Results 12,861-12,880 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff Recruitment (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 500, 501 and 541 together. Institutes of Technology, as autonomous institutions under the terms of the Institutes of Technology Acts are responsible for the day to day management of their own affairs, including matters relating to the recruitment of staff. Therefore the basis on which chaplaincy appointments are made are matters for the institutes themselves...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The last Budget included an increase in spending on education for the first time in recent years, amounting to additional funding of €60 million during 2015. That increase has provided funding for 1,700 additional teachers and SNAs to be recruited for our schools, as well as funding important reforms. However, it was not possible to secure the funding which would be required to also...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA designated higher education institutions. The HEA allocates this funding to the institutions and the internal disbursement of funding is then a matter for each individual institution. The recruitment of staff is a matter for individual higher education institutions as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to inform the Deputy that a response has issued to the person in relation to this matter. In accordance with the provisions of the Education Act 1998 the appointment of a Board of Management of a school is a matter for the relevant school patron. Section 16 of the Education Act provides that where a patron is satisfied that the functions of a Board are not being effectively...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Haddington Road Agreement Implementation (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Expert Group, which is chaired by a Senior Counsel, has been established. The Group comprises representatives from the Department, employer management bodies and trade unions. The Group has received submissions and is consulting with stakeholders. The Chairman will present his report to my Department when the Group's work is fully completed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question has recently applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for the replacement of the school building in addition to substantial special needs provision, on a greenfield site to be provided by the Patron. The application is being assessed and input is being sought from the National Council for Special Education in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The staffing appeal process at primary level includes the provision whereby schools with a high concentration of pupils requiring English as an additional language (EAL) can apply for further additional temporary language support posts. The appeal criteria are set out in Circular 0005/2015. The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal under the EAL criterion to the Primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: An appeal from the student referred to by the Deputy has not been received by the administrative support team to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Tours (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will be aware, under Section 15 of the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. Responsibility for the appropriate supervision of students is therefore a matter for the individual Board of Management. Decisions in relation to educational tours by schools are a matter for each individual school. In accordance with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will be aware the regulation of the schools system was not historically governed by legislation but rather by circular. The use of primary and secondary legislation is a relatively recent innovation since, in particular, the enactment of the Education Act 1998. The use of circulars enables the Department to deal with sometimes urgent or emergency-type issues promptly. They...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Guidance Counsellors (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Up until September 2012, an ex-quota allocation was provided for guidance in addition to the standard teacher allocation to post primary schools. This resource was allocated in accordance with pupil enrolment. Some 42% of second-level schools at the time were allocated at least 22 hours per week in respect of guidance (22 hours being the equivalent of one teaching post) while the remainder of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Guidance Counsellors (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 512 to 522, inclusive, together. Up until September 2012, an ex-quota allocation was provided for guidance in addition to the standard teacher allocation to post primary schools. This resource was allocated in accordance with pupil enrolment. 42% of second-level schools at the time were allocated at least 22 hours per week in respect of guidance (22 hours...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy will be aware that 11,330 whole time equivalent Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts have been made available to the NCSE to allocate to schools to end of the current school year. This is the highest number of SNAs that we have ever had and it has ensured that children with special educational needs can continue to participate in education and be supported in a manner appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. The enrolment policy must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. This Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority, has statutory responsibility for the Apprenticeship system in Ireland. The Apprenticeship system is employer led and the number of craft apprentices registered with SOLAS is determined by individual employers recruiting potential apprentices within a broad range of occupational sectors. At the end of 2014, apprentice registrations to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: On 10th February 2015, the establishment of a new Inclusion Support Service within the National Council for Special Education was announced to assist schools in supporting children with special education needs. The service will include the Special Education Support Service (SESS), the National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS) and the Visiting Teacher Service for children who are deaf/hard...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains extensive data relating to schools. The most recent published information relates to the 2013/2014 school year. Data in relation to the 2014/15 school year will be published later this week. The staffing and redeployment process for the 2015/16 school year is underway in my Department. The final staffing position for all schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. 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 staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (30 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. In order to manage the arrangements at national level and to do so in a manner that fits with the redeployment arrangements it is necessary for the the GAM/EAL allocation to each primary school to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The school in question is included, along with five others, in the Schools PPP Bundle 5 programme which is currently at tender stage. Planning permission has been sought from Wicklow County Council for the development of the site in question. Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has refused planning permission for an access road into the site. However, my Department is considering its...