Results 4,461-4,480 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (9 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Student Grant Appeals Board considered an appeal from the student referred to by the Deputy and upheld the original decision by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) on the grounds that the student's reckonable income was over the limit of €22,703 and she was therefore not eligible for the award of the special rate of grant. Income from participation in Tús and Gateway...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (9 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department provided grant aid to the school in question under the 2012 Prefab Replacement Scheme to construct three mainstream permanent classrooms. I understand that this building project has now been completed. The school has recently submitted a further application for capital funding to my Department. My officials have been in contact with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (9 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that officials in my Department have been working with officials from Meath County Council in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable permanent site for the school to which she refers. Subsequent to appraisal of options, a suitable site option has been identified and is being progressed. Given the commercial sensitivities associated with land...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (9 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: School Staffing (9 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on the Department's website. The staffing process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board. The staffing arrangements for the 2015/16 school year (Circular 0005/2015), provides details for schools wishing to make an appeal. As set...

Topical Issues: Back to School Costs (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: On the code of conduct on schoolbooks, I will examine whether the code is being implemented and, if not, I will decide whether it needs to be reviewed. I understand, however, that schools are adhering to it. Deputy O'Brien also referred to the possibility of placing the code of conduct on a statutory footing. I will first ascertain whether schools are adhering to it. The Deputy and I...

Topical Issues: Back to School Costs (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Different schools have adopted different practices. In some schools, workbooks come under the rental scheme. While I am aware that these books cannot be reused, anecdotally, I understand that in some cases parents who rent the book that accompanies the workbook also receive a copy of the workbook. I admit this may not be the case in all schools. With regard to my powers under the Act,...

Topical Issues: Back to School Costs (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am not sure that is the case. The advice I have received is that I cannot do so, but I will certainly examine the issue. Generally speaking, we have made some progress, particularly in book rental schemes. It is good to have an opportunity to emphasise that the voluntary contribution is voluntary. The Department should be informed if schools are telling parents that the contribution...

Topical Issues: Back to School Costs (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have seen the report of the Irish League of Credit Unions to which the Deputy refers. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue as it is hugely important for parents throughout Ireland. I welcome the opportunity to debate it in the House. Everybody accepts that back to school costs place a burden on families. The Government is taking action to help reduce those costs and to provide...

Topical Issues: Back to School Costs (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I acknowledge that there have been reductions in capitation but that is one of the areas I hope to be able to examine in the budget. I should also refer to the back to school clothing and footwear allowance.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Draft Educational Research Centre (Establishment) Order 2015: Discussion with the Minister for Education and Skills (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I welcome the opportunity to brief committee members on the establishment of the Educational Research Centre, ERC, Drumcondra as a body corporate under section 54 of the Education Act 1998. The ERC was founded on the initiative of the Department of Education and St. Patrick’s College in the 1960s. Since its foundation, the ERC has been an internationally recognised centre of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Draft Educational Research Centre (Establishment) Order 2015: Discussion with the Minister for Education and Skills (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: All of the members who contributed spoke about the importance of the independence of the centre, which is crucial, as well as the confidence people have in its independence and also in its excellence. That was a common thread in the contributions. Deputy O'Brien asked about the board and the plan. I will appoint the board in the near future. The number we intend to appoint is five. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Draft Educational Research Centre (Establishment) Order 2015: Discussion with the Minister for Education and Skills (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: It will be around the area of reporting back to parents on the school-based assessment and the reporting mechanism that will be adopted. Tests on numeracy and literacy are regularly reported to parents as well. It is that type of advice with regard to how exactly we report on the progress of students. The junior cycle has to go to a ballot of the teaching unions, but the discussion is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Draft Educational Research Centre (Establishment) Order 2015: Discussion with the Minister for Education and Skills (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: It draws on a very wide range of research across the world in terms of comparators. It also uses the longitudinal studies and all of the material available in Ireland, whether that is from Pobal, the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, or other sources of research. It has done a great deal of work in early years, for example, which would not necessarily be under the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides an extensive range of supports for pupils with Specific Speech and Language Disorder (SSLD). This includes provision for the establishment of special classes for pupils with SSLD in primary schools. Applications to establish such classes are considered by the school's assigned Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) and those meeting...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying of Children (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: There is no requirement that schools report incidents of bullying behaviour to my Department. However, the Deputy may be aware that my Department published new anti-bullying procedures for all primary and post primary schools at the beginning of the 2013/14 school year. The procedures are designed to give direction and guidance to school authorities and school personnel in preventing and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Internship Scheme Administration (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Training centres are run by individual Education and Training Boards (ETBs) rather than SOLAS. Information on waiting times would be a matter for the ETBs but they would very according to the type of programme, the means of recruitment and other factors. I am currently in the process of examining the implications of the report from the Apprenticeship Council in the light of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Schemes (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Details of the amounts paid to community projects in Local Drugs Task Force Areas from 2011 to 2014 inclusive by my Department are set out in the attached table. The Deputy will wish to be aware that new applications for this funding are not being accepted. Payments to projects 2011-2014 inclusive Project 2011 2012 2013 2014 FamiliBase (previously Familiscope) €67,402...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Redeployment (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Arrangements for panel access for fixed-term (temporary), substitute and part-time teachers to the Supplementary Redeployment Panel for the 2015/16 school year are set out in Circular 0072/2014 which is available on the Department website. Applicants must meet all of the published criteria in order to gain access to the Supplementary Redeployment Panel. The teacher referred to by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: University Visitor System (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: No visitor has been appointed to a university under Section 20 of the Universities Act 1997.