Results 12,161-12,180 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Third Level Courses: Third Level Courses (14 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Springboard is a specific initiative to provide 6,000 part time higher education places targeted at unemployed people who have lost jobs in sectors where employment levels will not return and who will need new qualifications and skills to re-enter employment as the economy recovers. These part time places were selected following a competitive tender process and are being funded as part of...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (14 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The primary redeployment panel rules agreed between the relevant education partners and my Department provide supplementary panel rights to eligible fixed-term teachers with between three and five years reckonable teaching service. The teacher referred to by the Deputy has been offered these rights in respect of the 2011-2012 school year. The rules governing the operation of the primary...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The amount spent on renting temporary accommodation at primary and post-primary level, including – but not limited to - prefabricated accommodation since 2008 is as follows: 2008 €53 million 2009: €39million 2010: €29million 2011 €29million (allocation) My Department is currently developing new procedures and systems for the provision of temporary accommodation with a view to...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (14 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Since I was appointed as Minister for Education & Skills on the 9th, March 2011 the following appointments have been made at the Department: Legal Services Unit Mr. Ed Kent, Chief State Solicitors Office has been assigned to the Legal Service Unit of my Department. Minister's Office. Mr. John Walshe, Special Adviser. Ms. Deirdre Grant, Special Adviser. Mr. Ian O Mara, Personal Assistant. Mr....

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (14 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Teacher allocations to secondary school are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. In addition to this, schools can be allocated concessionary posts for a number of reasons eg., curricular concessions, special needs, language support etc. The Post Primary Allocations section of my Department have allocated one teaching...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (14 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I regret that the economic circumstances of the country are such that I am not in a position to alter the rates of grants paid to students. However, students on particularly low incomes will continue to receive a "top-up" in the special rate of grant and the Student Assistance Fund at some €5 million continues to be made available through the access offices of third-level institutions to...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (14 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers applied for significant capital funding for the provision of an extension and refurbishment of its existing accommodation. As this is a major capital project, further information has been sought from the school to allow the application to be assessed and considered in the context of my Department's Building and Modernisation Programme...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (14 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department's officials have confirmed that the Deputy is referring to bodies under the aegis of my Department. I attach for the Deputy's information the details requested relating to funding and staff numbers for these bodies. With regard to the location of each of bodies under the aegis of my Department details are available from agency websites. As matters relating to pay and pensions...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested by the Deputy on the number of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) employed by schools in Counties Carlow and Kilkenny is not readily available. Firstly, I wish to clarify for the Deputy that SNAs are recruited specifically to assist in the care of pupils with disabilities in an educational context. SNA allocations are not permanent as the level of SNA support allocated...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (14 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 115 together. As my Department's current Financial Management System was introduced in June 2003, the information requested by the Deputy prior to this date is not readily available and would involve a very significant amount of administrative time to compile. Accordingly, the relevant information for the period from June 2003 to date is being compiled...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (14 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: As my Department's current Financial Management System was introduced in June 2003, the information requested by the Deputy prior to this date is not readily available and would involve a very significant amount of administrative time to compile. The relevant information for the period from June 2003 to date is currently being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

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

Ruairi Quinn: In 2001, my Department agreed through the Teachers Conciliation Council to provide £7,500 annually to each of the three teacher unions towards the cost of substitution, enabling the release of executive members to conduct union business. This payment is reviewed in line with pay movement affecting teachers' salaries. The total cost of this measure from 2001 to date is €283,300. My...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (13 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The primary redeployment panel rules agreed between the relevant education partners and my Department are published on my Department's website and provide supplementary panel rights to eligible fixed-term teachers with between three and five years reckonable teaching service. The supplementary panel becomes operational when all permanent and CID holding teachers have been redeployed into...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (13 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: 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 includes a requirement for the NCSE...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (13 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The Department of Education and Science issued a circular to Irish-medium schools in 2007 stating that the teaching of English could not be delayed beyond the end of the first term in Junior Infants. The circular was the subject of an application for judicial review by An Foras Pátrúnachta and two Gaelscoileanna. Having considered submissions regarding proposals to prescribe the primary...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. In January of this year, my Department issued authorisation to the school and its design team to complete stage 2(b) of architectural planning. A request for additional design team fees is currently under review by my Department. When this issue has been resolved, the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (13 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy 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 — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (13 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Firstly, I wish to clarify for the Deputy that Special Needs Assistant (SNA) allocations are not permanent, as the level of SNA support allocated to a school may be increased or decreased as pupils who qualify for SNA support enrol or leave a school. They are also decreased where a child's care needs may have diminished over time. A Special Needs Assistant whose post is surplus to the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (13 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to clarify for the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports. This includes the allocation of resource teaching hours to schools as well as the establishment of special...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Jul 2011)

Ruairi Quinn: Additional information has been sought from the Patron in relation to the project. When this information is received, the project will be further progressed.