Parliamentary questions

Schools Building Projects Status

Nicky McFadden

387. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a delay has occurred and a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath will not be completed until May 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37741/12]

Labour Court Recommendations

Seán Fleming

388. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will supply a list of all Labour Court recommendations that have been issued in respect of his Department and organisations under his aegis that have not been complied with in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37751/12]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Tom Fleming

389. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that the productive assets of farm families and other self employed families are not factored into the assessment of income for the purpose of third level maintenance grants; if he will acknowledge the fundamental role played by the student grant schemes in supporting families by refraining from increasing fees and reducing grants as most families today are under huge financial pressures and should be assisted in every way possible so that their children will access third level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37780/12]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Brendan Ryan

390. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide the current number of autistic spectrum units in North County Dublin; if there are plans for more ASD units to be rolled out in the area over the next few years; if there are details of such plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37800/12]

Departmental Staff Recruitment

Seán Fleming

391. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding recruiting persons with a disability; the number of persons currently employed in his Department; the number of persons with a disability who have been employed since 1 January 2011 to date in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37835/12]

Vocational Education Committees Membership

Dan Neville

392. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether learners should have a seat on the education and training boards when they are set up to replace the 33 VECs; his further views on whether learners need to be represented on further education on the basis of equity, fairness and improving the quality of education and training services in view of the fact that learners are routinely represented on governing bodies in higher education and at school level through parents; if adult learners should also be fully represented at further education level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37899/12]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Nicky McFadden

393. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm that eligibility for higher education grants will continue to be assessed by income only and not by asset value; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37900/12]

School Accommodation

Michelle Mulherin

394. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary schools that are bi-located; if he will identify all such schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37909/12]

School Accommodation

Michelle Mulherin

395. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the policy that operates in respect of bi-located primary schools and their accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37910/12]

Schools Building Projects Status

Nicky McFadden

396. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) in County Longford will be approved for a two-classroom extension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37930/12]

Teaching Qualifications

Finian McGrath

397. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will support a matter (details supplied) regarding teaching qualifications. [37956/12]

Student Grant Scheme Applications

Bernard Durkan

398. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a student grant is payable in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37964/12]

Institutes of Technology Issues

Paudie Coffey

399. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will indicate which institutes of technology have joined together in submitting an expression of interest for applying to become technological universities, as phase one of the process should now be concluded as the six-month time period for making such an expression has now elapsed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37991/12]

School Curriculum

Paudie Coffey

400. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress that has been made to date in updating the junior certificate and leaving certificate cycles so that subjects such as politics and information technology will become part of both curricula; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37992/12]

School Curriculum

Paudie Coffey

401. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress that has been made to date in introducing some course work that will be examinable on a continuous assessment basis for the leaving certificate and junior certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37993/12]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Pat Breen

402. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be facilitated in respect of extra special needs assistant hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38009/12]

Proposed Legislation

Paudie Coffey

403. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress being made in recent months in respect of the establishment of Solas, the new State training agency to replace FÁS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38039/12]

Teaching Qualifications

Finian McGrath

404. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied). [38052/12]

Labour Court Recommendations

Seán Fleming

405. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will conclude the consultation between his Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to the payment of a Labour Court recommendation which was decided on 27 September 2011 in view of the unnecessary hardship that is being caused by the non-payment of this amount in line with the Labour Court recommendation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38059/12]

Third Level Funding

Joanna Tuffy

406. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a breakdown of funding from his Department to institutes of technology and universities from the State on a college by college basis and under the heading which that funding was made available in the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012; if any moneys were returned during these years to the Department as unspent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38088/12]