Results 12,741-12,760 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (23 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Principal duties in medium to large sized schools are carried out by administrative principals. Principal duties in small to medium sized schools are carried out by teaching principals. Circular 25/02 which is available on the Department website outlines the number of days that teaching principals may take as release time in a school year in order to assist them fulfilling their principal...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (23 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The staffing schedule at primary level operates on the basis of 1 classroom teacher for an average of every 28 pupils, with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools. Each one point adjustment to the current 28:1 schedule at primary level is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (23 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The new school building referred to by the Deputy was devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery and has been completed in accordance with the planning permission granted by Kerry County Council. The site has been landscaped to compliment the topography of the site and surrounding green area. The completed building has two external 585m² ball courts, a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pensions (23 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The correspondence to which the Deputy refers relates to a representation made to me in regard to pension entitlement. This issue was previously appealed to me and a determination was made under the process known as the Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDR). A determination issued to the person concerned, in accordance with the appeal process (IDR) on 16 December 2013. There is no...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff Recruitment (23 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Universities and institutes of technology, as autonomous institutions under the terms of the Universities Act 1997 and the Institutes of Technology Acts respectively, are responsible for the day to day management of their own affairs, including matters relating to the recruitment of staff. Therefore the advertising of specific posts, and the nature of those posts, are matters for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Representations (23 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (23 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools are published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The school referred to by the Deputy had...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Data (23 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The data requested by the Deputy are not available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (23 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department has recently disseminated €7m in grants to 450 post primary schools for the purchase of computers for use in Design and Communication Graphics (DCG). My Department has also made arrangements for the purchase and provision of CAD Software for Schools. There is an appeals process in place for schools who are unhappy with their allocation under the scheme. Appeals must be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Expenditure (23 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 559 to 561, inclusive, together. I can inform the Deputy that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides an educational psychology service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases receive assessment services through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (23 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: In April 2014 the school referred to by the Deputy was sanctioned a devolved grant under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme to provide two mainstream classrooms and three resource rooms. The school authority have recently submitted a request for additional funding and this request is currently being considered and the school authorities will be notified of the outcome as quickly...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (23 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: For student grants purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent mature student if he or she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course or of re-entry following a break in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Lottery Funding Disbursement (23 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 564 and 565 together. Annually the Revised Estimates Volume (REV) published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform provides details of Programmes part-financed by the National Lottery and disbursed by relevant Government Departments and Offices. The Revised Estimates Volume provides these details at Vote subhead level and identifies the aggregate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (23 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: Child Protection (23 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The primary statutory responsibility for child protection lies with the Child and Family Agency, TUSLA. The role of my Department is to provide guidance and support to schools in implementing child protection policy and to refer any allegations received to the appropriate authorities for investigation. My Department has issued Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-primary Schools...

Seanad: Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (23 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am pleased to have the opportunity to address the House on the Second Stage of the Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015. Before I turn to a more detailed explanation of the provisions of the Bill, I will explain its background and purpose. It caters for two overarching aims: underpinning the central role of the Teaching Council in the forthcoming statutory vetting arrangements for...

Seanad: Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (23 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank all Senators for their contributions. Senator Cáit Keane said she wanted to receive a copy of proposed amendments on time. I will note that point, as I am sure my officials will to ensure the Senator will have time to consider them. Obviously, amendments will also be brought forward by Members of the Seanad, which is welcome. I agree with what has been said by a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (24 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department, in conjunction with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, recently launched a new Aistear / Síolta Practice Guide. This Practice Guide distils the key principles of Aistear, the national early childhood curriculum framework, and Síolta, the national quality framework for early years services. It is intended to be a practical guide for childcare...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (24 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The July Education Programme is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism that choose to extend their education services through the month of July. This Department also provides for a July Programme for pupils with a severe/profound general learning disability. Where school based provision is not feasible, home based...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (24 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take questions 215 and 228 together. Under the terms of the student grant scheme, my Department provides maintenance grants to undergraduate students pursuing approved third level courses in the State or in other E.U. Member States. Applicants are required to meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, approved course,...