Results 11,741-11,760 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 2015/16 school year 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 2nd, 3rd and 4th classroom...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The project referred to by the Deputy was included in the 5 year School Building Programme announced in 2012. However due to issues which arose in relation to the proposed site, the progression of the project was delayed. Officials in my Department are working to ensure that the project progresses and a potential option is being pursued in that regard. Due to commercial sensitivities it is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) recommended the introduction of a new resource allocation model for schools. The NCSE observed that such a model would overcome difficulties potentially affecting all children with mild general learning disabilities, who have additional difficulties, including children with Down syndrome, as they would, under...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 586 and 587 together. My Department is in consultation with the Department of Social Protection in the context of the review of the Student Grant Scheme for the 2015/16 academic year. This consultation includes but is not limited to; meetings, discussions, phone calls and e-mails. The review of the Student Grant Scheme 2015 is ongoing. As such, all aspects of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Transitions Reform Steering Group was established to include representatives from the my Department, the Higher Education Authority (HEA), National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) the Irish Universities Association (IUA), Institutes of Technology Ireland (IoTI), the State Examinations Commission (SEC) and Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). Key commitments that have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that officials from my Department have contacted the interested party. The lands to which the Deputy refers are not in my ownership and this information has been communicated to the party in question.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the provisions of the Education Act 1998, a Patron may appoint a person or persons to manage the school in circumstances where the appointment of a Board is not practicable or where the Patron has dissolved the Board and pending the appointment of a new Board of Management. The school to which the Deputy refers is one of nine community national schools that have been established in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Eligibility (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy will be aware that the purpose of the Home Tuition Scheme is to provide 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 a compensatory educational service for children awaiting a suitable educational placement and for early intervention for children with autism. I wish to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Sports Facilities Provision (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: 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 numbers. This will continue to be the main focus for investment by my Department in the coming years therefore it is not possible to provide funding for the provision of an astroturf pitch at the school referred to by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Eligibility (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that general allocation and language support have been combined into a single and simplified allocation for all primary schools. The GAM/EAL allocation for each school is based on the number of mainstream classroom teaching posts in the school. In addition, a differential in the GAM/EAL allocation for DEIS Band 1 schools is applied on the basis of 0.4 of a post if...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 2015/16 school year are set out in Department Circular 0005/2015 which is available on my Department's website.An appeals process is available to schools under certain criteria. Details of the appeals criteria are set out in the published staffing arrangements. The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal to the March, 2015...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The vast majority of schools are privately owned i.e. the site/building is owned by the relevant school patron. Where school building projects are funded through grant-aid, the Department secures these grants through leases (known as Charging Leases or Declarations of Trust) with the relevant landowner. These leases protect the Minister's capital investment in the school property and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that in 2013, the school in question was approved funding for the provision of a construction room and preparation area. This project is being delivered by the school management and is currently on site. In 2011, my Department approved funding to the school for additional classroom accommodation together with a science laboratory. This project has since been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The position is that the provisions of the Job Sharing Scheme for Special Needs Assistants in Recognised Primary and Post-Primary Schools are outlined in my Department's Circular Letter 41/2014. In accordance with the Circular, Special Needs Assistants may apply to share a wholetime post on a 50:50 basis i.e. 16 hours per week in both Primary and Post Primary Schools. The terms of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (31 Mar 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 authorized 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 Design...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As previously advised, the information requested by the Deputy is not readily available within my Department and therefore officials of my Department requested the information from the Higher Education Authority. It is estimated that the cost of abolishing fees for part-time postgraduate students would cost the State in the region of €43 million. While the Exchequer meets the cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The matter raised by the Deputy in Parliamentary Question No. 441 of 17 February was referred for direct reply to the Teaching Council, the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the recognition of teaching qualifications and the registration of teachers. I understand that a comprehensive reply has recently been provided by the Council.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Officials from my Department have been working very closely with Galway County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding between the Department and the County and City Managers' Association to acquire a suitable site for the school referred to by the Deputy. I can confirm that a suitable site has been identified and the site acquisition process is at an advanced stage. The site...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (31 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The number of SNAs employed in a school depends on the allocation given to the school by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), based on its assessment of the special educational needs of pupils in the school. This allocation can increase or decrease from year to year depending on a variety of factors. My Department has no control over the allocation process to schools and is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (1 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The management authorities of the school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application in January 2015 for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme to replace underfloor heating at their school with standard radiators. As the scope of works for which funding is sought is outside the terms of the scheme they cannot be considered for funding. I understand that the school...