Wednesday, 27 Nov 2013

Ministerial Advisers Remuneration

Questions (69)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

69. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of his special advisers and their salaries. [50937/13]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The table gives details of the special advisers I have engaged at my Department since I was appointed to office. As provided for under the terms of the Ethics in Public Office Acts, copies of the appointees' contracts of employment together with details of their qualifications were laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Name	Grade	Start Date	End Date	Salary
John Walshe	Special Adviser	05/07/2011	Current	€87,258
Deirdre Grant	Special Adviser	05/07/2011	Current	€81,676
*Siobhan Creaton	Temp Special Adviser	30/04/2013	18/11/2013	€75,645

*Ms. Creaton was appointed in a temporary capacity to cover the duration of Ms. Grant’s maternity leave.

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Questions (70)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

70. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons in his Department earning between €80,000 and €90,000 per annum; between €90,000 and €100,000 per annum; between €100,000 and €110,000 per annum; more than €110,000; and the amount and the job title of each person. [50938/13]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn)

The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following table.

Over €110,000	10	SECRETARY GENERALDEPUTY SECRETARYCHIEF INSPECTORASSISTANT SECRETARY
€100,000 to €110,000	3	DEPUTY CHIEF INSPECTORDIRECTOR
€90,000 to €100,000	41	PRINCIPAL OFFICERAPPEALS OFFICERMANAGER EDUCATIONASSISTANT CHIEF INSPECTOR PRIMARYASSISTANT CHIEF INSPECTOR POST PRIMARYSENIOR STATISTICIANSENIOR EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST
€80,000 to €90,000	126	ASSISTANT CHIEF INSPECTOR PRIMARYPRINCIPAL OFFICERSPECIAL ADVISORSSENIOR EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST SENIOR INSPECTOR POST PRIMARYDIVISIONAL INSPECTOR PRIMARYEDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTDISTRICT INSPECTOR PRIMARYDISTRICT INSPECTOR POST PRIMARYPOST PRIMARY INSPECTOR SENIOR ARCHITECT CIVIL ENGINEER GRADE 1 PROF ACCOUNTANT GRADE 1 ADVISORY COUNSEL GRADE 111PROJECT PLANNER QUANTITY SURVEYOR
Total	180

School Enrolments

Questions (71)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

71. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the circumstances and legislation under which a school may be compelled to admit a student. [50939/13]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

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 an Education and Training Board (ETB) school to the ETB 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 20 or more days in any school year. The Department has no authority to compel a school to admit a pupil, except in the case of an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 being upheld.

Student Grant Scheme Applications

Questions (72)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

72. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding Student Universal Support Ireland grants in respect of persons (details supplied). [50953/13]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that in the case of the students referred to by the Deputy their applications for a grant were refused as the reckonable income exceeded the specified threshold for the academic year 2013/14. In order for eligibility to be reassessed under a change of circumstances the awarding authority must be satisfied that the fall in income is likely to obtain for the duration of the approved course or the foreseeable future. The decision on eligibility for a student is a matter in the first instance for the awarding authority.

The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application in relation to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student would qualify for a grant under a change in circumstances. Illness Benefit is considered to be a short-term social welfare payment and, therefore, receipt of same may not constitute a permanent change of circumstances.

Where an individual applicant considers that he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by SUSI, and remains of the view that SUSI has not interpreted the scheme correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the Student Grants Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form is available to download from http://www.studentfinance.ie/downloads/1375344221/2013_SGAB_appeal_form.pdf.

Departmental Contracts

Questions (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

73. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of contracts and their total financial cost awarded to a company (details supplied) by his Department in each of the years 2008 to 2012, inclusive, and to date in 2013 or whatever years practicable; if all the contracts were winning public tenders; and if he will provide a breakdown of the contracts by date, purpose and individual value. [50959/13]

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Pearse Doherty

Question:

74. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of contracts and their total financial cost awarded to a company (details supplied) by his Department in each of the years 2008 to 2012, inclusive, and to date in 2013 or whatever years practicable; if all the contracts were winning public tenders; and if he will provide a breakdown of the contracts by date, purpose and individual value. [50962/13]

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Pearse Doherty

Question:

75. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of contracts and their total financial cost awarded to a company (details supplied) by his Department in each of the years 2008 to 2012, inclusive, and to date in 2013 or whatever years practicable; if all the contracts were winning public tenders; and if he will provide a breakdown of the contracts by date, purpose and individual value. [50965/13]

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Pearse Doherty

Question:

76. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of contracts and their total financial cost awarded to a company (details supplied) by his Department in each of the years 2008 to 2012, inclusive, and to date in 2013 or whatever years practicable; if all the contracts were winning public tenders; and if he will provide a breakdown of the contracts by date, purpose and individual value. [50968/13]

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Pearse Doherty

Question:

77. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of contracts and their total financial cost awarded to a company (details supplied) by his Department in each of the years 2008 to 2012, inclusive, and to date in 2013 or whatever years practicable; if all the contracts were winning public tenders; and if he will provide a breakdown of the contracts by date, purpose and individual value. [50971/13]

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Pearse Doherty

Question:

78. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of contracts and their total financial cost awarded to a company (details supplied) by his Department in each of the years 2008 to 2012, inclusive, and to date in 2013 or whatever years practicable; if all the contracts were winning public tenders; and if he will provide a breakdown of the contracts by date, purpose and individual value. [50974/13]

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Pearse Doherty

Question:

79. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of contracts and their total financial cost awarded to a company (details supplied) by his Department in each of the years 2008 to 2012, inclusive, and to date in 2013 or whatever years practicable; if all the contracts were winning public tenders; and if he will provide a breakdown of the contracts by date, purpose and individual value. [50977/13]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 73 to 79, inclusive, together.

The information requested is currently being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy shortly.