Results 10,121-10,140 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (25 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department's policies focus on ensuring that all children can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. A range of placement options for pupils with special educational needs is provided, in order to ensure that all pupils can receive a school placement. Many...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Telecommunications Services Provision (25 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: There are currently 67 primary schools (see attached table) connected by UPC under the Schools' Broadband Access programme. 5 schools are receiving 30Mbit/s connections and 62 are receiving 100Mbit/s connections. The schools were awarded under a framework set up in 2012 following a public procurement competition. Schools are awarded based on the most economically advantageous tender using...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Telecommunications Services Provision (25 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department, in conjunction with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), is currently engaged in a significant programme of curriculum reform at primary level. The first element of this reform programme is a new integrated language curriculum for junior infants to second class which is currently being finalised by the NCCA. This integrated language curriculum is scheduled...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (25 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 454 to 458, inclusive, together. Capitation grants are paid to primary schools in two instalments. The first moiety is usually paid in January and comprises 70% of the total capitation due to a school in the year. The Deputy should note that as school enrolment data for the previous 30th September is not fully validated at that time, the grant calculations...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (25 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 459 to 470, inclusive, together. All of the information as requested by the Deputy is not immediately available. The details will be forwarded directly to the Deputy when compiled.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Evaluations (25 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Inspectorate of my Department has conducted 428 whole-school evaluations (WSEs) in post-primary schools in the period 01 January 2009 to 21 November 2014. This represents 58% of all post-primary schools. The number of WSEs and the proportion conducted in each category of schools are as follows: - Community Schools: 43 WSEs (53%) - Comprehensive Schools: 9 WSEs (64%) - Community...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (25 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: 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 Educational Needs in Schools (May 2013) and the recommendations of the NCSE...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (25 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department's 5 year plan to go to construction in 2015/16. The disposal of the lands concerned to facilitate the new school building has recently been approved by Cork County Council. The conveyancing process in relation to the site concerned is currently underway, and due diligence must be performed in this regard....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (25 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that my Department approved an application for temporary additional accommodation at the school referred to by the Deputy. Similar to other schools, the school was approved associated costs for the delivery and installation of the temporary accommodation unit concerned and to meet with the statutory planning requirements. A total of €46,574.19 (including VAT) costs was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (25 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The school to which the Deputy refers is to be delivered as part of the Schools Bundle 5 PPP project. This bundle comprises one primary school, four post primary schools and one Institute of Further Education. The site acquisition process for the school in question is underway, however, due to commercial sensitivities associated with property acquisitions generally, I am unable to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (25 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: Departmental Contracts (25 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department made no contract payments to the company in question over the period indicated by the Deputy. Education Agencies are responsible, within Government guidelines, for procurement of their own goods and services and the contracts arising. The Department does not maintain details of contracts undertaken by these agencies.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Contracts (25 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Haddington Road Agreement provided for the establishment of an Expert Group to consider and report on the level of fixed-term and part-time employment in teaching, having regard to the importance for teachers of employment stability and security and taking account of system and school needs and Teaching Council registration requirements. The independent chairperson of the Group (Peter...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: SOLAS Training and Education Programmes Places (25 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: While priority access to former FÁS training courses is given to those in receipt of an eligible Department of Social Protection payment, all unemployed persons are eligible to participate on such courses free of charge. It should be noted, however, that anyone referred to such a course can only receive a training allowance if they are in receipt of an eligible payment from the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (25 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I regret the delay in providing a comprehensive reply to the correspondence and will arrange for my officials to issue a reply to the Deputy, at the earliest opportunity.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: International Students (25 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will be aware, a number of private colleges have closed in 2014. The first priority of both the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Justice and Equality has been to find a reasonable accommodation for genuine students affected by those closures. This accommodation must have regard to the fact that these colleges were private bodies with no relationship to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Springboard Programme (26 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Springboard 2014 incorporates part-time Springboard courses and full-time ICT skills conversion programmes. The course referred to by the Deputy, Waterford Institute of Technology (WD_KCOSC_G), is an ICT Skills Higher Diploma in Computer Science. The ICT skills conversion programme is open to job seekers, regardless of their social protection status, who have the capacity and underlying...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (26 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As part of the Budget 2012 decisions, the number of pupils required to gain and retain a classroom teaching post in small primary schools was gradually increased between September 2012 and September 2014. An appeals process is available to affected schools in the event that they can show that their projected enrolments are sufficient to allow them to retain their classroom teacher in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (26 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department's 5 year plan to go to construction in 2015/16. The conveyancing process in relation to the site concerned is currently underway, and due diligence must be performed in this regard. Once the acquisition of the site is finalised, the project will be progressed into the architectural planning process with a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (26 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm to the Deputy that following a recent site visit to the schools in question, my Department is currently finalising the project briefs for the schools concerned. When the briefs concerned are finalised, the projects in question will be progressed into the architectural planning process. My Department will be in further contact with the schools at that stage.