Results 10,021-10,040 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the current amalgamation arrangements there is a provision for the allocation of a concessionary mainstream teaching post in cases where the approved number of mainstream teachers serving in the schools at the time the amalgamation takes place exceeds the number of mainstream posts warranted by the total enrolment on the basis of the staffing schedule. The continued allocation of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Pay scales for positions of employment at my Department are set by the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform and no staff have been approved for a salary that exceeds these scales. In relation to the University sector and bodies under the aegis of my Department, four requests were made to my Department for remuneration that exceeded approved scales. Three of these requests...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme in July 2014 to have asbestos removed from their school building. Due to the nature of the works the School Management Authority were advised by officials from the Planning and Building Unit that the proposed works could not be carried out in a safe manner while there were...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I can advise that a request for a meeting with a delegation from the school, to which the Deputy refers, was recently submitted to my Department's Planning and Building Unit. I understand my officials have been in touch with the school recently and are waiting on the school's Design Team and the School Authority to respond, prior to arranging the Stage 2(a) Stakeholders Meeting. School...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. There is no change to the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the current 2014/15...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Commission (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Commercial Marketing in Schools (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 461 to 466, inclusive, together. As the Deputy will be aware, under Section 15 of the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school and is therefore responsible for making decisions as to the types of activities in which the school gets involved. The decision as to whether to accept sponsorship or...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy is aware my Department appointed Contractors Administration Services (CAS), to conduct random audits on school building projects. CAS have been requested to carry out a full monitoring service for the duration of the contract at the school in question. Should irregularities be uncovered in terms of non-compliance with relevant employment law, enforcement and prosecution falls...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Applications (18 Nov 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 in the amount of €28 million, 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. At this time there is no...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Rehiring (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department collates information in relation to individuals who retired from the civil service and are re-engaged to undertake specific tasks. Retired civil servants are engaged from time to time to perform various defined tasks that require their particular expertise and experience. Payments made to retired civil servants in respect of such work are determined in accordance with the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts for the 2014/2015 school year is set out in the Staffing Schedule (Circular 0007/2014) which is available on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the 30 September 2013. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Payments (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. In this regard a Board of Management may find it necessary to restrict enrolment to children from a particular area or a particular age group or on the basis of some other criterion. The criteria to be applied by schools in such circumstances are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that there are two national schools located on the campus in question. In that regard, my Department has not received a proposal from the Patron for the amalgamation of the schools concerned. As the Deputy will be aware, the decision making authority for any amalgamation belongs to the Patron of a school, subject to the approval of the Minister for Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 475 and 476 together. Information to answer all aspects of this question is being compiled at present by the Higher Education Authority and a further response will issue to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for the provision of a range of educational services at local and national level for students with special educational needs. This responsibility includes planning and co-ordinating the provision of education and support services to children with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Employment Rights (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Circular Letter 009/2013 issued by my Department outlines the procedures regarding Maternity Protection Entitlements for eligible registered teachers employed in recognised Primary, Secondary, Community, Comprehensive and Education and Training Board schools. In accordance with Paragraphs 10.1 and 10.2 of the circular, pregnant teachers are entitled to time off work, without loss of pay,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland Administration (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: According to figures provided to my Department by Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI received 103,125 grant applications for the 2014/2015 academic year (64,697 new and 38,428 renewal grant applications submitted by continuing students). Of the total applications received some 15,500 (15,300 New and 200 Renewals) have yet to be processed to completion.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland Administration (18 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am informed by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that as at 7th November 2014 it had awarded 57,451 student grants to applicants for the 2014/2015 academic year (24,661 new and 32,790 renewal applications). Of the 57,451 applicants awarded, 50,402 applicants have been paid (20,895 new and 29,507 renewal students), with 7,049 (3,766 new and 3,283 renewal applications) yet to be...