Results 2,001-2,020 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: The class sizes have increased.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I fully recognise that PTR has not changed, but class sizes are on the increase, which I am sure the Minister recognises. When he took up office, the average class size was 24.3 pupils, but the latest figures show that it is now 24.7 pupils. I take from his response that whatever decision is made next week will not affect DEIS schools. I am not looking for an answer on whether the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Has the Minister carried out any analysis examining the effect of any proposed increases?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Bullying in Schools (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 58. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reasons circular 045/2013 has not been placed on a statutory footing. [42470/13]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Bullying in Schools (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Under the previous system, there was a very ad hoc approach to how schools were implementing those guidelines. Some schools had very good anti-bullying policies in place while others were not so good. The new circular sets out procedures to give direction and guidance to school authorities and personnel in preventing and tackling school-based bullying behaviour. I also note that we looked...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Bullying in Schools (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: What would be the consequences for schools which do not implement the circular, be it because they do not have the expertise to develop a comprehensive anti-bullying policy or they do not have the resources to meet the targets in terms of the end of the academic year? What is the follow-up in terms of working with those schools which may not have that expertise?

Other Questions: Legislative Programme (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I welcome the Minister's reply. It is important that we do not allow this issue to fall off the agenda. All of us recognise the significant cost involved in fully implementing the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act. Some people have suggested the cost could be double the figure of €235 million cited by the Minister. I understand the cost issue has not been the...

Other Questions: Legislative Programme (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: Would partial implementation of the Act give rise to legal issues? Is the legal advice that the remaining elements of the Act must be implemented together? I ask the Minister to clarify that matter.

Other Questions: Cross-Border Educational Provision (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I thank the Minister and I look forward to his discussions with the relevant Minister on 1 November. In respect of the postgraduate schemes, SUSI currently covers students studying in the Six Counties, but beyond the postgraduate system, I believe there is no undergraduate support. Is this a matter the Minister is considering or is it something that simply will be contained within the...

Other Questions: Cross-Border Educational Provision (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I welcome the Minister's comments on the primary and post-primary sector. I presume the new admissions Bill will reflect the willingness to allow parents who have children in Border areas to access education, whether it be across the Border in the Six Counties or in the South, and that such access will not be an issue for students who live in the North and who may wish to be schooled in the...

Other Questions: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: There is growing concern about this matter. I understand the board only meets for one hour each month. In the context of producing terms of reference, employing staff and procuring office space, there is a sense among many of those in the survivors' groups that the board is not meeting regularly enough to get matters up and running. Beyond setting the date of the first meeting, it is the...

Other Questions: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I understand a sum of money was left in the previous fund and this was transferred over. I do not know the figure in that regard but perhaps the Minister might indicate the amount of money that is ready for allocation.

Other Questions: School Enrolments (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: I welcome the Minister's comments. A number of cases have been taken. A high-profile case taken by a member of the Traveller community was initially upheld by the Equality Tribunal before unfortunately being overturned by the High Court. There are some concerns about the operation in practice of the rule that gives one an automatic right to attend a school if one's father or mother...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Appointments (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 90. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of retired or non-serving teachers or school principals or deputy principals who have been appointed to work with his Department to roll out the new junior cycle reforms; the years in which the retirees took up retirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42188/13]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Literacy and Numeracy Strategy (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 201. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the proposed Spring 2014 standardised tests in literacy and numeracy for second level second year students are on schedule to be carried out; if his Department is confident that these tests, which are an integral part of his strategy for literacy and numeracy, will be conducted for English literacy, litearthacht sa Ghaeilge, Numeracy and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Programmes (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 210. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of any projects or programmes initiated by his Department which were ended or abandoned before completion; the costs and duration of each of these projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41959/13]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 266. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department collates figures for teacher absenteeism in primary and secondary schools; and the way this information is collated and the headline results generated. [42526/13]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (8 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 267. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to a study carried out by the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board on teacher absenteeism; his views on the finding of the report which indicated that the average rate of absenteeism was 3.4%; and the way these finding compare with other similar studies that he may be aware of carried out by...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Construction Contracts (9 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 21. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the code of practice for adjudication under the Construction Contracts Bill will be published. [42521/13]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Small and Medium Enterprises Supports (9 Oct 2013)

Jonathan O'Brien: 111. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the take-up of the partial loan guarantee scheme and microenterprise loan scheme for each year that it has been in operation. [42621/13]