Results 13,781-13,800 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Staff (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can inform the Deputy that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychology service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are on the Department's website. Under this scheme schools can have an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools are published annually on the Department's 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 arrangements for the coming school year 2015/16 are set out in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Expenditure (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that funding for special education provision in 2016 will amount to some €1.5bn billion, which is equivalent to 17.6% of the gross overall current allocation for education and training. As well as providing funding to meet the full year costs in 2016 of Resource Teachers appointed for the 2015/16 year, funding is also being provided to meet the cost of up...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy is aware, I have recently commenced a process to renew the DEIS programme. The review process is being undertaken over the course of the current school year and will consider all issues pertaining to educational disadvantage. As I have already announced pending the outcome of this review I will not be making any changes to the current programme, including the additionally of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department takes the decision to establish a new school in order to meet demographic demand. In this regard, the Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify where the pressure for additional school places will arise. The GIS uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland and the Department of Social Protection in addition to information from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Community National Schools (CNSs) represent a new policy initiative approved by Government on a pilot basis to deal with increasing societal diversity and demand for greater choice in education provision at primary school level. There are currently a total of eleven CNSs, located in counties Cork, Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow. The Community National Schools are currently under the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides for an extensive range of supports to assist pupils who are Deaf or hard of hearing, including pupils who have Down syndrome and additional hearing difficulties. In line with my Department's policy that children with special educational needs access appropriate education intervention in mainstream settings where possible, many Deaf or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Apart from the recognised fee-charging second level schools, recognised schools are precluded from charging school fees. Voluntary contributions by parents of pupils in recognised schools are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay and that, in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own volition. The manner in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the 1998 Education Act requires Boards of Management of each school to publish the policy of the school relating to participation by students with special educational needs, including students who are exceptionally able. The measures schools take in this regard are required to be stated in the school plan. It is the duty of the Board of Management to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy will be aware of my announcement on 13th October last, of the Summer Works Scheme for 2016 and 2017. The on line application system will be open to receive applications from schools from 2nd November 2015. Full details of the Scheme are available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (20 Oct 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 staffing arrangements for the current...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The selection and enrolment of pupils in schools is the responsibility of the authorities of the individual school. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. As schools may not have a place...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The additional teaching posts referred to by the Deputy will be in place for the 2016/17 school year. At primary level from next September the primary staffing schedule will operate on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 27 pupils. This positive development will require approximately 300 additional teaching posts in primary schools. At post-primary level the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Holidays (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Schools are required to be open for a minimum of 167 days at post-primary level and 183 days at primary level. Subject to meeting this requirement individual schools may determine the precise start and end of the school year. There are no plans at present to make any changes to the minimum number of teaching days. The scheduling of the school holiday periods during the academic year is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to confirm to the Deputy that my Department is not in receipt of an application from the school in question in respect of its accommodation. It is open to the school concerned to submit an application for consideration via form ASA (Additional School Accommodation) which is available on my Departments website at www.education.ie.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding under the schools capital programme for the school in question. I wish to advise the Deputy that due to the competing demands on my Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise available funding towards the provision of essential school classroom accommodation, it is not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. I understand from enquiries made by my officials that Caranua does not operate a staff bonus scheme.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that significant additional accommodation comprising 6 general classrooms was approved by my Department under the pre-fab replacement scheme in September 2013. However, following further discussions with the school, the school authority concerned submitted an alternative proposal to my Department in September last. This alternative proposal is currently being...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an Additional School Accommodation Application Form for a special needs unit for the above mentioned school. At a recent meeting, officials from my Department met with the Patron to discuss the application further. In this regard, additional information was sought and was received a number of days ago. This application is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing Appeals Mechanism (20 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal to the 14th October, 2015 meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The school has been informed that its appeal has been upheld.