Results 10,241-10,260 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Administration (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy is aware, my Department's over-riding objective is to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to cope with increasing pupil numbers. To ensure that this is achieved, the delivery of major school projects to meet significant demographic demands nationally, will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelscoileanna Issues (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 190 and 191 together. My Department is currently examining the extent and location of additional post-primary places that will be needed on a nationwide basis from 2017 onwards. This will include an examination of the north Kildare area. A submission recently received from An Foras Patrúntáchta in relation to all-Irish provision in north Kildare...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: Since 2011 my Department has introduced a number of targeted initiatives aimed at addressing the skills needs of employers and supporting jobseekers into employment. At higher education level Springboard and the ICT skills conversion programme provide opportunities for unemployed people and job seekers to upskill or reskill in areas of identified skills needs. The courses, which are at level...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently completing Stage 2a (Developed Design) of the architectural planning process. On the satisfactory completion of stage 2a, and subject to no other issues arising, the project will progress to Stage 2(b) which includes applications for Planning Permission, Fire Safety Certification, Disability Access Certification and the preparation of tender...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The project to which the Deputy refers was approved recently to progress from Stage 2A (Developed Design) to Stage 2b (Detailed Design). Stage 2b includes the applications for planning permission, fire safety certificate, disability access certificate and the preparation of tender documents. Due to competing demands on the Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Garda Vetting of Personnel (2 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Garda vetting arrangements for the schools sector operate on a non-statutory basis and have been in place for new employees since 2006. The vetting arrangements were updated in 2010 and are set out in Department Circular 0063/2010. The vetting arrangements will operate on a statutory basis when the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 is commenced. Some...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (2 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers submitted an application for additional accommodation comprising a resource room and staff accommodation. The application was assessed and I am pleased to advise you that the school were allocated funding for a resource room. However in view of the need to prioritise available funding towards the provision of essential mainstream...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (2 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Teaching Council, the professional regulatory body for teachers, is the body with statutory responsibility since 2006 for the registration of teachers. I as Minister for Education and Skills have no direct function in relation to the registration of individual teachers. I understand the person referred to by the Deputy was conditionally registered by the Teaching Council as a Post...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Eligibility (2 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The school referred to by the Deputy has applied for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme for the removal of trees. The application is currently being assessed and the school authority will be notified of the outcome of this assessment as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (2 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: A building project is a complex arrangement of contractual relationships between the client, the main contractor, specialist sub-contractors, domestic sub-contractors, suppliers of materials, suppliers of plant etc. In general all sub-contractors employed on education sector building projects are employed directly by the Main Contractor or indirectly by the Main Contractor through other...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Administration (2 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The correspondence in question has been brought to my attention and I have issued a response to it. I have also requested my officials to respond directly in detail on some of the issues raised in the letter and subsequent related e-mail; I am advised that this response will issue presently. It is, in my view, reasonable to conclude that the Department has maintained a consistent position...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Programmes Administration (2 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: An Absence and Sickness Policy is in place for participants on training courses. The policy makes provision for trainees to be paid for periods of illness where appropriate. There are no plan to review the policy at this stage.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (2 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act, which became operational on 28 January this year provides that teachers in recognised schools must be registered with the Teaching Council, the professional standards body for teachers, to be paid by the State. Alongside Section 30, the Education Act 1998 (Unregistered Persons) Regulations 2014 were also put in place. This allows schools only in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (2 Dec 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 Applications (2 Dec 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 Applications (2 Dec 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: Teacher Retirements (2 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The person to whom the Deputy refers made an application for retirement on ill-health grounds. The statutory basis for Ill Health Retirement pension benefit for members of the Teachers' Superannuation Schemes in Primary, Secondary, Community and Comprehensive Schools is contained in the Secondary, Community and Comprehensive School Teachers Pension Scheme 2009 and the Primary School Teachers...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Sick Leave (2 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Following a review of sick leave arrangements, a new Public Service wide sick leave scheme has been introduced across the Public Service. The Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Act 2013, provided the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform with the power to make regulations that set out the specific details of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme. These...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Contracts (2 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 458 and 473 to 475, inclusive, together. The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on my Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level for the current school year is the pupil enrolment at 30 September 2013. There are currently 9,700 wtes (whole...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (2 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 459, 460, 476 and 477 together. The Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) represented the interests, at a national level, of the thirty three Vocational Education Committees (VECs) until the commencement on 1 July 2013 of the Education and Training Boards Act, which dissolved the VECs and established the sixteen Education and Training Boards (ETBs)....