Results 10,201-10,220 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under my Department's Prefab Replacement Initiative approval was given to 209 primary schools and 8 post primary schools to replace 614 prefab units with permanent accommodation. In excess of €57m was allocated of which €44.3m has been paid to date. Of the total 217 approved school projects, 155 projects have been completed and a further 21 projects are on site. Details of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Reviews (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have met with the Teacher Unions five times since my appointment as Minister. Three of these meetings were solely to deal with issues relating to implementation of reforms to the Junior Cycle. I agreed to Dr Pauric Travers chairing negotiations between the Department and the Unions, and I also agreed to both the timeframe and terms of reference for those talks which were proposed by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Following the suspension of the merger with IT Carlow by Waterford Institute of Technology, I have established a new process to reinvigorate the technological university of the South East project. I have appointed Michael Kelly to lead a process of consultation with the governing bodies, staff and students in the two institutes and with other stakeholders in the region in order to explore...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff Remuneration (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department has established an Expert Group, chaired by a Senior Counsel, to consider and report on the level of fixed-term and part-time employment in lecturing, having regard to the importance of employment stability and security and taking account of system and institution needs. The Group comprises representatives from the Department, employer management bodies and trade unions. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Industrial Disputes (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I have recently met with all Unions representing construction workers involved in the delivery of my Department's school building programme including officials from UNITE. These meeting have allowed me to provide valuable policy updates to the Union representatives including an update on the progress of the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2014...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government recognises that small schools are an important part of the social fabric of rural communities. They will continue to be a feature of our education landscape. However, this must be achieved in the context that all public servants are being asked to deliver our public services on a reduced level of resources and teachers in small schools cannot be immune from this requirement. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (27 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: School Staffing (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: When the moratorium on the filling of posts of responsibility was introduced in 2009, the Government exempted Principal and Deputy Principal posts in all primary and post-primary schools. These posts continue to be replaced in the normal manner. The impact of the moratorium was therefore limited to the Assistant Principal and Special Duties posts of responsibility.The alleviation arrangements...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department is currently analysing the latest demographic data on a nationwide basis to determine where further school accommodation might be needed from 2015 onwards. When this exercise has been completed, I will announce details of any new schools that are being provided. The Deputy may be aware that a new 8 classroom primary school commenced operation in the Knocknacarra area of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Restoration (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I announced earlier this week the payment of the Minor Works Grant 2014/2015. The grant will issue to all primary schools with permanent recognition next week.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (27 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: Broadband Service Provision (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I appreciate that quality internet connectivity is essential for good teaching and learning using ICT. While great progress has been made at post primary where every school will shortly have a high speed connection, I am aware that improvement at primary is slower and is dependent upon market and technological developments. Under the Schools Broadband Access Programme, my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy may be aware, the school in question did not participate in a 2005 identification process to select schools for inclusion in DEIS, or in a later appeals process open to schools which had not qualified for inclusion in DEIS. Many representations have been made to my Department and to my predecessors, by and on behalf of the school, seeking its inclusion in DEIS. These...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: English Language Training Organisations (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: A number of reforms which I announced together with the Minister for Justice and Equality on 2nd September are currently being implemented to strengthen the regulation of international education in Ireland. The purpose of these reforms is to protect the educational and consumer interests of genuine international students, to tackle abuse of the labour market and the immigration regime and to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government's approach to restoring the economy has helped Ireland to return to a position where we are seeing economic growth. It is a continuing improvement in our economic growth over a sustained period that will enable us to move to a point where we can look again at providing for additional teacher resources in schools which could bring about an improvement in PTR, class size and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: A key focus of the Government's education policy is to prioritise investment in favour of those most at risk and to optimise access, participation and outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in those circumstances. DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) the Action Plan for Educational Inclusion, which focuses on addressing and prioritising the educational needs of children and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Restoration (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I announced earlier this week the payment of the Minor Works Grant 2014/2015. The grant will issue to all primary schools with permanent recognition next week.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Prior to September 2014, there were 9 post-primary schools in the Dublin 15 area. As a result of increasing demographics my Department sanctioned two new post-primary schools to meet increasing demand. In September 2014, these two new post-primary schools opened in Dublin 15, namely Hansfield Educate Together Secondary School and Le Chéile Secondary School, Mulhuddart. Both of these...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Changes to the structure and content of the Gaeltacht Placement arose from the Teaching Council's accreditation criteria, published in June 2011 (Initial Teacher Education: Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers) which provide, inter alia, for "an extended and reconceptualised Gaeltacht residency which will now form part of the overall programme and be under the direct jurisdiction...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reports (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am currently reviewing the Value for Money Report for small schools along with my Government Colleagues. I intend to publish the Report as soon as those considerations have been finalised. I also intend to outline my response to the report at that time.