Results 12,521-12,540 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Disadvantaged Status (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have not got them myself yet but certainly it would be a good idea that the Deputy has an idea of what they contain. The most important Departments in this regard are the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, which deals with issues such as school completion, and the Department of Social Protection, which organises programmes such as the school meals programme. There are probably some...

Other Questions: Early School Leavers (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy may be aware of a report from last February showing that of students who started post-primary school in 2008 almost 97% sat the junior certificate and more than 90% sat the leaving certificate. Ireland's upper secondary retention rates compare favourably with other EU member states. In Ireland we have a broad and balanced model of education which seeks not to compartmentalise...

Other Questions: Early School Leavers (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As indicated in the response of the Minister of State, Deputy English, we are looking seriously at widening the whole concept of apprenticeships and providing that alternative path for students as a real career opportunity and we are encouraging parents to see that as an absolutely viable and equal alternative. We do not favour children setting out on that path at too early an age. Some 97%...

Other Questions: Early School Leavers (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I will be very brief.

Other Questions: Early School Leavers (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I do not disagree with Deputy Fleming on any of those matters. He is right about languages and so on. I differ with the Deputy, however, on the age at which young people should start in the workplace. We are learning from Germany and Austria and we want to follow their models with regard to having many more apprenticeship opportunities-----

Other Questions: Early School Leavers (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: -----but we want the children to stay in school until they are 16.

Other Questions: Schools Building Project Status (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I advise the Deputy that the new school building project in County Galway is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The design team is preparing to retender the project following difficulties with the first tender exercise. The new pre-qualification of contractors list has been finalised and the revised stage 2b cost plan is currently being examined by my Department. The project...

Other Questions: Schools Building Project Status (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I assure the Deputy that the funding is available because it is in the programme. Once it commences, we expect it will take about 18 months to construct the new school.

Other Questions: Gender Equality (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The HEA has recently initiated a system-wide review of higher education institutions' gender profiles and gender equality policies which will encompass all higher education institutions under its remit. The review will analyse the status quoin higher education in respect of gender equality, examine the reasons for continuing gender inequality among staff across the sector and make...

Other Questions: Gender Equality (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: On the Galway situation, I have made my concerns very clear regarding the shortcomings identified by the Equality Tribunal, specifically in the case of Dr. Sheehy Skeffington. The fact that NUI Galway unreservedly accepted this and established a task force is to be welcomed. I have again stated clearly that the task force needs to have the confidence of people in NUI Galway and the body of...

Other Questions: Gender Equality (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: To clarify, it is the terms of reference of the HEA review to which I referred when I stated I had not seen them. I have a list of what they will have regard to, including the statutory obligations; the obligations of universities and institutes of technology to prepare and implement equality policies; the complete self-evaluation questionnaires that will be submitted; site visits, which are...

Other Questions: Gender Equality (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy was asking me about the task force. I am aware of the terms of reference of the task force.

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Where parents of children who are eligible for home tuition have sought alternative arrangements to be put in place for the tuition, the Department has responded by putting arrangements in place with six private preschool providers which provide group tuition to children in a class-type setting. Each of these providers was selected by the parents. The Department will consider similar...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: We do not have any contracts. It is essentially the parents who choose the provider, and the arrangement is made between the parents or the group of parents and the provider. One organisation was agreed on back in 2008 and the rate was calculated on the basis of a collective rate for each group of six children, for whom the Department pays a sum equivalent to 48 hours calculated at the...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Recommendations have been made on special education and changing to a new model. I am not sure whether this is what the Deputy is asking about. We have decided that we do not have enough information, particularly on complex needs, to introduce the new model in September but we will introduce pilots of the model in September. I announced some variation, particularly on hours for children...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Healthy Living Strategies (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Primary schools are playing an active role in promoting healthy eating and physical activity among their students. Through the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme, which is mandatory at primary level, students learn about the importance of healthy eating and a balanced diet. Students are supported through the formal Physical Education (P.E.) curriculum to engage in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: English Language Training Organisations (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The ultimate objective of reform of the English Language Sector is to safeguard and improve the qualifications and the quality of the educational experience of international students who come to Ireland. One of the key reforms recently approved by Government to the student immigration system for international education is the removal of further education and vocational education and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is extremely difficult to make precise comparisons between the levels of grants paid and the actual costs of running schools at primary and post primary levels. However it is self evident that the maintenance and running costs for second level schools are much greater on a unit cost basis than those in primary schools. In general, second level schools are larger than primary schools and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Administration (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department's Five Year Construction Plan, announced in 2012, contains details of the 275 major school projects that are planned to commence construction over the duration of the period of the Plan. In addition, arising from the Government's stimulus funding package, a further 44 school projects are also being progressed to construction. That...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Holidays (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As I have outlined in response to the Deputy's earlier priority question, Returning Officers are statutorily responsible for the conduct of elections and may, under electoral law, use school premises for this purpose. Schools that have been identified as polling stations do not require the approval of my Department to close on polling day and accordingly data in respect of the number of...