Results 3,421-3,440 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the application for additional accommodation referred to by the Deputy has been assessed and I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school was approved funding, on a devolved basis, for an ASD/Special Needs provision to meet needs in the area. This decision has recently been conveyed to the school authority.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Asylum Support Services (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The five year residency rule is in line with recommendation 5.70 of the Working Group on the Protection Process. This recommended that supports be made available to persons who have been in the "Irish school system for five years or more, and satisfy the relevant academic and other eligibility criteria."

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Work Placement Programmes (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: There is no specific piece of legislation that governs work experience for second level students in, for example, Transition Year or Leaving Certificate Applied courses. However, there are many established supports to good practice, by both employers and students in these cases, including: - guidelines on work placement from the PDST and coordinators' organisations; - extensions of school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grants Data (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department has been in contact with the Central Statistics Office who has advised that all data regarding the Consumer Price Index is collated on a historical basis and is not used by them for future projections. However for the Deputy's convenience my Department has looked at the figures available from the CSO and according to the Consumer Price Index the annual average % change for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Department engages with SUSI on an on-going basis on the implementation of changes and improvements to SUSI's service delivery model. Reconfiguring the application process alongside the CAO applications process is not a straightforward proposition. For example one of the key eligibility criteria for receiving grant funding is the assessment of reckonable income. Income details...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Contracts (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Programme for Government contains a commitment that "People of non-faith or minority religious backgrounds and publicly identified LGBT people should not be deterred from training or taking up employment as teachers in the state." A Private Members' Bill, the Employment Equality (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2013, was debated in Seanad Éireann in 2013. That Bill imposes a stricter test...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (24 Nov 2015)

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: Schools Building Projects Status (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that a site acquisition process for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently underway. However, due to commercial sensitivities it is not possible to provide further details at this stage. The project to deliver a new school building was included in the list of projects recently announced to go to construction in 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The site acquisition process for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently underway and options are under consideration. However due to commercial sensitivities it is not possible to provide further information at this time. The project to deliver a new school building was included in the list of projects recently announced to go to construction in 2019-2021.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The positioning of school projects on the new 6 Year Programme, in terms of year to commence construction, is informed by the anticipated progress that each project will make as it progresses through the various stages of the architectural planning process. All projects will however continue to be progressed with a view to proceeding to tender and construction stages at the earliest possible...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Skills Shortages (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The EGFSN has highlighted a number of areas where there are skills shortages. The scale of these shortages varies and there can be a variety of reasons that impact on the ability of employers to recruit. The second National Employers Survey which was published last May found that three quarters of foreign employers feel that there will be an adequate supply of graduates in the next three...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department is considering the offer of a number of school buildings by the Catholic church under the patronage divesting process. As the matter is the subject of ongoing discussions, I am not in a position to provide any further details at this time. However, I can assure the Deputy that every effort is being made by my Department to expedite the discussions to a successful conclusion....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Expenditure (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The total project cost inclusive of building works, consultants fees and furniture and equipment amounted to €13.9m. The construction element was €12.491m. The building contractor was Glenman Corporation Ltd.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Construction Contracts (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take questions 507 to 509, inclusive, together. As the Deputy is aware, officials from my Department have engaged with Castlethorn Construction in relation to the provision of a community centre at Adamstown in accordance with the provisions of a contract for the acquisition of the school site. A proposal has recently been put forward by representatives of Castlethorn...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the Education Act, 1998, legally, all schools are managed by the school Board of Management, on behalf of the school patrons or trustees or Education and Training Board. It is the management authority that employs the school's teachers and other staff members. The school principal manages the school on a day-to-day basis. As my Department has no role in the employment of staff in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Voluntary contributions by parents are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay and that, in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own volition. A school may seek payment to cover the cost of photocopied or other such learning materials where the amount sought by the school is consistent with the costs involved...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Tender Process for this new school building project is at an advanced stage and a preferred bidder has been identified. The Department is currently awaiting receipt of the Supplementary Tender Report from the Design Team. Subject to no issues arising it is envisaged that the successful contractor will be appointed and construction will commence shortly thereafter.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Stay Safe Programme (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Stay Safe Programme is currently being revised with a view to being ready in time for implementation in schools from September 2016. My Department recently asked the Child Abuse Prevention Programme (CAPP) and the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) to prepare a Continuing Professional Development framework to support teachers in implementing the revised programme....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (24 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that my Department has received an appeal from the school to which the Deputy refers for capital funding towards a building project My Department have been in recent contact with the school seeking additional information in respect of the school's proposal. This information, when available, should enable the application to be further assessed and a decision to be conveyed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (24 Nov 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...