Results 9,541-9,560 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Other Questions: Schools Review (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government does wish to put children at the centre and that is precisely what all its members wish to do. However, I intend to read this report in its entirety very carefully. I do not intend to rely on any official to tell me what it contains but wish to ascertain this for myself. It is quite complex and contains a great deal of detail. While I believe it deserves that level of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: 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. I am conscious that the budget measures have impacted on all schools large and small, across all patronage types and whether or not they were precluded from charging fees or could charge them. The measures had a focus in particular in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for capital funding for an extension. My Department is currently reviewing the accommodation brief for the school in question and in that regard will be in contact with the school authorities in the near future. It is anticipated that when the accommodation brief is finalised, the project concerned will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Restoration (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: At the publication in November 2011 of the Government's Medium Term Infrastructure and Capital Investment Framework the emphasis in the education sector was focused on major school projects and smaller projects devolved to schools to meet demographic demands. Given the requirement to meet the need for additional school places over the years 2012 to 2016, it was deemed unlikely that Minor...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The DEIS programme is the subject of ongoing evaluation by both the Educational Research Centre and my Department's Inspectorate who have produced a series of evaluation reports to date, copies of which are available on my Department's website. This research was also the subject of a recent research seminar entitled "Learning from DEIS" at which my predecessor Minister Ruairi Quinn...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Action Plan on Bullying (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: When the new anti-bullying procedures for schools were published, 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 last Easter to make the necessary arrangements, including consultations with the school community. All schools should by now have completed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have already stated publicly that because of increasing demographics my Department requires additional resources to simply maintain existing levels of service. Between this year and last year this has involved an increase of around 2,300 teachers. In my pre-budget discussions with the education partners I expressed the hope that continued improvement in the economy will take us to a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Private Schools (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am conscious that the budget measures in recent years have impacted on all schools large and small, across all patronage types and whether or not they were precluded from charging fees or could charge them. The measures had a focus in particular in protecting as far as possible DEIS schools. I am not in a position to engage with the Deputy on what may or may not be in next week's budget...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to confirm to the Deputy that it is my Department's intention to provide improved accommodation for the school to which he refers. It is intended that the school will be accommodated in a former school building currently occupied by a special school pending the construction of a new school for the special school. The building project for the special school is included in my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The National Council for Special Education published its Report on a Proposed New Model for Allocating Teachers for Students with Special Educational Needs on 18 June 2014. The report recommends that a new allocation model should be developed, based on a schools educational profile, while providing a baseline allocation to every mainstream school to support inclusion. My Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am not in a position to engage with the Deputy on what may or may not be in next week's budget announcements. However I have already stated publicly that because of increasing demographics my Department requires additional resources to simply maintain existing levels of service. I do not believe it will be possible in this budget to begin any reversal of the measures that were taken...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Costs (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy is aware, voluntary contributions by parents are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay and that, in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own volition. Decisions in relation to such contributions are dealt with at local school level. My Department does not require schools to report to it on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have already stated publicly that because of increasing demographics my Department requires additional resources to simply maintain existing levels of service. Between this year and last year this has involved an increase of around 2,300 teachers in our primary and post-primary schools. This is a very significant investment at a time of scarce resources. There is no funding available for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy may be aware that a new organisational design for ETBs is being devised in order to reflect their roles. To progress this, a consultative team has been established with representatives from my Department, the ETBs and SOLAS. In January 2014, pending the conclusion of this process, my Department gave approval to 9 ETBs, which did not have an Education Officer, to appoint a temporary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Reviews (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The junior cycle reforms aim to bring about improved outcomes for students through, a more meaningful assessment of student ability. I have confidence in the professionalism and integrity of Irish teachers. I want to work with teacher unions to bring this about in a way that is meaningful and appropriate in an Irish context. Some 90% of junior cycle students go on to senior cycle. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Despite the ongoing requirement to make expenditure savings across a range of areas, expenditure in 2013 supporting pupils with Special Educational Needs was some €1.3bn or approximately 15% of the entire budget of my Department. This year, provision is being made for up to 10,965 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs). This is an increase of 390 posts on the previous cap of 10,575 posts. In...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The National Council Special Education (NCSE) has recently published an information pamphlet for parents/guardians of children and young people with Autism Spectrum disorder. The pamphlet is one in a series of pamphlets aimed at informing parents and guardians of supports and services available for children and young people with special educational needs. As the Deputy is aware the NCSE is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am informed by the State Examinations Commission that it regularly receives requests for assistance from candidates who either cannot take an examination or cannot perform to the best of their abilities because of illness, bereavement or other trauma. However, our examinations model is constrained in the degree to which the life experiences of individual students can be accommodated. Each...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Schools with significantly increasing enrolments are catered for within the staffing arrangements by being allocated teachers on the basis of their current pupil numbers rather than on a previous year basis which is the case for the majority of schools. The staffing appeals process has been extended to include a new criterion wich helps those schools that make a significant contribution to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I understand that the Deputy is referring to how students are categorised for student grant purposes. For student grants purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent mature student if he or she has attained the age of 23 on 1...