Results 3,101-3,120 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Teachers' Remuneration (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have no doubt that the INTO and the other teaching unions will represent their members very effectively in these kinds of negotiations, as they always do. We do have negotiations that are agreed and are being implemented by the Government. There was a time when percentage increases always happened, as a result of which we had very big gaps between the better-paid and lower-paid people....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Patronage (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The programme for Government gives a commitment to move towards a more pluralist system of patronage for our schools. In this context, the Government established a Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector. The forum advised on how the education system can provide a sufficiently diverse number and range of primary schools catering for all religions and none and on the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Patronage (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The main purpose of the meetings is to find out the obstacles hindering divestment. There is a willingness in this respect at a macro level. Having listened to what Archbishop Martin said again this week, there is certainly such a willingness in the archdiocese of Dublin. Also, from my meetings with the people I have met so far, there is a willingness at that macro level. What I am being...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Patronage (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I do not disagree that we need to address the Equal Status Act and that it needs to be amended. We are examining in what way it could be amended to protect, for example, minority religions in terms of wanting to have their particular schools protected. If one is, for example, a member of the Jewish faith, a member of the Church of Ireland or a Muslim for that matter, if a school has to take...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Teachers' Remuneration (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Since the beginning of the financial crisis, there has been a need to enact a number of measures to reduce public expenditure. These measures were implemented at a time of very difficult financial and budgetary circumstances for the State. Since first entering Government, we have been committed to achieving such reductions through negotiation. The Haddington Road agreement, to which...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Admissions (9 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...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Admissions (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Bill was published just before the summer, in April. I would like to have had time in the Dáil and Seanad to bring it through the Houses of the Oireachtas. I am not kicking the Bill to touch; if it can still be done, I will do it, but I am being realistic in terms of the Oireachtas calendar, in so far as we only have one more sitting week this year in the Dáil. We will only...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Admissions (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: There will be an admissions Bill. There is no doubt about that. It will go through the Oireachtas after the election because it has to; it is something that will be addressed. My predecessor, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, brought the Bill a long way and I brought it to the point of being published. I reject the claim that we have not been working on reform. A significant amount of reform was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Information and Communications Technology (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The decision to use tablet devices is a matter for the Board of Management of a school. Where the introduction of new technology is planned, consultation with members of the school community including parents is advised. The cost and other implications must be fully considered by the Boards of Managements before a decision is made. An advice sheet on the adoption of tablets in schools is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Health and Safety (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: In general, individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care. The issue of road safety measures outside the vested site areas of schools on public roads, such as road signage, traffic calming measures etc., is a matter, for the relevant Local Authority. Local Authorities have the power to decide on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Data (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: There are currently 34,896 primary teachers employed in either a permanent, fixed term , Contract of Indefinite Duration or Regular -Part-Time capacity in recognised primary schools paid on my Department payrolls. The corresponding figure for post primary teachers employed in Voluntary Secondary and Community / Comprehensive schools is 18,859.These figures include those who are job sharing....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Designation (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The school referred to by the Deputy participates in the Urban Band 2 category of DEIS. The school was selected for this category following an extensive identification process to select schools for inclusion in DEIS which was conducted in 2005. As the Deputy will be aware, a process for the review of the DEIS Programme which I announced earlier this year, is currently underway in my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: In September 2014 implementation of the Junior Cycle commenced with a new specification in English and the availability of a number of short courses. The 2015 Junior Cycle Framework was published in August 2015. Agreement was reached with the leadership of the two unions in May 2015 on revised reform proposals and on supporting implementation resources in July 2015.Following a ballot of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. The Design Team appointment was finalised in July 2015 and the project was authorised to proceed to Stage 2(a) which is the developed design stage. Prior to the appointment of the Design Team my Department had already secured planning permission for the project using in-house...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Programme for Government gives a commitment to move towards a more pluralist system of patronage for our schools. In this context, the Government established a Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector. The Forum advised on how the education system can provide a sufficiently diverse number and range of primary schools catering for all religions and none and on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Addiction Prevention Programmes (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: There are a number of ways in which education on addiction prevention is addressed in schools. Schools have a role in supporting students to develop the key skills and knowledge to enable them to make informed choices when faced with a range of difficult issues, including drugs and alcohol. This is mainly done through the Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme, which has a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Since the beginning of the financial crisis, there has been a need to enact a number of measures to reduce public expenditure. These measures were implemented at a time of very difficult financial and budgetary circumstances for the State. Since first entering Government, we have been committed to achieving such reductions through negotiation. The Haddington Road Agreement, to which teacher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Skills Development (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Further Education and Training Strategy and the Higher Education Strategy have a major focus on employer engagement being responsive to the skill needs of the economy. Both sectors are closely engaged in the establishment of new Regional Skills Fora to engage with employers and inform the shape of education and training provision. The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, which is funded...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: This year 11,940 SNAs are available for allocation to primary and secondary schools, which is an increase of 13% in the number of posts available since 2011. The NCSE has allocated 6832 Resource teaching posts to mainstream schools this year, which is an increase of 29% since 2011. In addition, over 150 new Special Classes have been opened for the 2015/16 school year, which means there are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The NCSE has allocated 6832 Resource Teaching posts to mainstream schools this year. This is an increase of 29% in the allocation since 2011. 3965 of these posts have been allocated to primary schools, which is an increase of 11% over the allocation made last year. The General Allocation Model (GAM) is now updated annually for all primary schools, to take account of increased enrolments. 4273...