Results 1,441-1,460 of 3,797 for speaker:Ciarán Cannon

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Staffing (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. The purpose of Circular 0030/2014 is not to reduce the number of SNA posts in schools but to clarify the role and purpose of SNA support and ensure it is targeted at those pupils who need it. My officials consulted school management bodies prior to issuing the circular and are setting up further meetings with management bodies and parent...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Staffing (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The Deputy referred to the squeezing of SNA posts, but that is certainly not what is occurring. As I mentioned, we have the highest number of SNA posts allocated in the history of the State and there are 309 posts yet to be allocated between now and the end of the December. I will outline why the circular was issued. In June 2011 the Department initiated a value for money review of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Expenditure (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The Deputy will be aware that the Minister has approved more than €70 million in total on the 2014 Summer Works Scheme to allow 772 schools nationwide undertake vital improvement works to gas, electrical, mechanical, toilet and roofs. Commensurate with the level of funding set aside for the Scheme, applications were assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The Government's focus in recent years has been on operating a budgetary programme that is designed to return the Government finances to a sustainable basis. This has helped Ireland to return to a position where we are seeing some economic growth. It is a continuing improvement in our economic growth that will enable us to move to a point in future budgets where we can look again at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: My Department's policy on the education of children with autism resides within the overall policies on the education of children including those with special educational needs. I have asked the NCSE to provide me with Policy advice on the education of children with Autism and I expect this advice in the Spring of 2015. This advice will inform the development of future policy. The report...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 19, 41, 46 and 48 together. The purpose of Circular 0030/2014 is not to reduce the number of SNA posts in schools, but to clarify the role and purpose of SNA support and to ensure it is targeted at those pupils who need it. My officials have already consulted with school Management Bodies prior to issuing the circular and is currently setting up further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The NCCA has recently provided me with new specifications for Leaving Certificate Physics, Chemistry and Biology. However the NCCA will trial the specifications, particularly in the context of the proposed new practical examination. It is expected that these science specifications will not only attract more higher level students but, for Physics, it is hoped that it will also attract more...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. Children with specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, as well as those with physical conditions, are accommodated in the examinations under the SEC's scheme of Reasonable Accommodations at the Certificate Examinations (RACE Scheme). However, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I note that the Deputy has clarified that she is referring to private pre-schools which are attended by children using their home tuition grant. Some parents of young children with autism, who are eligible for home tuition, requested that my Department accommodate the tuition being provided in a group setting offered by private providers. My Department has facilitated direct payment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Redeployment (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The Primary Staffing Appeals Board meets three times per year - February, June and October. The first meeting was held in February, 2014. Most schools that intend to submit appeals generally do so for the February meeting of the Appeals Board. This gives schools an early opportunity to have their appeals heard. The second meeting of the Appeals Board is normally held in June. This year...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Anti-Bullying Procedures (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: When the new anti-bullying procedures for schools were published last September, it was acknowledged that schools would need time to develop an anti-bullying policy in line with the new procedures. Accordingly the accompanying circular allowed schools a period up to the Easter break of this year to make the necessary arrangements, including consultations with the school community, for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelscoileanna Issues (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department recently received a submission from an advocacy group concerning the establishment of an all-Irish post-primary school to serve the north side of Cork City. The Department's current five-year construction plan is focused on meeting demographic demands to ensure that every child will have access to a physical school place and that our school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: In accordance with the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the appointment of a Board of Management of a school is a matter for the relevant school patron. Under the provisions of this Act, where a patron determines that the appointment of a board is not practicable, or where the patron, with the consent of the Minister, has dissolved a board of management, the patron may appoint a manager...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Closures (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27, 40, 47 and 49 together. The Minister has previously made clear on a number of occasions that the final phase of the Budget 2012 measure in relation to small schools will not be suspended. Flexibility was introduced to the staffing appeals process for the small schools affected by the budget measure to enable them to retain their existing staffing level if...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: International Students (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The two Departments agreed a shared policy towards unaccompanied non-EEA (European Economic Area) students studying in Irish schools which was articulated in the Review of the Student Immigration Regime published in 2010 by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS). This allowed a concession whereby such students were only permitted to attend fee-paying schools. This...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Costs (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: The Minister is very conscious that costs arise for families as children progress through school. He has taken a number of initiatives to reduce the burden on families. He met with the Irish Educational Publishers' Association and impressed on them the need to limit the cost of textbooks and avoid a position where textbooks are altered unnecessarily. The Association agreed a voluntary Code...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Reform (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Following a challenging first year of operation in 2012, SUSI improved its performance in 2013. An external review of SUSI's business processes was undertaken by Accenture in early 2013 to inform improvements in the system for the 2013/14 academic year. Many of the recommendations by the review have now been implemented. SUSI made significant improvements to its systems and procedures to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Expenditure (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: Expenditure supporting pupils with Special Educational Needs was some €1.3bn in 2013, which represents approximately 15% of the entire budget of my Department. These resources have been protected, or in some areas have been increased in 2014, despite the ongoing severe financial position and a requirement to make expenditure savings across a range of areas. This year provision is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: International Students (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 33, 45 and 50 together. The Minister for Education and Skills and the Minister for Justice and Equality have established a Task Force to urgently examine the issues raised by the closure of a number of private colleges. The Task Force is chaired by the two Departments and including representatives from QQI, Enterprise Ireland and City of Dublin Education and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks Rental Scheme (29 May 2014)

Ciarán Cannon: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 38 together. In Budget 2013 funding of €5million for three years was provided to support the establishment of book rental schemes in primary schools that did not operate such schemes. DEIS schools will receive €150 per child and non-DEIS schools will receive €100 per child in seed capital over the next two years to establish...