Results 15,041-15,060 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Exemptions (22 Mar 2016)

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 from their website: www.examinations.ie/candidates/reasonableaccommodations. In view of this I have forwarded...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (22 Mar 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 455 and 487 together. As the Deputy is aware, a very significant grant was approved in principle for the school in question, in October 2013, for refurbishment works subject to certain conditions being met. In August 2015 my Department was in a position to issue final approval as the school had confirmed the specified conditions were now satisfied. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (22 Mar 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: The information sought by the Deputy is being compiled by the Department and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (22 Mar 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is the responsibility of each individual student to ensure that his/her application is submitted before the deadline. The national student grant awarding body, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland), opened its online application system for the 2015/2016 academic year on 22 April 2015 with a closing date for receipt of applications of 5 November 2015. Late applications may be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (22 Mar 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: The project to deliver a new building for the school referred to by the Deputy was included in the list of projects recently announced to go to construction in 2019-2021. As the Deputy will be aware, officials in my Department have been working closely with officials from Meath County Council towards the acquisition of a permanent site to meet the needs of the school to which he refers. A...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (22 Mar 2016)

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 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to mainstream Primary and Post Primary schools and to Special Schools to assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (22 Mar 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: The government has prioritised a more pluralist system of patronage for our schools. In this regard, new arrangements were put in place in 2011 for the establishment of new primary and post-primary schools. These arrangements give parents an opportunity to express their preference for the type of new school to be established. Since 2011, forty-five new schools have been established in areas...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (22 Mar 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Internship Scheme Eligibility (22 Mar 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: JobBridge is a national internship scheme administered by the Department of Social Protection. The scheme was introduced to provide a pathway to appropriate employment, training and education opportunities for a specific cohort of jobseekers on the Live Register. Changes to the scheme are therefore a matter for the Department of Social Protection in the first instance. Recognised Schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (22 Mar 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 the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (22 Mar 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: Regarding new school provision, my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The system uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and information from the Department's own databases. With this information, my Department carries out demographic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (22 Mar 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. The enrolment policy must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Psychological Assessments (22 Mar 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have been informed by SOLAS that payment for an educational psychological assessment is the responsibility of the individual concerned and that this is brought to the attention of apprentices in the Apprenticeship Induction Booklet. SOLAS inform me that if learners have any special requirements and need support with dyslexia, numeracy, literacy, physical disabilities or medical conditions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (22 Mar 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department recently approved grant to the school in question to facilitate the provision of classroom accommodation for September 2016. This decision has been conveyed to the school authority.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Contracts (22 Mar 2016)

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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (22 Mar 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: Payroll Shared Services for the Education & Training Boards (ETBs) is progressing, and is now in the design stage of the project following business case approval. The Department of Education & Skills is currently working closely with relevant State agencies on the procurement process for a payroll system for all 16 ETBs.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (22 Mar 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: Commensurate with the level of funding available for the Summer Works Scheme, applications are being 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 website www.education.ie. It is my intention to publish a list of successful applicants...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (22 Mar 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has submitted an application for additional funding in respect of its building project. The application is currently being examined and when a decision has been made the school will be notified accordingly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (22 Mar 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application for major capital funding for school accommodation. The application is currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been concluded.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (22 Mar 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy may be aware, the building project for the school to which he refers is included in the 6 year construction programme that I announced last November. Officials from my Department have worked closely with officials from Cork County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of school sites to procure a suitable site for this building project. A site...