Results 1,501-1,520 of 19,032 for speaker:Ruairi Quinn

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Book Rental Scheme (12 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy will be aware from Budget 2014 that additional funding has been provided which will involve an investment of €15m to support the establishment of book rental schemes in primary schools that do not currently operate them. The Department will provide €5m in seed capital per annum over a three year period to such schools. The Department is contacting primary schools that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (12 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Responsibility for the delivery of an extension to the school referred to by the Deputy has been devolved to Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (ETB). The Design Team appointed by the ETB are currently completing the Stage 2a Submission (Developed Sketch Design). When complete, consideration will be given to allowing the ETB proceed to Stage 2b - Detailed Design, which involves...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Evaluations (12 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department's Inspectorate conducted more than 15,000 inspections using a range of evaluation models in the period 2010 to 2013. This included 1,346 whole-school evaluations conducted in primary and post-primary schools. The breakdown by year is as follows: 2010 (318 WSE), 2011 (391 WSE), 2012 (346 WSE) and 2013 (291 WSE). The number of whole-school evaluations conducted towards the end of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Application Numbers (12 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. For the Deputy's convenience, a list of the major new school and extension projects that were completed nationally in 2012 and 2013 will be forwarded to the Deputy. The five year...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reports (12 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy shortly. With regard to bodies under the aegis of my Department, the information sought is a matter for each agency and is not collated centrally. Information details of agencies under the remit of my Department can be downloaded from the Department website, the information is updated when...

Topical Issues Debate: School Enrolments (11 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I welcome the Deputy's comments and his recognition of what we are trying to do. Part of the problem is that the GIS registers the physical location of every child benefit payment for those aged one, two and three years of age. It works accurately and satisfactorily in certain areas, for example, outside a town like Clonakilty or Donegal town, where we have a fair idea what the growing...

Topical Issues Debate: School Enrolments (11 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: It is. We do our business very smartly in the constituency of Dublin South-East.

Topical Issues Debate: School Enrolments (11 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I thank Deputy Eoghan Murphy for raising this matter, particularly as it gives me the opportunity to remind the House of the significant challenges we face in the context of meeting increasing demand for pupil places throughout the country in the coming years and of how these are to be addressed. Primary enrolments, which have already risen substantially in recent years, are projected to rise...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (11 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department met the school's representatives in January to discuss the issues associated with the school's accommodation. Arising from the meeting, the school undertook to prepare a report relating to the matters of concern and to furnish this to my Department for consideration. My officials will continue to work closely with the school authorities in this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (11 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The policy of my Department is to ensure, as far as possible, that the Managerial Authorities of schools give priority to unemployed registered teachers who are fully qualified when filling vacant teaching posts. It is important to note that schools themselves employ teachers and not the the Department of Education and Skills. However my Department has issued a number of circulars...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (11 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy may be aware that I signed a Memorandum of Understanding between my Department and the County and City Managers' Association (CCMA) in 2012. This Memorandum of Understanding fosters increased levels of cooperation and formalises the Local Authorities' part in identifying and securing sites for educational use. In that context, my Department is working in conjunction with Cork...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (11 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The nationality requirements for the student grant scheme are set out in section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011 and regulation 5 of the Student Support Regulations...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (11 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 179 together. My Department is currently analysing demographic data across the county, including that for the Malahide and Swords feeder areas, to ensure that any additional future demand for places can be met in a timely manner. In the meantime, my Department is addressing the short-terms needs of the areas with the relevant Patrons.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelscoileanna Issues (11 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 116 together. There are two Gaelscoileanna in the Lucan feeder area. While Palmerstown does not currently have a Gaelscoil, it is open to pupils from Palmerstown to apply for places in the Lucan gaelscoileanna. The total enrolment in the schools is 2011/12 = 787; 2012/13 = 882. The number of pupils enrolled in individual schools is provided in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelscoileanna Issues (11 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: I wish to advise the Deputy, that while there are no gaelscoileanna in Palmerstown, my Department provided a new 16 classroom school for a gaelscoil in Lucan in 2012. This is in addition to the existing 16 classroom gaelscoil in Lucan. As the Deputy is aware, my Department's over-riding objective is to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place and that our school system...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelscoileanna Issues (11 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: A list of Gaelscoileanna that have rented prefabricated buildings is attached for the Deputy's attention. My Department does not hold information in the sub-county format as requested. Schools that are included on my Department's 5 Year Capital Programme and Prefab Replacement Initiatives are highlighted, as these will have their temporary accommodation replaced with permanent buildings....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Services Provision (11 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: Digital Forge were awarded the connection for Multrahane National School under a public procurement competition. Some technical difficulties were encountered in relation to the beaming of broadband signal to the school but I understand these have now been resolved. The company has informed the Department that the connection should be installed in the next three to four weeks. Digital Forge...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland Data (11 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: The following table, provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), gives a breakdown on a county basis of the student grant applications, awarded and not awarded by SUSI for the academic year 2012/13, as on the 28th February 2014. The data requested by the Deputy in respect of the 2013/14 academic year will be made available to the Department by SUSI after the end of the current...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland Data (11 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: With regard to the information referred to by the Deputy, that student grants awarded in the 2012/13 academic year in Mayo have declined by over 9%, the Department would caution that any conclusions drawn from such analysis may be limited, as any comprehensive analysis will need to reflect the wide variety of factors which impact on the number of student grant awards in any academic year. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (11 Mar 2014)

Ruairi Quinn: My Department previously acquired significant lands in the Ennistymon area. However, in order to have a site suitable for the development of a building for the new amalgamated school, additional land is required. The Congregation that owns existing school properties in Ennistymon has offered to transfer the properties concerned to the State as part of its offer made in response to the...