Results 3,121-3,140 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

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

Jan O'Sullivan: All mainstream schools are allocated additional teaching resources to cater for children with High Incidence special educational needs, including Specific Learning Disabilities, of which Dyslexia is one such SLD. The Special Educational Support Service provides training courses for schools in the area of Dyslexia as well as support for in-school seminars and attendance at relevant...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will be aware DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, is my Departments main policy instrument for tackling educational disadvantage. Every effort is made to prioritise funding and support the objectives of improved educational outcomes through the DEIS programme, which includes additional funding and teaching resources in DEIS schools. The Deputy may also...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: It is difficult to make precise comparisons between the levels of grants paid and the actual costs of running schools at primary and post primary levels. However it is self-evident that the maintenance and running costs for second level schools are much greater on a unit cost basis than those in primary schools. In general, second level schools are larger than primary schools and have a...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: During the 2013/2014 school year a total of 9,421 teaching days were worked by 537 retired teachers: 302 retired Primary school teachers worked 5,259 days and 235 retired Voluntary Secondary and Community and Comprehensive schools teachers worked 4,162 days. During the 2014/2015 school year a total of 10,391 teaching days were worked by 560 retired teachers: 320 retired Primary school...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: The manner in which the challenge was taken in this case is a matter for the schools involved. I would like to commend the school for prioritising the health of their students in deciding their school policy on this matter. Schools and the wider education sector have a vital role to play in contributing to the Government's 'Healthy Ireland' agenda set out in the Framework for Improved Health...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policy Reviews (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Extensive consultation has taken place since I launched my Department's Policy Proposals on Gaeltacht education last May. The consultation has provided a valuable opportunity to hear the opinions of schools, stakeholders and Gaeltacht communities. The consultation included a survey, written submissions, public meetings in three Gaeltacht areas, and meetings with a range of stakeholder groups....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (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...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: All mainstream schools have been allocated additional teaching resources to cater for children with High Incidence special educational needs, including Specific Learning Disabilities, of which Dyslexia is one such SLD. My Department therefore does not hold details of the number of children attending primary and post-primary schools who have been diagnosed with Dyslexia, as schools are not...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will be aware, 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 doesn't reflect the reality of today's primary education sector and...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: The State Examinations Commission (SEC), which has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations, has provided me with the following information. The SEC has a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations designed to assist candidates with special needs at the examinations.Within the context of the RACE scheme the term 'special need' applies to candidates...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: The school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process. A letter of Intent issued to the preferred tenderer on 2nd December. Subject to no issues arising in the supplementary tender report, it is anticipated that works will commence in early 2016.

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

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. I understand that there are a number of children who wish to avail of transport to the school in question...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: The Apprenticeship Council devised and issued a call for proposals from enterprises and education and training providers for the development of new apprenticeships early in 2014. Following the receipt of proposals and an evaluation process, the Council reported to the Minister recommending 25 proposals for priority development. The Minister approved this recommendation and announced the 25...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy is aware, the project for the school referred to, is included in the 6 Year Construction Programme that I announced on 17th November last, and is listed to proceed to tender and construction in the period 2019-21. Due to my diary commitments, I am not in a position to meet with the school in question. However, my Department will be in contact with the school authorities in the...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I understand that currently there is a population of 8,106 employed apprentices at various stages of the Apprenticeship Programme. The on the job wages and off the job allowances paid to apprentices are determined as a percentage of the qualified rate for the occupation in question and were agreed by unions and employers in the relevant sectors. The rate increases as apprentices move through...

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: Education Policy (9 Dec 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures is the Government's overarching National Policy Framework for children and young people (aged 0-24 years). This cross-government approach will run from 2014 until 2020 and accommodate a number of constituent strategies. The Framework sets out common outcomes, policy commitments and key actions to ensure innovative and effective ways of working to improve the...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: The Apprenticeship Council devised and issued a call for proposals from enterprises and education and training providers for the development of new apprenticeships early in 2014. Following the receipt of proposals and an evaluation process, the Council reported to the Minister recommending 25 proposals for priority development. The Minister approved this recommendation and announced the 25...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: A scheme was initiated in 1978 for the employment of Clerical Officers in primary and secondary schools. While a small number of these staff remain in schools, the schemes are being phased out and have been superseded by a more extensive grant scheme. The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools in the Free Education Scheme now receive capitation grant assistance to provide for...

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

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. In this regard I...