Results 6,161-6,180 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Topical Issue Debate: Disability Support Services Provision (18 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Leaving aside funding and budgets there are other issues on which we can be pro-active and the Minister of State touched on one. We need to plan further in advance. We know how many school leavers we will have and in what area of the State they live. We know what type of services are available. We need to put more emphasis on long-term planning. I urge the Department, the HSE and the...

Topical Issue Debate: Disability Support Services Provision (18 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: The Minister of State knows as well as I do that there is a problem regarding the transition of students with special needs from school. We have both attended meetings where there has been criticism of the transfer of students from primary to post-primary, where the process of integration must be started all over again. We are also both aware of the fact that the HSE is completely...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Third Level Participation (18 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 2. To ask the Taoiseach the numbers of students who are currently studying or hold a degree based on the socio-economic groups as defined in the most recent census; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51336/12]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (18 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 108. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will list in tabular form the schools that are to have their prefabs replaced with permanent classrooms as part of the €15 million prefab replacement scheme in 2013/14. [28625/13]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Expenditure (18 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 152. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide in tabular form a breakdown of the running costs of Student Universal Support Ireland from its inception to the end of May 2012; if he will provide a breakdown of these figures and the way they compare to the projected running costs of SUSI, as originally envisaged by his Department when awarding the tender to City of Dublin...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Special Educational Needs Expenditure (18 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 500. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide, in tabular form, the range of multi-disciplinary supports provided at a school (details supplied) in County Cork for each of the years 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; if he will provide a breakdown of same by discipline, WTE and hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29448/13]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Special Educational Needs Expenditure (18 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 501. To ask the Minister for Health if he will review the multi-disciplinary supports provided at a school (details supplied) in County Cork to ensure appropriate services to meet the needs of the pupils; if he will provide assurances that no further cuts will be made in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29449/13]

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 27 - Education and Skills (Revised) (13 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: My question relates to higher education provision, educational disadvantage and people from disadvantaged areas accessing higher education. I raise this question under this subhead because a scholarship scheme was launched last September targeted at individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. I note that funding for that scheme will be increased again next year. Are there other grants or...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 27 - Education and Skills (Revised) (13 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Our briefing paper states there was funding from the dormant accounts fund to address the issue of educational disadvantage. Has this now ceased or will there be more funding from that source? If the Minister does not have that information to hand, he can pass it on to me.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 27 - Education and Skills (Revised) (13 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: They are pretty much exhausted.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 27 - Education and Skills (Revised) (13 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: There is only one item left. I do not have questions on the administration section.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 27 - Education and Skills (Revised) (13 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: No.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 27 - Education and Skills (Revised) (13 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Does the backlog refer to new buildings rather than refurbishment and upgrading of existing ones?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 27 - Education and Skills (Revised) (13 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: In terms of the local authority, is it because local area plans are in place? Are there issues around rezoning?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 27 - Education and Skills (Revised) (13 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I will not mention the name of the school in Cork where funding was in place for many years under the previous Government. This Government has stated the funding is still in place. It is a primary school. Pupils are being taught in a GAA hall and prefabs. The local authority has passed the planning application twice and has been taken to An Bord Pleanála twice. It is now probably...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 27 - Education and Skills (Revised) (13 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: What about PPPs?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 27 - Education and Skills (Revised) (13 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: On the capital budget, for the past two years there has been an underspend and a roll-over. Is there a blockage in the system or is there a particular reason for this? Significant funding is going into the capital programme. I would be the first to say that a lot of work is being done in the form of new school buildings, replacement of prefabs, etc. We can see that over the past three...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 27 - Education and Skills (Revised) (13 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: A lot of reform is taking place, given the SOLAS legislation. One criticism continually put forward is that there is a skills deficit in the labour force. How is the Government addressing it? The Minister may want to make some general comments on that and how SOLAS will play an integral role. The legislation is very progressive. As I said, we have had three reforming pieces of...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 27 - Education and Skills (Revised) (13 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I have a question on colleges of further education. I am sure other Deputies have visited Ballyfermot College of Further Education. I will not get into the changes to the pupil-teacher ratio. One issue it raised was certification of some of its courses. Some are regarded as higher education courses. It must get certification from institutes in Scotland and England. Is that something the...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 27 - Education and Skills (Revised) (13 Jun 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: On programme A in general, we know there will be some savings again next year under this heading because there have been some announcements on multi-annual provisions. For instance, the capitation grant is to be cut by another 1%. This was announced. Do we know the extent of the announced savings to be effected in next year's budget? How much will the budget for programme A be reduced...