Results 11,181-11,200 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (24 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 534 to 542, inclusive, and 546 and 547 together. The staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 2015/16 school year were published last week. They are set out in Department Circular 0005/2015 which is available on my Department's website at www.education.gov.ie.The circular sets out the improvements to the staffing schedule for the 2015/16 school year...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments Data (24 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 543, 544 and 545 together. The number of pupils and teachers in individual schools is provided in the National School Annual Census. Results from the census for the current school year (2014/2015) are being finalised at present. A provisional list of the number of pupils and teachers in each school for 2014/15 will be published on the Department's website...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disability Support Services Provision (24 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides funding to schools towards the cost of assistive technology for pupils in Primary, Post Primary and Special schools for personal computers and specialist software for educational purposes under the Assistive Technology scheme, as set out in my Department's Circular 0010/2013. This Circular states that equipment is provided under this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Placement (24 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy will be aware that this Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (24 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 550 and 552 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (24 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Department did not complete the purchase of land in the area referred to by the Deputy. The acquisition of this site was subject to planning permission being obtained. Contracts were rescinded on the basis that, subsequent to an appeal to An Bord Pleanála, planning permission was not granted.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Community Employment Schemes Operation (24 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I understand that this query relates to a Community Employment (CE) project which is funded by the Department of Social Protection and managed by the City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB). I have asked the CDETB to contact the Deputy directly to clarify the position, however it is a matter for the Department of Social Protection to consider the allocation of places within the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (24 Feb 2015)

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. The enrolment policy must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. This Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions Entry Requirements (24 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) is a college and university admissions scheme which offers places on reduced points and extra college support to school leavers from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The scheme is operated by a number of higher education institutions and not by my Department. Admissions to the institutions are regulated by the institutions themselves....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Planning Issues (24 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The building referred to by the Deputy is not in my ownership. Queries in relation to the restoration of the building are a matter for the building owner. Statutory responsibility for the enforcement of the planning and other relevant legislation with regard to works to this property falls within the remit of the local authority.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (24 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that under the existing allocation system, all pupils with Down syndrome, including such pupils with mild general learning difficulties, currently are entitled to receive additional teaching support. Such support is provided either from a school's allocation of Learning Support or Resource Teaching under the General Allocation Model (GAM), or from an allocation of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (24 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides an extensive range of supports for pupils with Specific Speech and Language Disorder (SSLD). This includes provision for the establishment of special classes for pupils with SSLD in primary schools. The criteria for enrolment in a Special Class for pupils with SSLD is set out in my Department's Circular 0038/2007. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (24 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Exchequer provides free fees funding in respect of eligible students who are pursuing full-time undergraduate courses of study under my Department's Free Fees Initiative. The main conditions of the scheme are that students must be first-time undergraduates, hold inter alia EU/EEA/Swiss nationality in their own right, and have been ordinarily resident in an EU/EEA/Swiss state for at least...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (24 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department and its agencies are currently implementing the first phase of the Apprenticeship Implementation Plan, focused on several actions including the establishment of an Apprenticeship Council to develop and issue a call for proposals to industry for apprenticeships in new sectors. This call for proposals is under way and I expect a report from the Council in the second quarter of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (24 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am not aware of any proposal being considered by the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform to introduce name badges for Civil Servants whose official functions entail direct dealings with members of the public and it is not something I am considering for staff at my Department. It is my Department's policy that all officials when dealing with members of the public over the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Data (25 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The policy of my Department is to ensure, as far as possible, that the Managerial Authorities of Primary and Post-Primary schools give priority to unemployed registered teachers who are fully qualified when filling vacant teaching posts. It is schools that employ teachers and not my Department. However my Department has issued a number of Circulars addressing this issue in recent years. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Bodies (25 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I established the Apprenticeship Council initially on a non-statutory basis last year. I considered that, as it was necessary to have a broad range of trade unions represented, it was appropriate to ask ICTU (Irish Congress of Trade Unions) to nominate two representatives for appointment to the Council. They have since done so and the membership of the Council has been finalised. I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (25 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 2015/16 school year were published last week. They are set out in Department Circular 0005/2015 which is available on my Department's website at www.education.gov.ie. The circular sets out the improvements to the staffing schedule for the 2015/16 school year for small schools. These improvements are improved retention thresholds for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (25 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department intends to make contact with the school in question in relation to its accommodation needs.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (25 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The information sought by the Deputy is not available as the enrolment of a child to a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools. I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department's policy focuses on ensuring that all children with...