Results 14,041-14,060 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: To be eligible for a grant, a "student", as defined in Section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011, must demonstrate that he/she has been resident in the State for at least 3 years out of the 5 year period ending on the day before the start of their approved course of study. A similar residency requirement for the Free Fees Initiative (FFI). This residency requirement takes cognisance of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 522 and 523 together. The position is that under my Department's free fees schemes, the Exchequer provides funding towards tuition fee costs in respect of eligible students who are pursuing full-time undergraduate courses of study. The main conditions of the scheme are that students must be first-time undergraduates, hold inter alia EU/EEA/Swiss nationality...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports. SENOs also make recommendations to my Department where assistive technology is required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: In response to the call for further substantial contributions towards the costs of redress made in the aftermath of the publication of the report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (the Ryan Report), many of the congregations that were party to the 2002 Indemnity Agreement made voluntary offers which they valued at €348.51m, including cash, property and other elements....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Process (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 526 and 527 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that 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. In light of the very difficult economic situation and the significant costs involved in fully...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Expenditure (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 528 and 529 together. 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. The investment which is being made to support children with special educational needs is an area of spending which has been prioritised...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Completion Programme (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: A total of 140 new schools have been constructed over the period 2011 to 2015. At primary level 103 new schools have been constructed and 37 new schools have been constructed for the post-primary sector. The names and roll numbers of all 140 schools are provided in the following tables. On the occasion of the announcement of the five year plan in March 2012, the focus was directed at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Any decision to install a defibrillator is made at local school level and accordingly my Department does not have the data requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of schools that have installed defibrillators. The question of the need for defibrillators to be made available in public places such as schools and any training needs arising from same is primarily a public health...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I note that the Deputy has clarified that he is referring to early intervention classes attached to mainstream schools in Co. Kildare. The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the 2002 Indemnity Agreement, the 18 participating religious congregations are contributing €128m in cash, counselling services and property. The cash contributions of €54.42m under the Indemnity Agreement have been received. These contributions include collective contributions from the congregations. Of the €54.42m cash, €12.7m was earmarked for former...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the purpose of the Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. The criteria by which SNA support is allocated to pupils is set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014 which is available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: In July 2015, the school referred to by the Deputy was sanctioned a devolved grant under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme for the provision of a new 4 Classroom School. My Department is currently awaiting a Stage 1 Preliminary Design submission from the school authorities.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 536 and 537 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that in July last, I secured Government approval for an additional 610 Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts which were made available for allocation to schools this year to support children with special educational needs with assessed care needs. This builds on the increases of 365 additional SNA posts...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to draw the Deputy's attention to my announcement earlier today of the new Construction Programme, for 2016-2021, which aims to prioritise new building projects and major extensions, including special schools, in areas where significant demographic need has been established. The new Programme also provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms for schools outside the plan...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The current qualifying distance of 45km for the higher non-adjacent rate of student grant, takes into account a reasonable radius within which students may commute on a daily basis. The measurement of the distances relating to the award of adjacent or non-adjacent rates of student grant is a matter for the relevant grant awarding authority. The distance measurement for student grant rates...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy will be aware that I recently confirmed the provision of €80 million over 2016 and 2017 for a multi-annual Summer Works Scheme for schools. This funding was initially promised as part of the Budget 2016 investment in schools. The funding will allow schools to carry out small and medium scale building works such as gas, electrical and mechanical works, roof and window...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is 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 process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As I have previously explained to the Deputy, a commitment was given during the passage of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to review the operation of the Fund two years after its establishment in the event of applications not resulting in a significant expenditure of the Fund. The terms of reference for the review will be drafted in the near future but it is unlikely...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Board of Management of the school referred to by the Deputy has contacted my Department with regard to the appointment of a replacement Quantity Surveyor for their school building project. In line with Public Procurement Procedures a tender competition for a replacement Quantity Surveyor commenced in early November. The closing date for receipt of Tenders is early December and a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (17 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government gives a commitment to move towards a more pluralist system of patronage for our schools. In this context, the government established a Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector. The Forum advised on how the education system can provide a sufficiently diverse number and range of primary schools catering for all religions...