Results 4,481-4,500 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 and 200 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that I announced yesterday that I had secured Government approval for an additional 610 Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts which may be made available for allocation to schools to support children with special educational needs with assessed care needs. From September, there will be 11,820 whole time...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that I announced yesterday that I had secured Government approval for an additional 610 Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts which may be made available for allocation to schools to support children with special educational needs with assessed care needs. From September there will be 11,820 whole time equivalent SNA posts available in schools to support children...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that there are now more Resource Teachers available for allocation than ever before. As part of Budget 2015, I announced provision for an additional 480 Resource Teaching posts, to take into account increased demand and demographic growth and to ensure that children can continue to have access to additional supports in school. The total number of posts...

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 the National Council for Special Education(NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating SNA support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The rates of grant and the income thresholds for the Student Grant Scheme are announced annually as part of the Budget. No changes to the rates or thresholds were included in Budget 2015. Student grant applications are means tested on gross income from all sources earned inside and outside the State within a specified reference period. The means test arrangements of the Student Grant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The management authority of the school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme for the provision of car parking. As the scope of works for which funding was sought is outside the terms of the scheme, their application cannot be considered for funding. The school authority has been informed of this decision. It is open to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Health and Safety (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The traffic management system and signage on the Marlborough Street campus was formalised by the Department in order to ensure the safety of all users of the complex including staff, official visitors, contractors, children, parents, teachers/staff accessing Scoil Chaoimhín and the crèche located on the campus. The Department consulted with the Board of Management of Scoil...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 207 and 208 together. As the Deputy may be aware I have recently begun a process to renew the DEIS programme. This process 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pension Provisions (8 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Based on available information it appears that the person to whom the Deputy refers has a pension entitlement in respect of service as a Special Needs Assistant. In order for a member of a pension scheme administered by my Department to claim pension payment it is necessary to make application to my Department. Specific application forms for this purpose are available on my Departments...

Seanad: Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: There are a considerable number of amendments from the Government here but many are technical. That applies to this grouping too. These are minor wording amendments to ensure consistency of language in referring to sections of the Bill following its enactment. Amendments Nos. 1, 2, 10 to 14, inclusive, and 17 to 22, inclusive, and 37 replace references in the Bill to the Act as the...

Seanad: Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Amendment No. 40 provides for the holding of an inquiry under section 43 by a panel of the disciplinary committee where the investigating committee has determined that there is a prima faciecase to answer, following a complaint to the council regarding a registered teacher. This is a redraft of section 43 in order to make clear the steps and processes involved in an inquiry and the...

Seanad: Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: This is a technical amendment to update the reference to the EU directive on mutual recognition of qualifications. Section 7(2)(n) provides that one of the functions of the Teaching Council is to act as a designated authority within the meaning of Regulation 3(1) of the European Communities (General System for the Recognition of Higher Education Diplomas) Regulations 1991, SI 1 of 1991, for...

Seanad: Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: This is a technical amendment to update the name of Marino Institute of Education in the Act. For the information of the House, the Bill as originally published included in subparagraph (iv) the phrase "National University of Ireland, Maynooth".

Seanad: Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Amendment No. 6 enables the disciplinary committee, for the purpose of carrying out a fitness to teach inquiry, to sit in divisions of itself, with each division to be referred to as a panel. The 2001 Act already provides that panels would conduct inquiries on behalf of the committee, and the revised wording strengthens references in the Act to the role of the panels. Section 28 of the...

Seanad: Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Amendments Nos. 7, 29, 32, 33, 35, 38 and 39 propose to remove references to the director as secretary to the investigating committee. There is no legal need for the director to act as secretary to the investigating committee and removing this requirement will afford the Teaching Council more flexibility in the operation of the fitness to teach processes, including in the allocation of staff...

Seanad: Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Section 29 of the principal Act provides for the establishment and maintenance of the register of teachers. The purpose of this amendment is to update section 29 in regard to entering on the register details of each person who is registered or is entitled to be registered, as opposed to only each person entitled to be registered, to make clear that the provision relates to teachers who are...

Seanad: Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Regulation No. 3 covered special schools.

Seanad: Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I understand it applied to Montessori teachers in special schools rather than specifically in regular schools.

Seanad: Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: That is specifically in regard to special schools rather than regular schools. The Teaching Council has expressed the view that all teachers should have the relevant teaching qualification. I understand the Senator's concerns, however. The intention is that the legislation will be reviewed regularly. I acknowledge that Montessori teaching requires a qualification but the council's view is...

Seanad: Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Regulations are not set out in the Bill itself.