Results 9,601-9,620 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Administration (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Education and training provision in each Education and Training Board (ETB) area is a matter for prioritisation by that ETB in line with its resources. The 2014 Further Education and Training Services Plan is the first Services plan to be developed for Further Education and Training services provided by the ETBs and the National Programmes supported by SOLAS. The Plan provides information...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will be aware, the school to which he refers has made an application to my Department for large scale capital funding. The Five Year Construction Plan that was announced in March 2012, outlines the major school projects that are scheduled to commence construction over the duration of the Plan. These have been prioritised on the basis of meeting significant demographic needs....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelscoileanna Issues (8 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The establishment of any new school is considered in the context of the overall need for additional school places to meet future demographic demands. New schools are then advanced in line with an objective process and criteria for determining patronage and language medium of instruction. As part of the arrangements for establishing new post-primary schools, an initial decision is made by...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: The project referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 2(a) of Architectural Planning. My Department has recently written to the Board of Management authorising the project to complete Stage 2(a) and have agreed a date with the Board of Management for the Stage 2(a) Stakeholders meeting which is to be held on 22nd of October. Due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: The primary staffing schedule currently operates on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 28 pupils, with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools. Schools have autonomy in relation to the deployment of classroom teachers to individual classes. My Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department's student grant scheme provides maintenance grants to Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) students pursuing approved PLC courses in the State and undergraduate students pursuing approved third level courses in the State or in other E.U. Member States. In general, an approved PLC course is defined as a prescribed full-time course in an approved PLC centre while an undergraduate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Benchmarking Awards (9 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: In the second report of the Public Service Benchmarking Body (issued in December 2007), the Body evaluated the pay and jobs of 109 grades across the public service and recommended pay increases for 15 grades. Within the education sector, the Body reviewed 25 grades including Principal, Assistant Principal and Teacher in primary and post-primary schools. The Body recommended changes to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (9 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 to 182, inclusive, together. Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The staffing schedule at primary level operates on the basis of 1 classroom teacher for an average of every 28 pupils. More favourable ratios operate in DEIS schools. Each one...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Charges (9 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The position is that the student contribution is payable by students who qualify under my Department's Free Fees Schemes. The Exchequer meets the cost of tuition fees, through my Department's free fees schemes, in respect of eligible full-time undergraduate students. It is estimated that some 129,200 students qualified for free fees in the 2013/14 academic year at a cost of some...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Expenditure (9 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: In order to carry out the exercise requested by the Deputy, related to the expected cost of reducing the qualifying distance for the non-adjacent rate of grant from 45km to 25km, we would need to know how many students would come within the ranges put forward by the Deputy. The Deputy will appreciate that this information is not readily available to the Department. As the Deputy will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Assistance Fund (9 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Student Assistance Fund is a component of the Third Level Access Measure which is managed on behalf of my Department by the Higher Education Authority and comprises two sub-priorities: the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities. The management of the Third Level Access Measure Fund rests with the Higher Education Authority and the allocation of funding for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (9 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I will continue to work with stakeholders to explore ways to increase the availability of student accommodation. Some third-level institutions provide a range of on-campus and off-campus accommodation, and all colleges have an obligation to work with students' unions and other groups, to provide incoming students with details on accommodation options, and to promote the value and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (9 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The decision on eligibility for new student grant applications for the 2014/15 academic year is a matter for the centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland). Where a grant application is made in respect of a course being pursued in an institution in the State, such as Stage Management and Technical Theatre in The Lir (National Academy of Dramatic Arts)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (9 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers recently submitted an application to my Department for the replacement of prefabs. A technical site visit is due to be undertaken next week by officials from my Department and the school authorities have been notified of the details.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (9 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: To qualify for the special rate of grant an applicant must meet the following conditions: a. Reckonable income must not exceed €22,703. b. On 31 December of the relevant period the reckonable income must include an eligible long-term social welfare payment prescribed under the scheme. In the case of a student whose parents are divorced, legally separated or it is established to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (9 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department's policy is to promote a child-centred approach to education of all children with special educational needs including those with autism. As each child with autism is unique they should have access to a range of different approaches to meet their individual needs. This facilitates access to individualised education programmes which can be supported by Special Needs Assistants...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (9 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department does not have a record of correspondence from the school referred to by the Deputy. If he wishes to provide a copy of correspondence, I will arrange for the issue raised by the school to be addressed. At primary level the staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. The configuration of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (9 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 to 195, inclusive, together. I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is currently considering potential revisions to the system of allocating Resource Teaching and Learning Support to schools. This is on foot of recommendations set out in the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) Policy Advice on "Supporting Students with Special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Assistance Fund (9 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Student Assistance Fund is a component of the Third Level Access Measure which is managed on behalf of my Department by the Higher Education Authority and comprises two sub-priorities: the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities. The overall value of the measure for the 2013/14 academic year was €16.2m. The management of the Third Level Access Measure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (9 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department clarified the criteria under which SNA support is allocated to schools, to support the care needs of qualifying children, in Circular 0030/2014, which issued to schools on 10th April 2014. While there has been no change to the way in which Special Need Assistants (SNAs) are allocated by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), the...