Results 1,361-1,380 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (26 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Apart from the recognised fee-charging second level schools, recognised primary or post-primary schools are not permitted to charge school fees. Voluntary contributions by parents are however permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay. The manner in which contributions are sought and collected is a matter for each school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Industrial Disputes (26 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is providing funding for the St. Patrick's College Campus Development project. A complaint has been made to my officials in relation to engagement with Unions on the site and St. Patrick's College has written to the contractor concerned in that respect. I also understand from the company referred to by the Deputy that the main contractor on site has appointed the Regional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Administration (26 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 56 and 57 together. My Department's Planning and Building selects the projects to be audited by the company referred to by the Deputy both on a random basis and following receipt of complaints via my Department's on-line complaint system. As a result of the audits carried out to date five projects have been referred to Revenue Commissioners, one to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (26 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department has been in contact with the school referred to by the Deputy in respect of the application for funding to upgrade a technology laboratory. The school in question is to provide further documentation and on receipt, the matter will be considered further and the school authorities will be notified of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (26 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that on 20th March last I announced that 386 schools have been approved funding under the Summer Works scheme to undertake school improvements. This first round of funding will allow schools to carry out small and medium scale building works across three categories of projects - Gas, Electrical & Mechanical. In the case of the school, referred to by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (26 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that on 20th March last I announced that 386 schools have been approved funding under the Summer Works scheme to undertake school improvements. This first round of funding will allow schools to carry out small and medium scale building works across three categories of projects - Gas, Electrical & Mechanical. A second round of the scheme is expected to be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (26 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 62 together. The Deputy will be aware that, on 20th March last, I announced that 386 schools have been approved funding under the Summer Works scheme to undertake school improvements. This first round of funding will allow schools to carry out small and medium scale building works across three categories of projects - Gas, Electrical &...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (26 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that on 20th March last I announced that 386 schools have been approved funding under the Summer Works scheme to undertake school improvements. This first round of funding will allow schools to carry out small and medium scale building works across three categories of projects - Gas, Electrical & Mechanical. The assessment of applications under further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Data (26 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 to 86, inclusive, together. Data on staffing numbers in higher education institutions is collated by the Higher Education Authority at the end of each quarter. The most recent data available is therefore in respect of the last quarter (December) in 2013. Staff numbers are reported in two categories: academic and non-academic. The following data pertains...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The school building project referred to by the Deputy has been included on the five-year construction programme for 2015/16. The conveyancing procedures for the proposed site for the new school are underway and pending their conclusion further details cannot be provided owing to commercial sensitivities. My Department will shortly be in contact with the school regarding the further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (26 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The State Examinations Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the certificate examinations. Applications for such accommodations are submitted by schools on behalf of their students. Full details of the scheme are available for downloading...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (26 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: There are no teachers or special needs assistants currently paid on payrolls operated by my Department in the facility referred to by the deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (26 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department provides funding to schools from which schools may employ cleaning and caretaking staff as required. However, my Department does not have any role in relation to the recruitment procedures for such staff which are a matter for each individual employing school. Appointment procedures for teachers and Special Needs Assistants are set out in Department Circulars 31/2011 and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (26 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy was refused a grant as the reckonable income was over the limit. A letter issued to the student on 4th March 2014 advising him of this decision. The student has not appealed this decision to SUSI. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Redeployment (26 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Teaching vacancies are filled in the first instance through the redeployment of surplus permanent/CID holding teachers. The core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus permanent/CID holding teachers to other schools that have vacancies. The redeployment of all surplus permanent/CID holding teachers is key to the Department's ability to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Expenses (26 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: There are no official cars available to staff in my Department. The payment of travel and subsistence to officers in the Department in connection with official business is made in accordance with Department of Finance Circular 11/82 and such expenses are paid only in respect of necessary absences from headquarters. Officers are required to ensure that expenses are kept to a minimum,...

Topical Issue Debate: Student Grant Scheme Administration (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. The project to establish a single authority for student grants was of a very significant scale within the education system. It required the enhancement and development of systems, management and governance structures and new ways of working in order to progress the realisation of benefits both for grant applicants and the Government....

Topical Issue Debate: Student Grant Scheme Administration (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank the Deputy for bringing the matter to my attention. Some 42% of third level students are receiving some grant. The amounts of money involved are substantial. If the fault in administration is clearly seen to lie with SUSI, not the applicant, the responsibility lies with it to make good on its promise and certification. It may need to change its procedures in this respect, but the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise 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 schools for special educational needs supports, including the allocation of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 and 381 together. The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on the Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing...