Results 13,081-13,100 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Following a recent meeting between officials from my Department's Planning and Building Unit and the management authority of the school in question, it was agreed that the school authority would submit revised proposals to my Department for consideration. As soon as these are received and considered the school authority will be informed of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I understand that the school referred to by the Deputy intends offering Technology as a Leaving Certificate subject option and is undertaking modifications to an existing classroom for this purpose. It is open to the school to submit an application to my Department for funding to equip this classroom and the school has been advised accordingly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has recently applied to my Department for large scale capital funding to provide a new school building. My Department has been in recent contact with the School in respect of their proposal and will be in a position to assess the proposal further when a response to the queries raised is received.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (14 Jul 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: Education and Training Boards (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy may be aware of the decision of the previous Government to implement a recruitment and promotion moratorium in the public sector, which is binding upon all Departments, non-commercial state bodies and agencies. In respect of Educational Training Boards, positions other than teacher and SNA posts in schools, and teacher equivalents that are directly providing tuition to pupils in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Facilities (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The position is that 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 the individual institution. Third level institutions are autonomous and the responsibility for day to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The majority of school buildings in the state are in private ownership and under denominational patronage. When state monies were provided to facilitate building works to school property owned by a third party, a legal mechanism had to be put in place in order to protect the State's interest. This was known as a Charging Lease or Declaration of Trust. These leases protect the Minister's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is 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. An appeals process is available to small...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Councils (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The existing provisions of Section 27 of the Education Act 1998 give broad scope for the formation of student councils in all secondary schools and their active participation in school management in conjunction with the Board of Management, parents and teachers. There are no plans to change this position. The proposed Parent and Student Charter engagements will provide an opportunity to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Administration (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Since September 2012 at post primary level guidance provision is now being organised by school management from within the staffing schedule allocation. Guidance is a whole school activity and schools have autonomy on how best to prioritise their available resources to meet the requirements in relation to guidance and the provision of an appropriate range of subjects to students. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The process I have recently commenced to renew the DEIS programme involves a number of strands including:-a consultation process with education partners, which commenced in April with a closing date of 22nd May 2015, to inform development of appropriate interventions to tackle educational disadvantage; -the establishment of an inter-Departmental Group to ensure a joined-up approach to future...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is 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. An appeals process is available to small...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions Entry Requirements (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I understand that the institutes of technology and the universities are looking at their entry criteria for students presenting with A-Levels into their institutions. I fully support the promotion of better cross border flows of students in this regard. However, the entry requirements for third level education courses are determined by individual higher education institutions. The Central...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Poverty (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 777 and 778 together. My Department does not collect data from schools in relation to students who are homeless. Statutory powers in relation to the educational welfare of all children, including those who are homeless, are contained in the Education Welfare Act 2000 which comes within the policy remit of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Meals Programme (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Given that the issues raised are a matter for other Cabinet colleagues, I am not in a position to supply the information requested by the Deputy. The school meals programme comes under the policy remit of my colleague the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection. The provision of Mental Health Services to children is a matter for the Department of Health and the Health Service...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am aware that concerns have been raised by students about the content of the ordinary level Leaving Certificate Mathematics paper 1. I have asked the State Examinations Commission to bring these concerns to the attention of the Chief Examiner for the examination. Commentary and correspondence on the examination from teachers, professional bodies and other interested parties is considered by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy, is currently completing the advanced stage of Architectural Planning, Stage 2b – Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of Tender Documents. All relevant statutory approvals have been obtained. The Stage 2b submission was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 785 and 812 together. The rates of grant and the income thresholds for the Student Grant Scheme are announced annually as part of the Budget. No changes to the rates or thresholds were included in Budget 2015. The means test arrangements of the Student Grant Scheme are applied nationally. In the case of both employed and self-employed applicants gross income,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Council for Special Education (14 Jul 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 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Equality Legislation (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Programme for Government contains a commitment that "People of non-faith or minority religious backgrounds and publicly identified LGBT people should not be deterred from training or taking up employment as teachers in the state." A Private Members' Bill, the Employment Equality (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2013, was debated in Seanad Éireann in 2013. That Bill imposes a stricter...