Results 14,481-14,500 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Expenditure (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As previously outlined to the Deputy, my Department is seeking to ensure that Castlethorn Construction will honour the provisions of the original agreement with regard to the delivery of a community centre. Discussions with Castlethorn Construction are ongoing with a view to reaching an acceptable outcome. Officials from my Department have recently reverted to representatives of Castlethorn...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy is aware officials from my Department are engaged in discussions with Castlethorn Construction with a view to ensuring that the community facilities are delivered. The Deputy will appreciate that given the sensitivities attached to the ongoing discussions between officials from my Department and Castlethorn Construction it would not be appropriate for me to disclose any further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools in the Free Education Scheme receive grant assistance to provide for secretarial and/or caretaking services. Within the grant schemes, it is a matter for each individual school to decide how best to apply the grant funding to suit its particular needs and the Department does not stipulate how these services are to be obtained. Where a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: In accordance with the Superannuation scheme a Special Needs Assistant (SNA) who is not "a new entrant" under the terms of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004, must retire at the end of the school year in which he/she reaches age 65. The abolition of the compulsory retirement age under the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy may be aware that a process for the review of the DEIS Programme is currently underway in my Department. This process is being undertaken over the course of the current school year and will consider all issues pertaining to educational disadvantage in order to inform future policy direction in this important area. While this process is underway, I do not intend to make any...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department takes the decision to establish new schools (primary and post-primary) in order to meet demographic need. When the demographics of an area require the establishment of a new school, a separate process is then conducted to allow for patrons, patron bodies and prospective patrons to be considered as patron of the new school. Parental preferences are central to this process...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Officials in my Department have been working closely with Wicklow County Council in relation to the identification and acquisition of a site to accommodate both the school referred to by the Deputy as well as a Gaelcholáiste. A site has been identified and the acquisition process is currently being progressed. Whilst I am aware that the school in question has raised some concerns...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating Resource Teaching hours or 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, which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 525 and 526 together. The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers under Circulars 29/2007 and 29/2010 was agreed in the first instance, by the Teacher Conciliation Council. This Council is comprised of representatives of the teacher unions, school management bodies, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of ground rents paid to date by my Department in 2015 is contained in the following table. Information with regard to ground rents payable in 2016 is currently not available. With regard to payment by agencies under my remit, the matters raised by the Deputy are dealt with at local level by the agencies rather than centrally within my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The school to which the Deputy refers submitted three applications under the Emergency Works Scheme in the past 12 months. The first of these was received on the 22 December 2014 seeking €11,644 to replace leaking pipes and carry out electrical repairs. This application was approved and the grant has been paid in full. The second application was received on the 22nd December 2014...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Mental Health Strategies (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department is strongly supportive of the promotion of positive mental health awareness in both primary and post-primary schools and provides support and resources in this area. The Department adopts a holistic and integrated approach to supporting the work of schools in promoting positive mental health and to supporting those with a broad range of problems, behavioural emotional and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The major building project for the school to which the Deputy refers was recently authorised to proceed to advanced architectural planning – Stage 2b, detailed design. This stage includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of Tender Documents. As the Deputy is aware, on Tuesday 17th November 2015 I announced details...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: An affidavit in isolation is not considered acceptable as sole proof of separation, however, it may be considered as evidence of separation if accompanied by other supporting documentation. The type of other supporting documentation might include a separation agreement, divorce decree, evidence from the Department of Social Protection that either of the applicant's parents is currently in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Institutions (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The college referred to by the Deputy is a private third level college. Private colleges in Ireland are non-State aided institutions and do not come under the remit of my Department. My Department therefore has no role in relation to the fees charged, or the courses provided, by private colleges. Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is the State agency with statutory responsibility...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector was published in April 2012. The Report recommended a review and updating of the Rules for National Schools and in particular, Rule 68. I believe that the language and tone of Rule 68 is archaic and does not reflect the reality of today's primary education sector. I am currently engaged in a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the Equal Status Act, schools are not permitted to discriminate in admission on any of the grounds set out in the Act. However the Act contains an exemption which permits schools in which the objective is to provide education that promotes certain religious values, to admit a student of a particular religion in preference to others. The Deputy will be aware of the many positive...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the primary school sector, which issued its report in 2012, recommended steps that could be taken to ensure that the education system can provide a sufficiently diverse number and range of primary schools to cater for children of all religions and none. A follow-up paper to the Forum Report entitled "Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under an agreement reached between my Department and the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) in 2014, it was agreed that three grades of staff would be recognised as appropriate for employment in the Youthreach sector i.e. Teacher, Youthreach Resource Person and Youthreach Co-ordinator. As an element of this, it was agreed that Tutors who were employed in Youthreach would have their posts...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (15 Dec 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...