Results 3,521-3,540 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (12 Nov 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. The previous Government reduced the salaries and allowances payable of all new entrants to public service recruitment grades (including teachers) by 10% with effect from 1 January 2011 and required that such new entrants would start on the first point of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (12 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The major building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning – Stage 2b, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert, Disability Access Cert and the preparation of Tender Documents. A shortlist of prequalified contractors has been selected. All relevant statutory approvals have been obtained and the Design...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (12 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The correspondence referred to by the Deputy covered many areas and I have set out below the position in relation to each of them. In relation to teaching posts, the criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts, including GAM/EAL (learning/language support) is published annually on the Department website. The staffing arrangements for the 2015/16 school year are set out in Circular...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Reform (12 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy will be aware that the Student Grant Scheme is reviewed annually. The review of the Student Grant Scheme 2016 is ongoing. As such, all aspects of the Scheme remain under review at this point.

Seanad: Education (Welfare) (Amendment) Bill: Second Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Yes, we wish to share time. This is probably a first for the Seanad in that two Ministers have come to respond to a Private Members' Bill, on which I congratulate Senator Mary Moran. I am sharing time with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy James Reilly. As Senator Mary Moran stated, while responsibility for setting the school leaving age comes within the policy remit of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department is in the process of concluding a report on the outcome of a nationwide demographic exercise to determine where additional post-primary school accommodation will be needed from 2017 onwards. This exercise encompassed all areas of the country, including Kinnegad. I will announce the details of the new post-primary schools to be provided nationwide arising from this exercise in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the major building project for the school in question is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. All statutory approvals including planning permission, fire and disability access certificates have been secured. The Design Team have also confirmed that tender documents are complete. Due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (11 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The policy of my Department is to ensure, as far as possible, that the Managerial Authorities of Primary and Post Primary schools give priority to unemployed registered teachers who are fully qualified when filling vacant teaching posts. It is schools that employ teachers and not my Department. However my Department has issued a number of Circulars addressing this issue in recent years. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Investment Projects (11 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The total capital investment provided by my Department to the primary and post-primary sectors as well as to the Higher Education sector is included on a county basis in the attachment in respect of 2015 to date. In addition, €26m has issued in respect of Research Activities, €14.7m has issued under the PPP programme and €5.5m has issued in respect of the Book Rental...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (11 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department is in the process of concluding a report on the outcome of a nationwide demographic exercise to determine where additional post-primary school accommodation will be needed from 2017 onwards. The demographic exercise encompassed all areas of the country, including the Johnstownbridge and Enfield areas in Co. Kildare. I will announce the details of the new post-primary schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The project to which the Deputy refers is devolved to the Kildare & Wicklow Education and Training Board for delivery. The project is at the early stages of architectural planning and the commencement of construction will be dependent on the progress of the project through the various stages of design and the Local Authority planning process.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: An unsuccessful planning application including an appeal have delayed progression of the Celbridge Community College. Discussions are ongoing with the local authority to resolve the contentious issues. Pending finalisation of these matters unfortunately I am unable to provide a timeline for completion of the project.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The project to which the Deputy refers is devolved to the Kildare and Wicklow ETB for delivery. I understand that tenders for the project were recently received and a tender report is now being prepared. I expect the project to go on site early next year with a contract duration of some 18 months.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland Administration (11 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (11 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Teachers are employed by the Boards of Management of recognised schools. It is therefore a matter for the Boards to choose the format applications for teaching positions must take. Where a Primary school chooses to accept electronic (e-mail) applications the procedures to be followed are set out in Section 2.3 of Appendix D of the Constitution of Boards and Rules of Procedure 2011.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (11 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Since 2010 funding responsibility for the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) rests with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (DJEI). My officials have consulted with that Department and I have been advised of the following: The 2015 budgetary allocation to the Programme was €32.014m. While not yet finalised, it is expected that the 2016...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (11 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million, pledged by the religious congregations, to support the needs of survivors of institutional child abuse. The processing of individual applications is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (11 Nov 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: State Examinations (11 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The "Rules & Programme for Secondary Schools" Section 37 - Paragraph (g), sets out the combinations of subjects which are regarded as mutually exclusive, and therefore cannot be taken in combination for the Leaving Certificate examination: 1. Physics and Chemistry and either of the separate subjects Physics or Chemistry 2. Economics and Agricultural Economics 3. Classical Studies...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (11 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The majority of primary schools and voluntary secondary schools receive grant assistance to provide for secretarial and/or caretaking services. Within the grant schemes, the level and extent of services provided is a matter for school management who, through the discretion afforded under the scheme, apply diverse arrangements for secretarial and/or caretaking services as resources permit. ...