Results 9,381-9,400 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. The organisation's annual accounts, which it is required to prepare under section 31 of the 2012 Act, will set out the position in regard to its financial affairs. I understand that Caranua's 2013 accounts are currently...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is a matter for the Board of Caranua to determine the range of approved services it will provide in accordance with section 8 of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. The Act sets out the following four classes of approved services - mental health services, health and personal social services, educational services and housing support services. Section 8(3) provides that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelscoileanna Issues (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department is currently analysing demographic data on a nationwide basis to determine where additional school accommodation might be needed from 2015 onwards. The areas to which the Deputy refers will be examined as part of this process at both primary and post-primary level. As part of the arrangements for establishing new post-primary schools, an initial decision is made by my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am aware of an issue at the school site referred to by the Deputy. I would encourage all parties involved to use the appropriate industrial relations channels to resolve this current matter. School building projects which are funded from public monies, including the school project in question, are required to use the forms of contract provided under the Capital Works Management...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Administration (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Generally, the delivery of major school projects to meet significant demographic demands nationally will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years. The Department's Five Year Construction Plan is focused on meeting those demographic needs and sets out the school projects that are planned to proceed to construction over the duration of the Plan. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: In view of the financial constraints imposed by the need to deliver on the Five Year Plan, the Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible to provide an indicative timeframe for the provision of a permanent building for the school referred to by the Deputy. As I advised the Deputy in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 463 on 23 September, my Department's over-riding objective is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including the allocation of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: A Road Safety programme for Transition Year has been available to schools since September 2008. It was developed by the Road Safety Authority in collaboration with my Department, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and the Professional Development Service for Teachers. The programme features inputs from agencies such as the ambulance service, fire service and An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school. Where children have significant care needs whereby they...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Proposed Legislation (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy will be aware that the Equality of Access (Downs syndrome) Bill has been referred to the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection, where it can be considered in the context of forthcoming proposals to establish a new model for the allocation of resource teaching supports in mainstream schools. I wish to advise the Deputy that all children with Down Syndrome will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The project referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 2A (Developed Sketch Design Stage) of Architectural Planning. My officials have recently written to the Board of Management and their Design Team authorising the project to complete Stage 2A and to propose a date for the Stage 2A Stakeholders meeting. Following this meeting, and subject to no issues arising, the project will then be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department is currently analysing demographic data on a nationwide basis to determine where additional school accommodation might be needed from 2015 onwards. The areas to which the Deputy refers will be examined as part of this process at both primary and post-primary level. As part of the arrangements for establishing new post-primary schools, an initial decision is made by my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Applications (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Circular Letter 0062/2013 which was published as the Minor Works Grant for the school year 2013/2014 issued last November states "the grant will only be paid in future years as funding permits". The focus under the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme 2012-2016 is on meeting the demand for additional school places. Consequently, there is no funding provided at this time in the 2014...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy was awarded a Postgraduate Fee Contribution of €2,000 in respect of attendance on a Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Education in Mary Immaculate College. As this award type does not contain a provision for field trip expenses the student is not eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Programme (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government gave approval in March of this year for drafting the Education (Admissions to Schools) Bill 2014. The General Scheme has since been referred to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government for drafting. Drafting of the Bill is currently underway. The objective of the Admissions to School Bill is to provide an over-arching framework...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Agencies (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Information is currently being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The provision of grants for students participating in further and higher education is provided for by way of secondary legislation through an annual scheme of grants and a set of regulations governed by the Student Support Act 2011. As it currently stands, an approved institution in the further education sector is one that receives a grant out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, pursuant...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can understand the Senator's concerns about students who live away from their parents but must prove that they are also estranged from their parents. Cases of genuine estrangement are relatively rare and although they have a significant impact on individual students, each one has unique circumstances. Having carefully considered the Senator's amendment I will not be accepting it, for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Administration (1 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: There was no change in Budget 2014 to any of the student grant rates including the non-adjacent or adjacent rates of grant or the higher special rate of grant for the 2014 financial year. The aim of the student maintenance grant scheme has always been to make a contribution to the cost of going to college; covering the full cost has never been a feasible option. The Student Contribution,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments Data (1 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The data requested by the Deputy is not readily available. I have asked my officials to compile the data and to forward it to the Deputy as soon as it becomes available.