Results 15,341-15,360 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (26 Apr 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 392 and 414 together. Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. Administrative and operational issues such as those raised in the Deputies' questions are day to day matters that are the statutory responsibility of Caranua itself...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 393 and 394 together. My Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify where the pressure for school places will arise. The GIS uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and information from my Department's own databases. The outcome of the latest demographic...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that applications are currently being assessed, commensurate with the level of funding available for the Summer Works Scheme, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Placement (26 Apr 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs, including children with ASD, should be included where possible and appropriate in mainstream placements with additional supports provided. In circumstances where children with special educational needs require more specialised interventions, special school or special class places are...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: A site option has been identified by my Department for the school referred to by the Deputy. Officials from my Department are liaising with officials from Fingal County Council in order to fully assess the technical feasibility of this site. Due to commercial sensitivities attaching to site acquisitions generally, I am unfortunately not in a position to provide further details at this time.

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

Jan O'Sullivan: The major building project for the School referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2(b),which includes the applications for the Fire Certificate and Disability Access Certificate and the preparation of Tender Documents. Planning permission has been secured. The school building project for this school was included on the 2012/16 five year...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (26 Apr 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is estimated that 2 schools on the islands, where they are the only school on an island, would benefit from such a measure at a cost in order of €120,000 in a full year. Where it is feasible, schools with low enrolments on islands where there is more than one school of the same patronage should be encouraged to amalgamate. As I outlined in my previous reply, resources were limited...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Substance Abuse Prevention Education (26 Apr 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is particularly important in regard to educating our young people about substance misuse both at primary at post-primary level. Through the SPHE curriculum the issue is dealt with in a sensitive, spiral and developmental manner. The Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) provides support for schools with all aspects of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (26 Apr 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 resource teaching hours to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support, which is set out in Spec Ed Circular...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that commensurate with the level of funding available for the Summer Works Scheme, applications are currently 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (26 Apr 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm to the Deputy that in 2014 my Department acquired 10 acres of land in the Claregalway area to provide for educational purposes. This is in addition to lands acquired in the area by the GRETB (Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board). A project for the school referred to is included in the 6 year construction programme that I announced last November. I can confirm that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (26 Apr 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: The detailed information sought by the Deputy is not available in the format requested. The information outlined relates to teachers paid on payrolls operated by my Department. Teachers can avail of career breaks which are periods of special leave without pay of not less than one school year subject to compliance with the terms of the Career Break scheme as outlined in Circular 10/2011....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (26 Apr 2016)

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: Teachers' Remuneration (26 Apr 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: As a consequence of the financial crisis, there was a need to enact a number of measures to reduce public expenditure so as to stabilise the country's public finances. The previous Government decided to reduce the salaries and allowances payable to all new entrants to public service recruitment grades (including teachers) by 10% with effect from 1 January 2011. This decision also required...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Sign Language (26 Apr 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: A new course in Irish Sign Language (ISL) has been prepared by the Post-Primary Languages Initiative (PPLI), a project of my Department. This 100 hour course is based on the Generic Short Course in Modern Languages, which was in turn developed by the PPLI using the new Framework for Junior Cycle and the Junior Cycle Short Courses Draft Handbook 'Developing Short Courses in Junior Cycle'. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (26 Apr 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: The detail requested by the Deputy in relation to vacant State properties and land in my ownership is as follows: Properties in the Ownership of the Minister for Education & Skills in respect of which there are no immediate plans for development Location County Size (Acres) Local Authority Type of Property Aghina Cork 1.57 Cork County Council Former school Ballincollig Cork 0.15...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (26 Apr 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy will appreciate that the site acquisition programme is aimed predominantly at acquiring sites in areas experiencing a rapid growth in demand for school places. Specifically sites are acquired to provide permanent buildings for new school entities or for projects included in the 6 year school building programme that I announced in November 2015. The vacant sites not listed in my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (26 Apr 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has made an application under my Department's 2016 Summer Works Scheme for mechanical works. Commensurate with the level of funding available for the Scheme, applications including that from the school concerned, are being assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the governing Circular...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Physical Education Facilities (26 Apr 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: The specific information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. However, I wish to assure the Deputy that my Department fully recognises the key role of physical exercise within the school environment and continues to respond to the need to improve Physical Education facilities for all pupils attending schools within the constraints of the available funding. I also wish to advise...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (26 Apr 2016)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department's policies focus on ensuring that all children can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. A range of placement options for pupils with special educational needs is provided, in order to ensure that all pupils can receive a school placement. Many pupils with special educational...