Results 3,961-3,980 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 649 and 650 together. It is anticipated that statistics for the 2015/16 outturn will not be available until late Spring 2016. The Grants Online Application system for the 2015/16 academic year is still open although the deadline for receipt of applications for priority processing has passed. Late applications will continue to be accepted by SUSI until early...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The position is that my Department allocates funding on a calendar year basis. In 2014 the overall funding provided by my Department including recurrent funding (core grant and free fees), and that provided under the Student Grant Scheme, higher education research funding and other higher education funding (excluding capital expenditure) was €1,471.8 billion.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question submitted a major capital application to my Department to provide for extension and refurbishment works. Following a site visit in December 2014, my Department's technical staff revisited the schools earlier this year to gather further information. My Department is currently considering the options available to it in addressing the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the school building project to which he refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process. Subject to no issues arising it is envisaged that a Contractor will be selected before late December.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 654 and 655 together. In his Report on the Report of the Accounts of the Public Services, 2014, the Comptroller and Auditor General reported, in section 12.33, that some tuition for pre-school children with autism is delivered by specialist providers in a classroom setting at a cost to the Department of around €4 million in 2014. In areas where such...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Colleges (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Providers of QQI validated education and training programmes are required to establish procedures which are fair and consistent for the assessment of enrolled learners. These procedures are in place to ensure the standards of knowledge, skill or competence as determined by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) are acquired, and where appropriate, demonstrated, by enrolled learners. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department agreed to the schools proposal to amalgamate on the schools existing sites with effect from September 2013 and that this position would not change in the future. While my Department is not in a position to consider the request for a new school, funding was provided for a mainstream classroom and resource room to meet the school's immediate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Universities Legislation (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Universities (Amendment) Bill will require universities to comply with Government guidelines on remuneration, allowances, pensions and staffing numbers in the university sector. The Bill is currently at an advanced drafting stage and is expected to be published soon.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Major Building Project referred to by the Deputy is one of 22 primary school projects currently at Stage 2(b) of Architectural Planning which are not on the current 5 year construction programme. Details of all projects are available on my Department's website. Due to competing demands on the Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will be aware, since 2006, under the Teaching Council Act 2001, the Teaching Council is the regulator and standards body for the teaching profession. The Council is also the competent authority for the recognition of qualifications under EU Directive 2005/36/EC. The Council is independent in the exercise of these functions, including the processing of applications for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Article 32 of the Student Grant Scheme 2015 provides for the review of eligibility for the award of a grant in the event of changes of circumstances in the academic year, including a change in relation to reckonable income for the self-employed. In order for grant eligibility to be re-assessed under the changes of circumstances provision, the awarding authority must be satisfied that the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that an application for major capital works and an application also for additional accommodation to meet the schools immediate accommodation requirements for September 2016 has recently been received by my Department. In that regard, my Department has already been in contact with the school and have advised the school that it will be in further contact as soon as the assessment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides for a range of services and supports to ensure that children with special educational needs, including children with Dyspraxia, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs. These supports include additional teaching and care support, enhanced capitation, specialist school transport arrangements, assistive technology...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: There are many demands on me for extra investment at all levels including those raised by the INTO. At the INTO Congress last Easter I indicated that improving the position in relation to primary class size is one of my priorities. I have already indicated that I am determined that education should be prioritised for investment as our economy recovers and I will be seeking to agree a set of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments Data (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Statistics on the number of Section 29 appeals for the last 5 years are provided in the following table, together with a breakdown on the outcomes of those appeals. The statistics are compiled on a calendar-year basis for the years 2010 to 2014. I wish to confirm that the statistics contain details of all appeals to the Secretary General of my Department, including those appeals that were...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The school referred to by the Deputy has not completed the online Inventory of School Accommodation, available via the Esinet system in use in all schools. This is the primary source of the information provided to the Deputy in tabular format. The information provided in the online inventory was checked in so far as possible against records held within the Department. Unfortunately, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 669 and 670 together. If the level of funding provided by my Department is not sufficient to cover the cost of the approved works at the school referred to by the Deputy, it is open to the school authority to apply for additional funding. To date no application has been received.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (6 Oct 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 (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: This building is not in the ownership of the Minister, and in common with other buildings of its kind, where significant grant aid is provided by the Department for the development of school premises, investment is secured by way of a long-term legal agreement known as a charging lease. In circumstances where a property has ceased to be used as a school, and a request is received to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Oct 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: A letter of intent has issued to the preferred bidder on the proposed extension project at the school referred to by the Deputy. Subject to no issues arising it is envisaged that construction will commence in late October/early November of 2015.