Results 1,381-1,400 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Assistance Fund (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The objective of the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) is to provide financial assistance for full-time higher education students who are experiencing financial difficulties whilst attending college. This includes students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds with ongoing needs for financial support, as well as students with other circumstances giving rise to short or longer-term...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 282 and 391 together. The allocation of teaching posts to schools is done in a transparent manner using published criteria. Unlike most other areas of the public service teaching vacancies are being filled in accordance with the published criteria. Normally, the staffing of schools is determined by the enrolments of the previous September. However, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: In June of 2011, I announced that some 20 new post-primary schools would be established over the coming years to meet demographic needs. Following on from that announcement, prospective patron bodies were invited to apply for patronage of the schools under new arrangements for determining patronage for the schools. These arrangements, which are overseen by the New Schools Establishment...

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

Ruairi Quinn: The PE Hall at the school referred to by the Deputy was constructed in 2002. Funding in the amount of circa €50,000 was paid to Co Wicklow VEC towards the provision of PE equipment for this PE Hall in 2003/2004.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Issues (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Recipients of grant funding and other payments from my Department are not mainly indexed by whether the recipients have Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) status. It is not, therefore, possible to provide a definitive listing of payments to NGOs without assigning very significant administrative resources to this task. However, the following table, produced following a summary examination...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested by the Deputy is included in the following table. Name of Education & Skills Body/Agency providing funding Name of recipient body (REHAB or subsidiary) Funding 2007 Funding 2008 Funding 2009 Funding 2010 Funding 2011 Funding 2012 Funding 2013 Purposes for which funding was allocated Details regarding audits SOLAS (Formerly FAS) National Learning Network...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Mock examinations are not part of the State examinations system. The decision to organise and/or charge for mock examinations is made at school level, and mock examinations are not a requirement of my Department. The Department would have no data relevant to the question.

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

Ruairi Quinn: This question raises two matters and I will deal with each in turn. Firstly, Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are paid on the SNA salary scale which is set by the Minister for Education and Skills in conjunction with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. SNAs who are employed in a part-time capacity are paid a pro-rata amount dependent upon their level of hours of employment....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that details of all school capital works that have been funded by my Department may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie and this is updated on a regular basis. The 5 year School Construction Plan announced in March 2012, provides for a €2 billion school capital investment programme to 2016, of which €1.5 billion is being...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Since 2011 there have been a total of fourteen major school building projects that encountered difficulties which led to the termination of the main contractor's obligation to complete the works. Thirteen terminations were due to insolvency events involving four contractors. The remaining project was terminated due to the contractor's default which was not insolvency related. There have...

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

Ruairi Quinn: It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. The selection process for school enrolment and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. Under section 15 (2) (d) of the Education Act 1998, each school is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Reviews (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department is currently actively considering the concerns expressed by the teacher unions and the other partners in relation to the new Junior Cycle and has already responded to some of their identified concerns. In fact additional CPD has already been provided for subject specialist teachers and also for school leaders. A full day per year has also been granted for whole school...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 296 and 356 together. The school, to which the Deputy refers, has recently submitted an application for funding for additional accommodation. The application concerned is currently being assessed and a decision will be conveyed to the school authorities when this process has been finalised.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Expenditure (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: In relation to support available for students studying abroad, my Department's student maintenance grant scheme provide maintenance grants to undergraduate students pursuing approved third level courses in other E.U. Member States. In general, an approved undergraduate course in this context is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of not less than two years duration pursued in a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reports (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 298 and 299 together. The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the attached table, which gives details of policy reports which are in my possession and which have not been published. It does not include internal operational reports such as audit reports. Name of Report Date to be published Value for Money Review of Small Primary Schools Under...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware that the over-riding objective of Education capital expenditure is to meet the demographic challenge facing the education system whereby total pupil enrolment in both primary and post-primary schools is expected to grow by around 107,000 additional pupils between 2012 and 2019 - over 70,000 at primary level and over 35,000 at post primary - and will continue to rise...

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

Ruairi Quinn: 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 arrangements for the coming school year 2014/15 are set out in...

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

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides for a range of placement options for pupils with special educational needs in order to ensure that all pupils can receive a school placement. Many pupils with special educational needs will be able to attend a local mainstream school, whereas for pupils who have needs which require more specialist interventions, special class and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (25 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The school building project referred to by the Deputy is on the 5 year construction programme announced in 2012. It is listed on the programme for construction in 2015/16. The appointment of the Design Team is currently being finalised. Once appointed the Design Team will be asked to provide the Department with a Detailed Project Programme which will set out how the project will be...