Results 13,681-13,700 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (8 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has completed the acquisition of a greenfield site for the school in question on the basis of outline planning permission for a school being granted. The next stage involves the commencement of the architectural planning process and the appointment of a design team to advance the project. The school authorities have been advised of this position.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Vaccination Programme (8 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that provision for the administration of vaccines and any issues arising, is a matter for the Department of Health in the first instance. The Deputy may wish to contact my colleague, the Minster for Health directly in this regard. I can advise the Deputy however that all schools have a permanent allocation of Learning Support resources which they can use to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (8 Oct 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: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: In the existing apprenticeship trades, apprentices are taken on by approved employers and the State provides off the job training according to the curriculum for the trade. The scheme is essentially demand led and employers will recruit apprentices according to their overall current and projected levels of activity. Following its open call for proposals, the Apprenticeship Council is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (8 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has made an application to my Department for capital funding for the provision of additional accommodation. The application is currently being considered and my Department will be in direct contact with the school authorities concerned as soon as the assessment process has been concluded.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (8 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has made an application to my Department for capital funding for the provision of additional accommodation. The application is currently being considered and my Department will be in direct contact with the school authorities concerned as soon as the assessment process has been concluded.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Oct 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 criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website. The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (8 Oct 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: Site Acquisitions (13 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy is aware a technical inspection of a significant number of potential site options for the school accommodation to which he refers has been conducted by officials from my Department working with officials from Donegal County Council. My officials are currently considering the findings of this assessment and, with the assistance of the Local Authority, are clarifying technical...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (13 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: In relation to the Education and Training Boards, Donegal, Monaghan, and Sligo VECs/ETBs participated, along with the Southern Regional College NI, and the former Educational Guidance Service for Adults, NI in the Deaf Community Infrastructure Development (DCID) Project (2011-13), which was funded by Interreg. The Project's purposes were to provide information sessions for the public around...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (13 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The National Council for Special Education reviews the provision of Special Needs Assistants to schools on an annual basis. The allocation for the school in question was reduced by one post for the 2015/2016 school year. The senior SNA in the school retained her post when the allocation of Special Need Assistants was reduced and the post of the most junior SNA in the school was made...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (13 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that some €1.37 billion will be spent in support of children with Special Educational Needs this year, which represents approximately 15% of my Department's budget. This provides for a range of supports and services including additional learning and resource teaching support, Special Needs Assistant support, special transport arrangements, building...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (13 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The State Examinations Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate examinations. Full details of the scheme are available for downloading from their website: www.examinations.ie/candidates/reasonableaccommodations. In view of this I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Centre Network (13 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department, through the Education Centres and Support Services engages teachers on a full time basis annually for the provision of continuing professional development (CPD) through secondment from their schools. These secondments are subject to annual review. The arrangements provide flexibility and ensure that the in-service needs of teachers and other support priorities of the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Grants (13 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under my Department's student grant scheme, eligible students may receive funding provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution as defined in the scheme. Maintenance grants are available for undergraduate students pursuing approved third level courses in other E.U. Member States, where they meet the student grants scheme criteria. Fee grants are not available for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (13 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will be aware, in February of this year, I announced that seven new primary schools would be opening in 2015 and 2016. The areas where schools will be opening in 2016 are Cabra/Phibsborough/Dublin 7; Goatstown/Stillorgan, Dublin; and Drumcondra/Marino/Dublin 1. It is hoped to proceed with the patronage determination process for these schools later this year or early in 2016. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (13 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 374 and 375 together. A number of sections of the EPSEN Act have been commenced, including those establishing the National Council for Special Education and those promoting an inclusive approach to education of children. Specifically, the following sections have been commenced - 1, 2, 14(1)(a), 14(1)(c), 14(2) to 14(4), 19 to 37, 40 to 53. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (13 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: In March, 2014 the school referred to by the Deputy was sanctioned a devolved grant under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme. Recently the school authority submitted an application for additional funding and my Department's Planning and Building Unit has request further information in respect of this application. As soon as this information is received and considered the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (13 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I take it that the Deputy is referring to the Education and Training Boards (ETBs). In the main, the role of ETBs is to establish and maintain recognised schools, centres for education and education or training facilities and to provide education and training in those settings. Details of ETB Primary and Post-Primary schools are available on the Department's website - . A general and post...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (13 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy may be aware, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department of Education and Skills and the County and City Managers' Association (CCMA) in relation to the acquisition of sites has been in place since 2012. This MOU fosters increased levels of cooperation and formalises the Local Authorities' part in identifying and securing sites for educational use. A copy of...