Results 12,641-12,660 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Meals Programme (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 731 and 733 together. The main programme for food provision in primary and post primary schools is the School Meals Scheme. The operation of that scheme is an issue for the Minister for Social Protection. There are no plans for responsibility for food provision to schools to transfer to my Department. My Department's main responsibility in this area is to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Meetings (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have received correspondence from the Irish Heart Foundation which seeks a meeting to discuss issues relating to healthy eating in schools. I have asked my office to arrange a suitable date for such a meeting. Officials in my office will be in touch with the Irish Heart Foundation on this issue shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Meals Programme (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The main programme for food provision in primary and post primary schools is the School Meals Scheme. The operation of that scheme is an issue for the Minister for Social Protection. My Department's main responsibility in this area is to equip students with the key skills and knowledge to enable them to make informed and healthier choices in a range of areas, including nutrition. This is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy will be familiar with the moratorium on recruitment and promotions, in accordance with which no public service post, however arising, may be filled by recruitment, promotion or payment of an allowance for performance of duties at a higher grade. In that regard, the Department was granted a limited derogation from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform which allowed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Since September 2012 the combined resources available for learning support (General Allocation Model at Primary) and language support have been merged into a single simplified allocation process. The GAM/EAL arrangements for the 2015/16 school year are set out in Circular 0005/2015 and are based on a school's mainstream classroom posts for the 2014/15 school year. Appendix C of that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has received an application from the school in question for improved accommodation. This application must be considered in the context of the general demographic need in the area. In this regard, my Department's Forward Planning Section is monitoring the demographic demand in the area and a new primary school was opened in Ballinteer in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The criteria by which SNA support is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: While our system of patronage has demonstrated a capacity to facilitate change and evolution, it is the case that the vast majority of primary schools are still under religious patronage. While recognising the role that denominational schools have played in welcoming children from diverse backgrounds and the continuing role for denominational schools, we have made changes to the patronage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Student grant applications are means tested on gross income from all sources earned inside and outside the State within a specified reference period. The assessment of income from the same starting point is deemed to be fair and reasonable because this approach eliminates any distortion which might arise from different spending decisions in different households. The Student Grant Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: 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 resource teaching and Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support to schools to support children with special educational needs and additional care needs, respectively. The NCSE operates within my Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The school referred to by the Deputy was approved funding under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme to provide one additional mainstream classroom, a SET room and my Department also provided a contribution toward the provision of a GP Room. As this project is on-going, information in relation to the level of funding provided is considered commercially sensitive.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Placement (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that Special Schools funded by my Department are intended to cater for children and young persons with special educational needs until the end of the school year in which they reach the age of 18. At that point, the Department of Health/Health Service Executive assumes direct responsibility for young adults with special educational needs who are over 18 years. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The criteria by which SNA support is...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Appointments to State Boards (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank Senator Mac Conghail for raising this issue, which is very important for students and staff of the National College of Art and Design. As Members know the new guidelines for appointments to State boards were approved by Government in November 2014 and provided for the new State boards website to be put in place. The State boards website was launched earlier this year and is now...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Appointments to State Boards (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I would very much like the opportunity to visit. My predecessor attended the exhibition last week. Unfortunately, I myself was unable to go. I would hope that this board will be up and running quickly. I regret the delay. There was that process of setting up PAS and then trying to identify what was in PAS and what was not. However, the process is a lot more transparent than it would...

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: Order for Report Stage (17 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (17 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Before I deal with amendment No. 1, I wish to make the House aware that there is a number of matters on which I am considering amendments. They are largely by way of further technical changes or amendments designed to bring further coherence to the overall approach to registration, fitness to teach and vetting throughout the Act. I intend to progress them on Committee Stage in the Seanad...

Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (17 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As I explained, teachers are reminded of their obligation to register. If they do not renew their registration, they are reminded again. There are checks and balances and repeated reminders. While I appreciate that teachers, like the rest of us, endure many pressures, the Teaching Council issues plenty of reminders. As I said, given that the council is not the body that pays teachers'...