Results 14,901-14,920 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (26 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: Due to the competing demands on my Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise available funding for the provision of essential school classroom accommodation, it is not possible at this point to provide an indicative timeframe for the provision of funding towards General Purpose Halls.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (26 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: This appeal has been decided and additional funding to the amount of €5,750 in respect of DCG has been paid to the school's ETB in accordance with the normal arrangements. Letters were issued to Killorglin Community College on 23 October 2015, and Kerry ETB on the 18 November 2015 notifying them of the appeal decision.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Fee Exemptions (26 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: Mock examinations are not part of the State examinations system. The decision to organise and/or charge for mock examinations is made at school level, and mock examinations are not a requirement of my Department. The Department would have no data relevant to the question.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (26 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application from the school in question under the Summer Works Scheme. Commensurate with the level of funding available for the Scheme, applications including that from the school concerned, will be assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the governing Circular Letter for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Jan 2016)

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: Public Service Reform Plan Measures (26 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will appreciate, it is normal practice for my Department to consult extensively with the Education Partners in respect of the implementation of Educational policy. The Education Partners, through consultation and debate make a valuable contribution to policy implementation in the Education Sector. However, my Department does not collect or collate the type of data sought by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (26 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy was approved funding by my Department in July 2014 for the provision of a Resource Room to meet their accommodation requirements. In addition, the school was also approved additional funding in December 2014 to address Health and Safety issues at the school. The school has now contacted my Department for further additional funding in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Major Building Project for this school is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Safety Certification, Disability Access Certification and the preparation of tender documentation. All statutory applications have been granted and the design team are in the process of completing the stage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (26 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department remains committed to providing permanent accommodation for Gaelscoil Phadraig. It is my Department's intention that the gaelscoil will relocate to the premises currently occupied by Ballyowen Meadows school following the construction of its new school. All statutory applications have been granted for the new school and the design team are in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Redeployment (26 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: The teacher exchange scheme is designed to facilitate primary teachers to temporarily exchange their posts for education purposes. Under the present scheme the minimum period for which an exchange may occur is one year and the maximum is five years. The person referred to by the Deputy has been awarded the maximum period allowable under the existing scheme. The Teacher Conciliation Council...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (26 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that commensurate with the level of funding available for the Summer Works Scheme, applications including that from the school referred to by the Deputy will be assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the governing Circular Letter for the Scheme. This Circular Letter (0055/2015), is available on my Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Contracts (26 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: Officials from my Department recently wrote to the school where the person referred to by the Deputy is employed to advise that the teacher is entitled to a contract of indefinite duration with effect from 1 September 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (26 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: Since 2006, under the Teaching Council Act 2001 the Teaching Council is the body with statutory responsibility and authority for regulation of the teaching profession including the registration of teachers. Teachers are registered under the Teaching Council [Registration] Regulations 2009. The Teaching Council recognises undergraduate Montessori qualifications (Level 8 on the National...

Seanad: Commencement Matters (Resumed) (26 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to join in welcoming Mr. Bernard Dunne and the staff of the Chinese Embassy, some of whom I have already met. I also wish to welcome the school students from Enniskillen who are in the Visitors Gallery. I met them coming in the door earlier. I thank Senator Craughwell for raising this issue. I absolutely concur with him that this is a very important issue. As he is aware, I...

Seanad: Commencement Matters (Resumed) (26 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: First, we are going to develop a transparent identification process. That work is under way at the moment. Any school that meets the criteria for inclusion in the new programme will be included and that is an undertaking. Second, a forum will take place in the spring. I do not know whether I will be the Minister at that point but I thank the Senator for his good wishes.

Seanad: Commencement Matters (Resumed) (26 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: One way or the other, a forum will be held in the spring to further engage with relevant stakeholders on the review process. This will include a discussion on the process used to identify schools for inclusion and the proposed framework of supports to be deployed. I imagine that the issues about interdepartmental co-operation and whether certain things should move from one Department to...

Seanad: Commencement Matters (Resumed) (26 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: That is good to hear, Senator. We all know that this is an important programme. For example, literacy and numeracy results in DEIS schools have improved significantly. We want to make sure that we keep what is good about the programme but we must also broaden opportunities for schools like the one mentioned by the Senator that are excluded at the moment.

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: The problem with this in the wording the Deputies propose is that the terms must be agreed with the staff trade union and that is, in effect, a veto. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan referred to the junior cycle reform. We are in a position where one of the trade unions has voted in favour, another has not, and the representatives of parents and of management bodies etc. want us to go ahead...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Retirements (27 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: There were no such cases taken to the Employment Equality Tribunal by employees of my Department or by civil servants employed at the bodies under its aegis in the last four years. As such, the other aspects of the Deputy's question do not arise.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Jan 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: The work undertaken by my Department to profile expenditure for the year has now been completed. In relation to the specific project in the school to which the Deputy refers this now allows the Letter of Acceptance to issue from the school to the contractor for this project. As the Board of Management is the client, my Department has written to the school authorising it to issue the Letter...