Results 4,021-4,040 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: It is impossible to measure that.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: No, I am saying if they stay in a mainstream setting they have educational opportunities but those opportunities cannot be measured because every individual student must be assessed on his or her own ability. If somebody is severely dyslexic, whether he or she has access to an SNA does not change the fact that he or she is dyslexic. The education he or she receives is down to the teacher...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: It is a combination of many factors. It is not a case that when a child enters junior infants we suddenly discover he or she needs an SNA. There are children in mainstream schools who, due to the changes in the curriculum in recent years, are only being identified with additional needs when they move from senior infants to first class. It is a progression through the school as a whole. I...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I have two questions on this. On the additional funding we will provide before the end of the year, we were due to split it 50-50 and yet we are now moving towards providing 80% of the funding in 2015 and 20% in January 2016. What consequences does that have for next year? The higher education institutes are stating that they are having difficulty with cashflow and that there are cashflow...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: That does not solve the long-term problem.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: We have to get to a stage at some point where we are not in a position of having to front-load it. Are we saying that the Cassells report is going to address some of the reasons there are cashflow issues within the institutes?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: What is the cause of the pressure?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: Obviously, it is not just cashflow and as Deputy Ryan has observed, it cannot simply be a cashflow issue. There must be some reason behind it and there are some pressures on the system. Will the introduction of technological universities address some of the pressures the higher education institutions, HEIs, are experiencing? I am aware there is a proposal to bring through that legislation...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: If I might make an observation as a new first-term Deputy, I believe all the Departments work in silos. All Departments are fighting their own corner and there is no overarching examination of how the Government works. If one examines those countries that have some of the best education systems, such as Finland, they prioritise education. It is a joint decision by the Government, everyone...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Patronage (9 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: 2. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the programme for divestment of patronage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44042/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Patronage (9 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I ask the Minister for an update on the divestment programme to which she has alluded.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Patronage (9 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: By the Minister's own admission, this has been a very frustrating process and we would all share that frustration because there is a need to move to a more pluralist education system. I very much welcome the engagement the Minister is having with the various stakeholders in this process. While eight primary schools have been delivered to date in this respect, I believe the Minister would...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Patronage (9 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I agree that people have a loyalty to their local school. Unfortunately, in some cases, students are unable to attend that local school because of section 7(3)(c) of the Equal Status Act. I noted that the Minister indicated in the media this morning that she will remove rule 68 in January. That would be a very welcome move. Obviously, divestment will not address the issue of religious...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Childhood Obesity (9 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: It is also an issue for local development plans.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Staffing (9 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: 5. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the pilot scheme for allocating special needs resources; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44043/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Staffing (9 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: Will the Minister for Education and Skills give an update on the status of the pilot project?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Staffing (9 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: Will the Minister confirm that there was no limit to the resources for the model in the NCSE pilot project? I have been in contact with several principals who are concerned about the new model. The model apparently can be reviewed only every two years. There is a concern that some schools bringing in junior infants, who have special educational needs may not get the additional resources...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Staffing (9 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: Until we get the results of the pilot we will not know the potential pitfalls of the new model. Everyone agrees the old model is broken, is not fit for purpose and we need a new one. I understood that when the NCSE was tasked with the job of coming up with a new model, there was no limitation on resources. Whatever model it thought best for allocating resources would be put forward. That...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (9 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I completely concur with Deputy Murphy on this issue. In Cork city, the annual fee for the workshops is €800 and, as it is €750 in north Kildare, I imagine that is an average price throughout the State. One of the reasons the price is so high is that schools are charging astronomical fees to cater for children with dyslexia, many of whom would be pupils of those very schools....

Other Questions: Third Level Funding (9 Dec 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: Some 6.7% in Dublin North-Central.