Results 4,601-4,620 of 8,015 for speaker:Jonathan O'Brien

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I was expecting the announcement last weekend.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Department of Education and Skills (Revised) (4 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: If the number reaches 173, it will be the highest in approximately six years.

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I agree completely with Deputy Wallace. The other issue is the number of National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, psychologists available. I recognise the number has increased under this Government. I think it has gone back up to the 2011 number. However, when NEPS psychologists go on maternity leave or are out sick, they are not replaced. Therefore, we never have a full...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I thank the Minister for clarifying the matter. The Department has done some work on the cost of implementing the new model, under which the Minister will still be dealing with a defined allocation of resources. Under the model some schools will lose resources, while others will gain. There will also be a cost in terms of implementation. What I am asking is whether it is possible to have...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: Under the new model the school would receive an increased resource allocation.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: 114. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the development of a pilot scheme for the new allocation system for special educational needs resources for the National Council for Special Education, including the timeframe, the number of schools that will be involved, and the current consultation that is underway. [9096/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: This is a follow-up question to ask the Minister to update us on the pilot scheme for the new model, the timeframe for its introduction and the number of schools in which it will operate.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I welcome that the Minister will not proceed with the pilot for the upcoming academic year in light of the genuine concerns that have been raised by parents and schools. While I agree wholeheartedly with the proposals contained in the new model, these concerns have to be addressed and, given the time and resource constraints on the Department, I support the introduction of a pilot project....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: It is Government policy.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: 111. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on development of technological universities here, including the proposed merger between Cork Institute of Technology, County Cork and Tralee Institute of Technology, County Kerry. [9095/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: Will the Minister for Education and Skills provide an update on the development of technological universities with a particular focus on Cork Institute of Technology and Tralee Institute of Technology?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I thank the Minister for her reply. I am sure she is well aware there are growing concerns around the consortium in regard to the Munster technological university, MTU. They are based on a number of issues, including the cost of it, which is €6.7 million. To date, no detailed financial projections or analysis has been put forward by both institutes on how they will meet those...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: The level of financing the HEA is providing is a drop in the ocean in the overall cost of €6.7 million. I understand that last year the HEA provided €200,000 to the consortium in the Munster region, which will go nowhere towards meeting the costs. The Minister has clarified that the governing bodies in Munster have said they will meet it from within their own budgets through...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Contracts (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: 501. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations in the expert group report on the level of fixed-term and part-time employment in teaching; the way she will allow fixed-term teachers to acquire permanent positions more easily and quickly and enable part-time teachers to gain additional hours; if she will outline...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments Data (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: 503. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students currently attending second level education aged 18 years and over. [9225/15]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Proposed Legislation (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: 505. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the date on which she will publish the Education (School Admissions) Bill 2015. [9235/15]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (3 Mar 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: 534. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has examined the cost of ensuring that schools do not lose any special educational needs resources by introducing a rule whereby under any reforms of the National Council for Special Education schools do not receive a reduction to any already allocated resources under the new rules, in order to ensure that schools that have...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (26 Feb 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: We tabled our amendments before we saw the Government's amendments; therefore, we will not oppose section 3, 4 or 5. We will study the Government's amendments, but I give notice that we may table amendments to sections 2 to 5, inclusive, on Report Stage.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (26 Feb 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I move amendment No. 5:In page 9, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following:"8. The Minister shall report to the Houses of the Oireachtas on an annual basis on the use and extent of voluntary contributions by schools with a view to phasing them out.". This matter has nothing to do with the Bill, but that it is a miscellaneous provisions Bill has given us the opportunity to table an...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (26 Feb 2015)

Jonathan O'Brien: I appreciate that this Bill is not the place to do that, but it is an opportunity for us to put the matter on the agenda again. When drafting legislation to give some structure to the situation, having it ruled out of order because it would be a cost to the Exchequer is frustrating. By their nature, voluntary contributions are essential for many schools if they are to keep operating, given...