Results 3,581-3,600 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (5 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Administration (5 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The performance of SUSI is assessed on an on-going basis in accordance with the terms of the Management Framework Agreement concluded between the Department and the CDETB in respect of SUSI a unit of CDETB. I am informed by SUSI that it has received almost 107,000 student grant applications to date for the 2015/16 academic year. Of these SUSI has awarded student grant funding to 63,000...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments Data (5 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: A total of 3,128 additional permanent school places has been provided under the Large Scale Projects Programme in the period 2011 to date at the following schools: Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada; Esker Educate Together; St Andrews National School; Griffeen Valley Educate Together; Clonburris Educate Together; St. Mary's National School, Woodview; Clonburris Post-Primary School. Furthermore, 224...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (5 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs, including children with autism should be included, where possible and appropriate, in mainstream placements with additional supports provided. In circumstances where children with special educational need require more specialised interventions, special school or special class places are also available. Parents can...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (5 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has made an application for major capital funding. In September, the Government's €27 billion capital programme provided for a significant capital funding investment in the education system over the next six years with some €3.8 billion in direct funding to be invested in education projects. The six-year plan will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (5 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The decision on eligibility for new student grant applications is a matter for the centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland). The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student should qualify for a grant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Investigations (5 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that matters raised in the correspondence to which the Deputy has referred is currently being investigated by my Department. As part of this investigation a meeting has been arranged between my Department's officials and school representatives which will take place in the coming days. When the investigation has concluded the correspondent will be notified of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (5 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has submitted an application for capital funding for additional accommodation. The application is currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been concluded.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Childcare Education and Training Scheme (5 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Childcare Education and Training Scheme (CETS) is not available to learners in PLC provision. CETS, which is administered by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, is available to support long term unemployed learners engaging on Youthreach, VTOS and ETB Training provision.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (4 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 215 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides a range of supports for pupils with Dyslexia attending school. All mainstream Primary schools have been allocated additional teaching resources under the General Allocation Model (GAM) to cater for children with high incidence special educational needs, including Specific...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grants Data (4 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The data sought by the Deputy is provided in the attachment. Student Grant holders Westmeath and Longford 2008-2014 County 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 Westmeath 1303 1567 1853 1975 1875 1845 1957 Longford 656 763 825 916 887 893 938 Total 1959 2330 2678 2891 2762 2738 2895

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (4 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that in July last, I secured Government approval for an additional 610 Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts which were made available for allocation to schools this year to support children with special educational needs with assessed care needs. This builds on the increases of 365 additional SNA posts provided for in last year's budget announcement and the 390...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (4 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I understand that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, an appeal was considered by the independent Student Grants Appeals Board on 22 September 2015 and the Board's decision issued directly to the appellant. The student was advised of his options in the decision letter. The options are that he may appeal to the High Court on a point of law under Section 21(6) of the Student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (4 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: Special Educational Needs Staffing (4 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 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: Schools Building Projects Expenditure (4 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: On 29 September, 2015 I announced that significant capital funding will be invested in the education system through the Government's €27bn Capital Programme. The intention is to replace all purchased prefabs with permanent accommodation over the lifetime of the programme. Details of the schools are not available at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme (4 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The school to which the Deputy refers applied for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme to repair a retaining wall. As the scope of works is outside the terms of this scheme, the application cannot be considered for funding. The school authority has been informed of this decision. It is, however, open to the school authority to apply for funding under a future Summer Works...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Expenditure (4 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department's policy in relation to Traveller Education is informed by the Report and Recommendations for a Traveller Education Strategy which was launched in 2006, following wide ranging consultation with Traveller representative groups and other relevant stakeholders. The principle of inclusion is at the core of the Strategy. The focus of both current and future provision is on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (4 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will be aware, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Data (4 Nov 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: A survey of my Department's administrative staff conducted in 2013 indicated that approximately 10% of staff have proficiency in Irish. 1.5% of administrative staff indicated a high level of proficiency in Irish while 8.7% of staff indicated a medium level of proficiency. In addition to the administrative staff, many field staff such as inspectors and educational psychologists have a...