Results 10,001-10,020 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I move amendment No. 20: In page 9, lines 15 and 16, to delete “Freedom of Information Act 1997” and substitute “Freedom of Information Act 2014”.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I indicated last time that I agree with the Senators that there should be as much transparency as possible and better communication between schools and parents. I generally support this principle but I do not think this amendment is appropriate. As Senator Reilly noted, we are working on the education (admission to schools) Bill and are close to publication. We are engaging with...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: That is not relevant to this Bill. The minor works grant was announced in November 2013 and we are still working on it.

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: On amendment No. 23, this provision is really just to clarify that the PLC schemes are now administered by SOLAS rather than by the Minister since its establishment. That is the purpose in using the same language, to ensure these students qualify for grants and that there is no doubt about it. As that is the purpose, I am not proposing to accept the amendment because it would involve the...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Fifth Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: To clarify, the provisions in the Bill may only be used by institutions that award to doctorate level under the Irish quality framework. There is no way that an institution which operates abroad and is not awarding at that level under the Irish system would be given the designation of university. The Bill contains a range of important measures, including provisions regarding support grants...

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Fifth Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Is the Senator against its having international students?

Seanad: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Fifth Stage (12 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: We have had a very good debate, and those who have participated include Senators Power, Barrett and Moloney. It has been a constructive debate. I will return and have given an undertaking to Senator Barrett in particular that I intend to bring forward amendments in the Dáil to in respect of some of the issues he raised. In respect of the specifics around the naming of any institution...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (13 Nov 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. My main priority for any additional resources for the foreseeable future will be to cater for the continuing increase in demographics at all levels in the education system. We have a growing population of young people in this country...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (13 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will be aware, schools are required to pay for a range of utilities such as electricity, gas etc. and water is but one of these. In relation to water, the Deputy may also be aware that schools have been subject to metered water charges imposed by Local Authorities since 1 January 2010. The capitation grant is the main funding mechanism for schools to enable them meet their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Professional Development (13 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department will spend approximately €44million on teacher CPD in 2014 including salary and substitution costs across the primary and post primary sectors. The teacher CPD budget represents 0.76% of my Departments overall budget for first and second level - almost 6% when salary and pension costs are excluded. The programme of CPD provided addresses a range of priorities such...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (13 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Average class size is not readily calculated by teacher size of school. Below is a link to a spreadsheet that shows the number of pupils in each mainstream class and the number of mainstream class teachers for each primary school. Data refer to 2013/14 school year. The 2014/15 National School Annual Census is currently ongoing.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (13 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The school building project referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department's 5 year Construction Programme. A planning application was lodged in August and my Department is currently liaising with the Local Authority regarding a Request for Further Information which was subsequently issue by the Local Authority.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (13 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: In the 2012/2013 school year 96.9 million euros was paid in salary to teachers employed in fee charging post primary schools. The teachers in question, whose salaries are paid from monies voted by the Oireachtas, are members of the contributory pension scheme for teachers administered by my Department. These teachers pay pension contributions and pension related deductions (PRD) by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (13 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides annual funding to the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind (IGDB) for the provision of its Child Mobility Programme. This grant provides for the services of a Mobility Officer employed by the IGDB who provides mobility training to visually impaired children. My Department also provided once-off grant-aid to the IGDB for the operation of its...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (13 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the conveyancing process for the site to which she refers is proceeding satisfactorily and my officials are working to ensure that the process is completed as soon as possible. Officials from my Department will be in contact with the relevant school authorities to inform them when the acquisition has been completed and in relation to the progression of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Value for Money Reviews (13 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The steering committee for the value for money review of small primary schools was chaired by Mr William Soffe. He was selected from the panel of nominated retired senior officials who had indicated they would be willing to act as chairpersons for individual reviews under the Value for Money and Policy Review intiative. The panel is operated by officials in the Department of Public and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (13 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that all schools were asked to apply to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) for resource teaching support for the 2014/15 school year by 26 March 2014. The NCSE published details of all of their allocations for resource teaching support for the 2014/15 school year in June 2014. In order to meet any late demand for resource teaching support...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Property Ownership (13 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As previously advised in a reply to the Deputy in March and November 2014, prior to the surrender of the lease which was in place and following discussions between officials of my Department and representatives of the owners of the property to which he refers, an agreement was reached in December 2013 to surrender the building to the owners of the property. This agreement provided that the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that in relation to the first named school, that it is my Department's intention to provide improved accommodation for the school. It is intended that the school will be accommodated in a school building currently occupied, temporarily, by a special school pending the construction of a permanent school building for the special school. The building project for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The project at the school to which the Deputy refers, was recently authorised to commence the tender process. Subject to no issues arising, it is envisaged that the project will progress to construction in the 2nd quarter of 2015.