Results 4,401-4,420 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil Data Collection (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The data requested by the Deputy on average class size in primary schools is available on my Department's website at the following link: Due to the moveable nature of classes at post-primary level depending on subject choices, class size data is not available at post-primary level.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions Entry Requirements (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) is a college and university admissions scheme which offers places on reduced points and extra college support to school leavers from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The scheme is operated by a number of higher education institutions and not by my Department. Admissions to the institutions are regulated by the institutions themselves....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will be aware, a set of proposals for a public service agreement were put forward by the Labour Relations Commission which now form the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013-2016 (the Haddington Road Agreement). One aspect of this Agreement relates to supplementary assignment arrangements for Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) and as both Unions that represent SNAs namely, SIPTU...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Postcode System Implementation (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Business areas within my Department are drawing up implementation plans to include Eircodes on key databases, i.e. those holding addresses of school employees, schools, Boards of Management, suppliers etc. Development work needed to support Eircodes will be scheduled along with other changes to our systems to minimise costs and disruption to the everyday work of the Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Patron of the schools to which he refers has determined that the new amalgamated school should be located on the site and buildings of one of the schools in question. In reaching this decision, the Patron and schools had available to them an independent technical report that reviewed the curricular capacity of both school buildings and sites. A separate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: A devolved grant was approved to the school in question earlier this year to construct an additional mainstream classroom. The school subsequently sought additional funding to complete associated works and I am pleased to advise the Deputy that funding was recently approved to the school for this purpose.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Following a recent meeting between officials from my Department's Planning and Building Unit and the management authority of the school in question, it was agreed that the school authority would submit revised proposals to my Department for consideration. As soon as these are received and considered the school authority will be informed of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I understand that the school referred to by the Deputy intends offering Technology as a Leaving Certificate subject option and is undertaking modifications to an existing classroom for this purpose. It is open to the school to submit an application to my Department for funding to equip this classroom and the school has been advised accordingly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has recently applied to my Department for large scale capital funding to provide a new school building. My Department has been in recent contact with the School in respect of their proposal and will be in a position to assess the proposal further when a response to the queries raised is received.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy may be aware of the decision of the previous Government to implement a recruitment and promotion moratorium in the public sector, which is binding upon all Departments, non-commercial state bodies and agencies. In respect of Educational Training Boards, positions other than teacher and SNA posts in schools, and teacher equivalents that are directly providing tuition to pupils in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Facilities (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The position is that my Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA designated higher education institutions. The HEA allocates this funding to the institutions and the internal disbursement of funding is then a matter for the individual institution. Third level institutions are autonomous and the responsibility for day to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The majority of school buildings in the state are in private ownership and under denominational patronage. When state monies were provided to facilitate building works to school property owned by a third party, a legal mechanism had to be put in place in order to protect the State's interest. This was known as a Charging Lease or Declaration of Trust. These leases protect the Minister's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. An appeals process is available to small...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Councils (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The existing provisions of Section 27 of the Education Act 1998 give broad scope for the formation of student councils in all secondary schools and their active participation in school management in conjunction with the Board of Management, parents and teachers. There are no plans to change this position. The proposed Parent and Student Charter engagements will provide an opportunity to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Administration (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Since September 2012 at post primary level guidance provision is now being organised by school management from within the staffing schedule allocation. Guidance is a whole school activity and schools have autonomy on how best to prioritise their available resources to meet the requirements in relation to guidance and the provision of an appropriate range of subjects to students. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The process I have recently commenced to renew the DEIS programme involves a number of strands including:-a consultation process with education partners, which commenced in April with a closing date of 22nd May 2015, to inform development of appropriate interventions to tackle educational disadvantage; -the establishment of an inter-Departmental Group to ensure a joined-up approach to future...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. An appeals process is available to small...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions Entry Requirements (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I understand that the institutes of technology and the universities are looking at their entry criteria for students presenting with A-Levels into their institutions. I fully support the promotion of better cross border flows of students in this regard. However, the entry requirements for third level education courses are determined by individual higher education institutions. The Central...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Poverty (14 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 777 and 778 together. My Department does not collect data from schools in relation to students who are homeless. Statutory powers in relation to the educational welfare of all children, including those who are homeless, are contained in the Education Welfare Act 2000 which comes within the policy remit of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.