Results 11,061-11,080 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The preliminary stage of seeking planning for the school to which the Deputy refers has begun with the erection of the site notices for an access road to the site. The planning application for the school proper should follow shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme has recently been approved for the school in question to carry out roof repairs. The school authority have been informed of this decision.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. 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. The circular outlining the staffing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Representations (12 Feb 2015)

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 Funding (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Budget 2015 included an increase in spending on education for the first time in recent years, amounting to additional funding of €60m during 2015. This funding will be used to provide 1,700 additional teachers and SNAs for our schools, as well as to fund prioritised reforms, such as implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategy, reform of junior cycle, and the introduction of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: There are a range of languages, including foreign languages, available for the Leaving Certificate in our schools. In addition to English and Irish; Ancient Greek, Arabic, French, German, Hebrew Studies, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and Russian are available. There are also a suite of non-curricular EU languages such as Polish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Romanian, Modern Greek, Finnish, Polish,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The proposed building project to provide a new school for Clifden Community School has encountered a number of difficulties since it was authorised to proceed to tender in 2014. As a result of these difficulties, the Department has advised the school that the most expedient and effective means of progressing the project to construction is for the project to be re-tendered. The project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of a Major Capital Application for the provision of a PE hall for the school in question. As the Deputy will be aware, due to the competing demands on my Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the funding available for the provision of essential school classroom accommodation, it is not possible to provide an indicative...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Mental Health Awareness (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: While my Department arranges for the flying of the National Flag and EU Flag on its premises in accordance with protocol set out by the Department of An Taoiseach on designated days and on important State occasions, it is not the policy to fly flags in respect of individual charitable causes. In relation to the objectives of the programme in question, my Department is strongly supportive...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: This project to provide permanent accommodation for the two schools in Firhouse, Dublin 24 has commenced architectural planning and it is anticipated a planning application will be lodged in the coming months. It is envisaged that construction of the new permanent school buildings will commence towards the end of 2015, with a view to having accommodation in place for the academic year...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 221, 222 and 226 together. The Deputy will be aware that on Tuesday of this week I announced that I am not proposing to change the way teachers are allocated to schools for children with Special Educational Needs for the coming school year. In making this decision to retain the current model for allocating resource and learning support teachers for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: School planning is carried out on the basis of school feeder areas. These are distinct geographical areas. New schools are set up specifically to meet the demographic needs presenting within a particular school feeder area and priority in a new school's enrolment policy will be required to be given to pupils from the area for this reason. Glencullen is in a different school feeder area. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Redeployment (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers to other schools that have vacancies. Thereafter, schools are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent vacancies from supplementary panels comprised of eligible fixed-term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers. The arrangements for panel access for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Article 42.1 of the Constitution acknowledges that the primary and natural educator of the child is the Family and guarantees to respect the right of parents in this regard. Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Programmes Recognition (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: FETAC was amalgamated with a number of other qualifications bodies in 2012 to form Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). FETAC is therefore no longer an awarding body. Awards previously granted by FETAC are included in the ten-level National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) for Ireland. FETAC awards fall into levels 1 – 6 of the NFQ. As National Vocational Qualifications...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the decision making authority for a change of status belongs to the Patron of a school, and this is subject to the approval of the Minister for Education and Skills. Any such proposal must first involve consultation with all of the relevant stakeholders. Following the consultation process, a decision taken at local level will follow. In that regard, any...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Programmes Expenditure (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Following a number of years of decline, the number of registrations in the 27 existing apprenticeship trades - which are mainly in the construction, motor and engineering sectors- continues to rise as the employment and economic situation improves. This recovery in numbers is forecast to continue over the coming years. Reform of the Irish apprenticeship system through the renewal of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Grants (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take questions 230 to 232, inclusive, together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Industrial Relations (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 424 and 450 together. I am aware that the Labour Court recently issued a recommendation in respect of an industrial dispute at the school site referred to by the Deputy. I understand that both parties are currently engaged in talks and it would not be appropriate for me to comment any further at this stage.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Eligibility (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department administers two separate Home Tuition Schemes. One of the schemes provides for a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme also provides for children with special educational needs awaiting a suitable educational placement and for early intervention for children with autism....