a new capital investment framework for the period from 2012, to be prepared by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. That Department wrote to my Secretary General on 28 April 2011 requesting a report on my Department's proposed overall capital investment programme for the period 2012-2016, to facilitate...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: 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 NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. This now...

Written Answers — Infrastructure Investment: Infrastructure Investment (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: When I announced last June the requirement for 20 new primary schools and 20 new post-primary schools I indicated that the estimated cost of the establishment of these new schools would be in the region of €380m. The total capital allocation for my Department under the Government's Medium Term Infrastructure and Capital Investment Framework as announced on 10 November 2011 amounts to just...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: In general, students who previously pursued a course of study are not eligible for grant assistance for a second period of study at the same level, irrespective of whether or not a grant was paid previously. Subject to the conditions of the student grant scheme, grants are available where students are progressing to a course at a higher level. The objective of this policy is to assist as...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department seeking funding for ancillary accommodation in the school. This application is currently being assessed and my Department expects to convey a decision on this application to the school authority shortly.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: All contractors employed on major school building projects are required to ensure that rates of pay and conditions of employment, including pension contributions, comply with all applicable law and that those rates and conditions are at least as favourable as those for the relevant category of worker in any employment agreements registered under the Industrial Relations Acts 1946 to 2004....

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Hotel, Catering and Tourism is one of the vocational modules which may be taken by students as part of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme. Within Transition Year, there are also a number of optional modules including Good Food, the Irish Experience developed by Fáilte Ireland, the Fáilte Ireland Tourism programme, and Food Matters focusing on health food choices, the Irish diet...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The results of the Maths Teaching Survey conducted by the Teaching Council have been received by my Department. The results provide a good overview of the current situation in schools. All post primary schools were requested to participate in the survey and there were 422 valid responses. The results of the survey shows that 66.4% of maths teachers are fully qualified to do so, 31.1% have...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 173 together. At this point I do not propose to give any specific commitment on the allocation of teachers to schools for the 2012/13 school year. The staffing schedule is the mechanism used for allocating mainstream teaching posts to all schools. It currently operates on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 28 pupils. The...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The school in question submitted an application in February 2011 for Emergency Funding for replacement of windows. As the scope of works for this project is outside the terms of the Emergency Works Scheme it cannot be considered for emergency funding. A refusal letter in respect of this application issued to the school authorities on 4 May 2011. As outlined in my reply to the Deputy's...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an early stage of architectural planning. The Stage 2a submission (Developed Sketch Design) was recently received in my Department and is currently being reviewed. On completion of that review, officials from my Department will be in contact with the school authority regarding the further progression of the project.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The estimated savings to the State from the loss of 2,000 Primary School Teaching Posts would be approximately €120 million in a full year. I do not propose to give any specific commitment on the overall number of teaching posts in the education sector. These are issues that I am considering with my colleagues in Cabinet in the context of the forthcoming budget and meeting our obligations...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The estimated full financial year cost of providing funding to postgraduate students under the student grant scheme in the form of maintenance and fee grants is some €76m.

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A redundancy application from the person referred to by the Deputy was received by my Department on 8 September 2011. Applications are processed in date order of receipt and every effort is being made to process these applications as quickly as possible. Applications received in June / July 2011 are currently being processed. Extra resources have been assigned to the Redundancy Unit to...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The number of staff in the Department at the end of 2008, 2009, 2010 and to date in 2011 is outlined in the following table. YEAR STAFF NUMBER (WTE*) End 2008 1331 End 2009 1270 End 2010 1271 To date 2011 1260 There was a small increase in 2010, primarily due to the transfer of certain functions and an associated 31 posts to this Department from then named Department of Enterprise,...

Written Answers — Departmental Reviews: Departmental Reviews (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A value for money review on small primary schools is currently underway in my Department. This review is part of the normal review processes undertaken by all Departments on an annual basis on selected areas of expenditure and is being conducted in line with the standard procedure for value for money reviews. Work on the review is well advanced and I expect that the report of the review...

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Government published details of the capital funding available to the Department of Education and Skills for the period 2012-2016. The level of funding available for investment in higher education infrastructure provides for funding of projects where legally binding contractual commitments exists. In this regard 2 projects at Cork Institute of Technology - the repatriation of apprentices...

Written Answers — Institutes of Technology: Institutes of Technology (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I have asked the Higher Education Authority for its formal advice on the draft criteria for Technological University designation and the on a suitable process for application and assessment against those criteria. Following consideration of this advice it is my intention to publish the designation criteria and the process arrangements so that Institutes of Technology which are considering...

Written Answers — Infrastructure Investment: Infrastructure Investment (29 Nov 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the Third Level capital projects that will not proceed is as follows: 1st Bundle 3rd Level Projects Limerick Institute of Technology - Library Information Resource Centre University of Limerick - Library Phase 2 Cork Institute of Technology - Library Extension Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology - Digital Media Teaching...