Results 11,941-11,960 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: In view of the serious financial situation I regret that I do not have the resources to restore funding for the Irish Centre for Talented Youth. Given the current challenging economic climate, difficult choices will have to be made in order to further reduce public sector spending in line with the EU/IMF arrangements.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: There is no funding available from my Department towards the costs of the law centre referred to by the Deputy. My Department does provide supports to eligible students attending specific courses in law at the Law Society of Ireland or the Honourable Society of King's Inns under the maintenance grant schemes. However, no funding is provided to these institutions towards the cost of their...

Written Answers — Third Level Remuneration: Third Level Remuneration (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested by the Deputy is listed in the following table and is based on information supplied by each of the Institutions concerned. INSTITUTION €150,000-€199,000 €200,000-€249,000 €250,000+ Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies 4 0 0 UCD 13 17 1 UCC 12 34 0 NUIG 10 21 0 NUIM 4 0 0 TCD 13 20 2 University of Limerick 8 5 0 Dublin City University 11 0 0 NCAD...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Sep 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 — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 173 and 175 together. Class size data for all primary schools is compiled by my Department on an annual basis and is available on the Department's website. The most recently published data relates to the 2010/11 school year. The staffing schedule is the mechanism used for allocating mainstream teaching posts to all schools. It currently operates on the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission's (SEC) scheme of Reasonable Accommodations is designed to assist candidates with special needs at the certificate examinations. The term special needs applies to candidates who have physical/medical and or specific learning difficulties. Applications for reasonable accommodations are considered within a published framework of principles. Reasonable...

Written Answers — Third Level Charges: Third Level Charges (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176, 217 and 228 together. The economic circumstances of the country are such that the previous Fianna Fail-Green Party Government introduced a new Student Contribution Charge of €2,000 from this September. The Programme for Government commits the Government to implementing the decisions of the 2011 Budget, which was passed by the last Dáil. The new...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department's expenditure on the primary education system is determined within the context of the parameters of the EU/IMF Programme of Support for Ireland. It is not possible to reverse budgetary measures that have already been put in place or give commitments about any future measures that may be required. The Government will endeavour to protect frontline education services as best as...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Colleges of Education operate a number of reduced points and direct entry schemes including streams for mature students, students from disadvantaged areas and students eligible under the Gaeltacht scheme. Provision is made for up to ten per cent of the teacher training places in the Colleges of Education to be reserved for applicants who reside in the officially designated Gaeltacht, and...

Written Answers — Education Reform: Education Reform (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The results of the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), undertaken in 65 countries in 2009, were published on 7 December 2010. Finland scored above the OECD average in reading literacy, mathematics and science, and is often cited as an example of excellence in educational practice. Whilst there are no plans to specifically adopt the Finnish education system,...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department, or in the case of a Vocational Educational Committee (VEC) school to the VEC in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels a student or suspends a student for...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: In line with international best practice, the Primary School Curriculum (1999) advocates the use of resources to develop mathematics concepts. This includes the use of calculators from Fourth Class onwards. In Irish primary schools, calculators are primarily used to check answers and perform routine calculations and best practice includes their use to enhance mathematics reasoning and...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. For the Deputy's information, details to date for 2011 are also included. Expense Account Credit Card Holder Credit Limit Year Expenditure Minister*-Batt O'Keeffe €10,000 2008 €1,760.48 2009 €61.00 Private Secretary to The Minister €10,000 2007 €1,056.35 2008 €2,806.45 2009 €3,901.65 7,500 2010...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 to 187, inclusive, together. At a Government meeting held on the 15th March, 2011, it was decided to reduce the number of staff permitted in Minister's Private Offices from 10 to 8 and Minister of State's Private Offices from 7 to 5. The number of staff permitted in Minister's Constituency Offices has been reduced from 6 to 4 and Ministers of State's...

Written Answers — State Examinations: State Examinations (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: This Government is committed to supporting the overall thrust of 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030, and to the delivery of the goals and targets proposed. As part of this, a thorough reform of the Irish curriculum and the way Irish is taught at primary and second level will be undertaken. The priority is to take steps to improve the quality and effectiveness of the teaching...

Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 190 to 195, inclusive, together. I am advised by the Teaching Council that there are almost 4,100 qualified Maths teachers currently on the register of teachers. Of these, just over 500 teachers are aged between 55 and 59 (nearing retirement), while less than 230 are aged 60 and over. In relation to the qualifications of those currently teaching mathematics...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The expenditure incurred by my Department's IT Unit in 2010 was €1.334m on capital and €1.783m on current. There is provision of €2m for capital and €2.395m for current expenditure in 2011. The purchase of IT equipment by my Department is on the basis of a competitive tendering process, conducted in compliance with national and EU rules. There are framework arrangements in place,...

Written Answers — Expenditure Reviews: Expenditure Reviews (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Departmental submissions to the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE) are a central part of the overall pre-budget deliberations of the Government. As such, release of these documents could not be considered in advance of Government decisions on the forthcoming Budget. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has already indicated that it is his intention to publish the Reports...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has made an application to my Department for funding towards the provision of additional accommodation at the school. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the application has been approved and the school authorities have been informed in writing.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Sep 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: A fundamental element of the building cost limits for all school building projects is the Basic Building Cost (BBC). The Basic Building Cost is expressed as a cost per square metre of the new build floor area. My Department keeps the Basic Building Cost under review in line with cost developments in the construction industry generally and the cost of school building projects in particular....