Results 3,401-3,420 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I thank the Minister for her reply. I am sure she is well aware there are growing concerns around the consortium in regard to the Munster technological university, MTU. They are based on a number of issues, including the cost of it, which is €6.7 million. To date, no detailed financial projections or analysis has been put forward by both institutes on how they will meet those...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: The level of financing the HEA is providing is a drop in the ocean in the overall cost of €6.7 million. I understand that last year the HEA provided €200,000 to the consortium in the Munster region, which will go nowhere towards meeting the costs. The Minister has clarified that the governing bodies in Munster have said they will meet it from within their own budgets through...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: It is Government policy.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: 114. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the development of a pilot scheme for the new allocation system for special educational needs resources for the National Council for Special Education, including the timeframe, the number of schools that will be involved, and the current consultation that is underway. [9096/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: This is a follow-up question to ask the Minister to update us on the pilot scheme for the new model, the timeframe for its introduction and the number of schools in which it will operate.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I welcome that the Minister will not proceed with the pilot for the upcoming academic year in light of the genuine concerns that have been raised by parents and schools. While I agree wholeheartedly with the proposals contained in the new model, these concerns have to be addressed and, given the time and resource constraints on the Department, I support the introduction of a pilot project....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I thank the Minister for clarifying the matter. The Department has done some work on the cost of implementing the new model, under which the Minister will still be dealing with a defined allocation of resources. Under the model some schools will lose resources, while others will gain. There will also be a cost in terms of implementation. What I am asking is whether it is possible to have...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: Under the new model the school would receive an increased resource allocation.

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I agree completely with Deputy Wallace. The other issue is the number of National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, psychologists available. I recognise the number has increased under this Government. I think it has gone back up to the 2011 number. However, when NEPS psychologists go on maternity leave or are out sick, they are not replaced. Therefore, we never have a full...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Contracts (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: 501. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations in the expert group report on the level of fixed-term and part-time employment in teaching; the way she will allow fixed-term teachers to acquire permanent positions more easily and quickly and enable part-time teachers to gain additional hours; if she will outline...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments Data (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: 503. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students currently attending second level education aged 18 years and over. [9225/15]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Proposed Legislation (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: 505. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the date on which she will publish the Education (School Admissions) Bill 2015. [9235/15]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: 534. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has examined the cost of ensuring that schools do not lose any special educational needs resources by introducing a rule whereby under any reforms of the National Council for Special Education schools do not receive a reduction to any already allocated resources under the new rules, in order to ensure that schools that have...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: Capitation grants come under this programme. We expect a further 1% reduction this year in the capitation grant. This was announced previously. I understand this will cost in the region of €2.1 million. There has been an increase in the demographic and I understand 14,000 extra students will come into the system this year. Is it possible to ascertain what the figure would be if...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: Let us consider some of the outputs. There is reference to providing targeted support and services to schools and children with special educational needs, particularly resource teaching and learning supports. There is also a reference to providing other supports to pupils with special educational needs. What types of support, if not resource teaching and learning supports, are in question?...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: Is it envisaged that every school will have access to a NEPS psychologist in 2015?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: How will the pilot project for NEPS psychologists that is being rolled out change the way we allocate resources? Where does that fit in? One of the biggest criticisms I hear from principals arises when they have several children who they believe are in need of an assessment by a NEPS psychologist. Some schools with limited access to a psychologist are being forced to limit the number of...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I understand the figure is even less than 168, because a number of people are out on maternity leave.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I commend the Department on the literacy and numeracy strategy, which has been a success. Recent reports indicate that we are seeing an improvement in that area. This is money well spent, but how much is being provided for next year in terms of rolling out that strategy? Also, the evaluation of DEIS schools is due to be completed and reported to the Department this year. If the...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I will come back to that later, so.