Results 4,621-4,640 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Guidance Counsellors (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: This is one of the areas we will start looking at when we get extra funding. A number of priorities are brought to my attention all the time when I meet people in the education sector. Psychologists from the National Educational Psychological Service are also available to all schools now and the subject of well-being is one of the areas being discussed in the context of reform of the junior...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Guidance Counsellors (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: We are very focused on that and the Minister of State, Deputy English, and I have been very involved in broadening opportunities in the area of apprenticeships. We are involving people who work in guidance in schools in this and we are involving schools generally by making them aware that these should be options available to young people.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Funding (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The last budget included an increase in spending on education for the first time in recent years, amounting to additional funding of €60 million during 2015. That increase has provided funding for 1,700 additional teachers and SNAs to be recruited for our schools, as well as funding important reforms. However, it was not possible to secure the funding which would be required to also...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Funding (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The practical difficulty is that we have over 3,000 schools. It would be very difficult to assess the individual annual running costs for each school which is why we have a capitation grant system. We try to address the concerns of older schools, and schools with particular problems, through summer works and emergency works. For example, replacing windows and roofs, or other structural...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Schools Health and Safety (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Drinking water should be available in all post-primary schools. If a problem is identified with a school's water supply, it can submit an application to my Department for emergency funding to correct the problem. I am aware of some cases in which drinking water is supplied from machines. I drink water from my tap at home and, I am sure, most people in this House do likewise. The water...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Schools Health and Safety (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: We regularly issue healthy lifestyle guidelines to post-primary schools and will be issuing them again in September. Issues relating to vending machines are addressed in the guidelines. I do not have the authority to dictate to schools on this issue but I have advised them to make healthy eating options available. Approximately 30% of post-primary schools have vending machines, a reduction...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Primary Online Database (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: We have agreed, in association with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, on the creation of non-identifiable records. My officials have had extensive and ongoing communication with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner on the issues it has raised and we accept their validity. The Data Protection Commissioner is satisfied that we have responded to the concerns, including...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Schools Health and Safety (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I welcome the valuable findings in the Irish Heart Foundation survey of 39 post-primary schools published in April. The Government has published Healthy Ireland - A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013 - 2025. Healthy Ireland aims to improve the health not only of students but also of the nation. Education has a key role to play in the Healthy Ireland agenda. My Department,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Primary Online Database (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The primary online database was rolled out across the primary school system during the 2014 to 2015 academic year. The primary online database, POD, will allow the Department to more closely monitor and evaluate progress and outcomes of pupils at primary level, to validate school enrolment returns for grant payment and teacher allocation purposes, and to follow up on pupils who do not make...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Primary Online Database (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: We have responded to all the concerns of the Data Protection Commissioner and the April memo was prepared partially as a result of that. In response to the specific question of whether amending legislation is required, I wish to inform the Deputy that my Department is engaged with the Department of Social Protection, under whose remit the making of the necessary regulations fall, to make the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have engaged with the HEA, the Union of Students in Ireland and individual universities and institutes of technology on the issue. While many of them provide extensive accommodation, I accept that the issue is particularly critical in the Dublin area and, to some extent, Galway and Cork. I am aware from discussions that some of the third level institutions are actively engaged on the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am somewhat surprised at the vehemence of the Deputy in his response because the collapse of the construction industry provides much of the reason we do not have accommodation available.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Up to a few years ago students were able to find accommodation, but the construction industry collapsed because the economy had collapsed. As a result and as the Deputy is well aware, funding had to be cut and the student registration fee had to be increased because of the state of the economy. I am aware that some institutes are engaged in seeking to find a solution. We also have, for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I appreciate the concerns about the availability of accommodation for students and, for that reason, have asked the Higher Education Authority to report on the issue. The authority is working on a draft report on the availability of student accommodation which will be available shortly and give us an up-to-date picture of the situation. In that context, I will continue to work with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Expenditure (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am aware of the research referred to by the Deputy. The Government's focus in recent years has been on stabilising the country's finances so as to ensure that funding could continue to be provided for the provision of essential services such as health, education and social protection. This is the best way of protecting and improving services. A key priority for funding at primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will be aware, a building project for the school to which he refers is currently being progressed within my Department's architectural planning process. Planning Permission for the project was granted by Donegal County Council prior to the appointment of the design team. Following appointment, the Design Team was authorised to advance directly to Stage 2a Developed Design....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Programme for Government contains a commitment that "People of non-faith or minority religious backgrounds and publicly identified LGBT people should not be deterred from training or taking up employment as teachers in the state." A Private Members' Bill, the Employment Equality (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2013, was debated in Seanad Éireann in 2013. That Bill imposed a stricter...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology Staff (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I understand that most third level institutions provide chaplaincy services for their student body and such provision is a matter for individual Institutes of Technology (IoTs). My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA designated higher education institutions including the IoTs. The HEA allocates this funding to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Completion Programme (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The information requested by the Deputy is not yet available. One of the many benefits of the introduction of the Primary Online Database is that it will enable the progress of children through the education system to be accurately monitored. From 2015/2016 onwards the Primary Online Database will provide the Department with the capacity to compile this vital information on children that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (30 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process is necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. The Equal...