Results 11,941-11,960 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Other Questions: School Enrolments (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I reiterate that if the school has room, irrespective of who runs the school, it must take all the children who apply. The legislation I have published is operating under the current equality legislation which, as the Deputy says, allows a school run under a religious denomination to maintain the ethos of the school. If that involves admitting certain children and not others when the school...

Other Questions: School Enrolments (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: In reply to Deputy O'Brien on the question of the sexual orientation of students, the equality legislation provides that a person cannot be discriminated against on the basis of sexual orientation.

Other Questions: School Enrolments (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The ethos of a school is one thing but on the question of sexual orientation specifically, the equality legislation provides that one cannot be discriminated against on that basis. If there is any doubt in this regard I will be very clear that schools cannot discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. In reply to Deputy McConalogue, I have expressed a personal view but there is a...

Other Questions: School Enrolments (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have expressed my view. I said I thought that 25% was too much and I felt that I needed to go a bit further and give a personal view.

Other Questions: School Enrolments (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As Deputy O'Brien said, there is a right for siblings to go to the same school and in my view that is fair and it should be retained. In some cases there are rights to attend a local school and there are other kinds of rights of entry depending on the specific school. I want to be fair and I want to ensure that children are not kept out of schools for any particular reason. That is why I...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have recently held a number of meetings with Down Syndrome Ireland and with parents of children with Down's syndrome. Following these discussions, I agreed to review the educational provision for children with Down's syndrome. I have now provided for NCSE to make additional allocations of 2.5 resource teaching hours per week to schools in respect of any child with Down's syndrome...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I do not have a definite time frame nor do I know if it will be in time for the next school year 2016. Apparently the work is ongoing. I probably will not be the Minister for Education and Skills at the time but I do not believe that it should be introduced until the identification process is completed by the HSE and it should be based on the needs of children in the early years. The HSE...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The new model will deal with all children with disabilities. It is a model for the general allocation for children with disabilities. The draft proposals have been published by the National Council for Special Education but, because we do not have enough data, it is not ready to be introduced. Down Syndrome Ireland believed that the new model would be more positive for children with Down's...

Other Questions: School Meals Programme (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The school meals programme comes under the policy remit of my colleague the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton. I understand that 870 primary schools benefit from the school meals programme. Participation in the programme, including the level of funding provided, is a contractual matter between individual schools and the Department of Social Protection, and...

Other Questions: School Meals Programme (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy knows that I cannot answer questions about something that is the direct responsibility of another Minister. That is not the norm. In fact, I could have transferred this question, but I did not, as I have responsibility for some elements of the issues the Deputy raises. However, I cannot answer on the issues that are the responsibility of another Minister. To reiterate, 97%...

Other Questions: School Meals Programme (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Even in very difficult financial times - Deputy McConalogue knows the reasons for that - the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, provided additional money for the school meals programme because she considers it to be very important, as do I. In 2013 and 2014 all DEIS schools not participating in the school meals programme were invited in writing by the Department of Social...

Other Questions: School Enrolments (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Education (Admission to Schools) Bill was recently published and it is on the Government's legislative programme for enactment in this session. The Bill, if enacted, will provide for the Minister to make regulations, following consultation with the relevant education stakeholders, regarding the admission of students to schools. It is my intention that any such regulations include...

Other Questions: School Enrolments (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy has illustrated the point that there are differing views in this House on this issue.

Other Questions: School Enrolments (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I agree with him that boards of management have a very difficult job and do a great service to schools around the country.

Other Questions: School Enrolments (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The most important thing in relation to the proposed school admissions Bill, and in relation to policy in general, is that we are fair to all students.

Other Questions: School Enrolments (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: That is why we need a transparent system that is clearly understood by parents, is within the terms of equality legislation, gives young people the best opportunity to go to school and gives parents the best opportunity to enrol their children in the school of their choice. That is a balancing act, because not all schools have room for all the children who apply. I reiterate that if the...

Other Questions: School Enrolments (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I think I have made my position clear. We cannot give absolute power to boards of management. They have to operate within a fair system. As Minister for Education and Skills, I am responsible for making recommendations to my Government partners on the best and fairest system we can introduce.

Other Questions: State Examinations (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Junior Cycle for Teachers support service team has organised training seminars for English teachers during April. Unfortunately, the main second level teaching unions have issued directives to their members not to attend and have picketed training locations. As a result, just 16 teachers have attended the seminars held over the last few days. It is deeply regrettable that individual...

Other Questions: State Examinations (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I hope this issue will be resolved in the near future. It certainly can be resolved if the teaching unions accept the Travers proposals as the basis for discussion and agreement. We can discuss issues around resources, etc., on that basis. The actual assessments will not begin for almost a year. I urge the teaching unions to avail of that period of time. The other stakeholders -...

Other Questions: State Examinations (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I agree that the gulf is not very big. I ask the unions to look again at the way in which the Travers proposals suggest the certificate should operate. There is a lot in that to address their concerns. I want to make it clear that there is no difference between my officials and myself. I assure Deputy O'Brien that we are working as a team. We are in constant consultation.