Results 3,041-3,060 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

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...

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

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: School Enrolments (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The selection and enrolment of pupils in schools is the responsibility of the authorities of the individual school. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. However, this may result in some pupils' not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. As schools may not have a place...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: The following were the service providers who received payments for the years 2014 and 2015: In 2014, the payments were made to Arthur Cox Solicitors and Peter Ward S.C. In 2015, payments have been made to Conor Feeney B.L. and Peter Ward S.C.

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

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The Deputy will appreciate that, in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form and supporting...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Residential Institutions Redress Amendment Act, 2011 removed the Board's power to accept late applications received on or after the 17th September 2011. This legislation was enacted some 8 and a half years since the Board was established and 5 and half years after the initial closing date and I am satisfied that sufficient time has been given to potential applicants to apply to the Board....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Staff (15 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 555 and 556 together. It is the policy of my Department that only qualified personnel should be employed by schools. Unqualified personnel should not be appointed except in exceptional circumstances and then only when all avenues for recruiting qualified personnel have been exhausted and only for quite limited time periods. Circular 31 of 2011 issued...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (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 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 is set out in my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (10 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy was approved devolved funding earlier this year for the provision of 2 mainstream classrooms to meet it's 2015/16 accommodation needs. The school has since contacted my Department to request provision of interim temporary accommodation for 1 mainstream class until the devolved permanent accommodation project is complete. The school's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (10 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (10 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a statutory role under the Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act to provide me with policy advice in relation to matters concerning the education of persons with special educational needs. The NCSE published policy advice in 2013 which identified that the current model for allocating resource...