Results 12,541-12,560 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Programmes Funding (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department funds Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and Institutes of Technology (IoTs) and provides co-financing to Skillnets but does not provide grants to employers to access training for their staff. In 2015, ETBs and IOTs will offer over 2,000 places on a variety of welding courses. Fees ranging from €350 to €450, depending on duration and type of course, are...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: The majority of English language schools in Ireland are privately run and there is a diverse range of English language courses on offer which vary considerably in duration and intensity. There are no plans to bring English language schools or English language teachers under the aegis of my Department. The Deputy will be aware that Government has recently approved a package of reforms to...

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: State Examinations (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) was established as an independent agency in 2003 and has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. Students with specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, as well as those with physical conditions, are accommodated in the examinations under the SEC's scheme of Reasonable Accommodations at the...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: Average class size and the ratio of teachers to students are two important measures of the resources that we make available to schools. While our average class size at primary level is over 3 pupils higher than the OECD average it is only slightly above the OECD average in relation to PTR. My focus in Budget 2015 was on obtaining the additional funding that was necessary to provide for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Anti-Bullying Procedures (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department published new Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools at the beginning of the 2013/14 school year. These procedures are designed to give direction and guidance to school authorities and school personnel in preventing and tackling school-based bullying behaviour amongst its pupils. The procedures recognise that a positive school culture and climate is key...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Poverty (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The only recommendation in the report referred to by the Deputy that is relevant to my Department is that schools should provide 'food education' and support the development of cookery skills. Schools are already active in these areas. The Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme provides students with the key skills and knowledge to enable them to make informed and healthier...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Drug Awareness Programmes (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Schools are already supporting students to develop the key skills and knowledge to enable them to make informed choices when faced with a range of difficult issues, including alcohol and drugs. This is mainly done through the Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme, which has a specific module on the use and misuse of a range of substances. SPHE is mandatory in all primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The reality of the economic situation and the public expenditure corrections which had to be made in recent years presented challenges across all areas of public expenditure, including higher education. The sector has responded well to these challenges and has continued to provide opportunities for increasing numbers of students to undertake a higher education qualification. However, in...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I have acknowledged that bringing guidance within quota is challenging for schools but the alternative was to adjust the PTR staffing allocations. My Department helped shelter the impact for DEIS post-primary schools by improving their standard staffing allocations. Guidance and counselling is a whole school responsibility with guidance counsellors playing their part within an overall team...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: Schools are not permitted to discriminate against an applicant for admission on any of the grounds set out in the Equal Status Act. Where a school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process is necessary. The Equal Status Act provides that a primary or post-primary school does not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I recently announced that the NCSE has allocated 6,454 resource teacher posts to schools, to support children with special needs, for September 2015. This is an increase of 554 posts or 9.4% since September 2014 and will provide more resource teachers than ever before in our schools. In addition, 11,330 SNA posts are available to the NCSE to allocate, which is also more than has ever...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Staff (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can inform the Deputy that currently some 178 individual psychologists, equating to 68 whole-time equivalent staff, are currently employed in my Department's National Educational Psychological Service serving primary and secondary schools nationally. Arrangements for the recruitment of a further 3 staff are at an advanced stage in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service and it is...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government included a commitment to establish a Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the primary school sector. This recognised the changing nature and increased diversity of Irish society. The Forum issued its report in 2012 and made a series of recommendations in relation to the patronage of schools, including those schools where religious...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Apprenticeship Council received 86 separate proposals for new apprenticeships from 48 organisations before the 31 March deadline. Proposals set out details on a range of areas such as labour market demand, high level programme structure, cost and employer commitment but proposers were not asked to develop curricula at this stage. This is a very strong response and submissions were...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Reviews (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I welcome the breakthrough in negotiations on junior cycle reform, following the publication on 27th May of proposals agreed between myself and the leadership of the two second-level teacher unions. I wholeheartedly recommend these revised proposals, and believe they merit the support of all involved in education in Ireland. They place the student at the centre of the learning process, and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Apprenticeship Council issued a call for proposals for new apprenticeships in January. I understand that the Council has received 86 separate proposals from 48 organisations before the 31 March deadline. This is a very strong response and submissions were received from a wide range of sectors leading to qualifications at a range of levels. The Council is currently in the process of...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that subject to no issues arising during the review of the Stage 2b submission for the new special school, the project will be authorised to proceed to tender with a view to commencing construction late this year/early 2016. Once the building project for the special school is complete, the vacated building will become available for the school in question. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (10 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) will increase its allocation of Resource Teacher Posts to schools by over 9%, by allocating 6,454 resource teacher posts to schools for the start of the coming school year, which is an increase of 554 posts since September 2014, while over 120 new special classes will open for 2015/16 school year. In addition, 11,330 SNA posts, an increase...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: Principal duties in small to medium sized schools are carried out by teaching principals. Teaching principals are provided with release time in order to assist them fulfilling their principal duties. Under these arrangements my Department pays for a substitute teacher to be employed by a school so that the principal can come out of the classroom. Under the current arrangements the number of...