Results 4,861-4,880 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (17 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The staffing schedule at primary level operates on the basis of 1 classroom teacher for an average of every 28 pupils, with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools. Each one point adjustment to the current 28:1 schedule at primary level is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (17 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise that my Department has recently contacted the school referred to by the Deputy to seek clarification in respect of the issues arising. On receipt of this clarification, the matter will be considered further. I will issue a separate final response to the Deputy reflecting the above position in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Major Building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of Architectural Planning - Stage 1 - Preliminary Design which involves the initial sketch scheme for the project. A Pre Stage 1 Stakeholder Meeting was held in December 2014. Based on the information presented at the meeting, the Department and School Authority were of the view that there were a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Physical Education Facilities (17 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy is aware, my Department devolved very significant funding to the school in question in 2010 and 2011 to provide additional general classrooms, specialist rooms and ancillary accommodation to meet the school's accommodation needs. I wish to assure the Deputy that my Department fully recognises the key role of physical exercise within the school environment and continues to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (17 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy will be aware, this school made an application to my Department for funding for a GP room. The current status of all projects on the school building programme may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie and this is updated regularly throughout the year. Due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget, imposed by the need to prioritise funding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (17 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Rules for National Schools require that a school must be open to receive pupils not later than 9.30 a.m. Subject to this requirement, the decision with regard to the actual opening time of a primary school is a matter for the Board of Management of the school concerned. My Department has not issued any guidelines to school in relation to when the school premises should be open for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (17 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The current arrangements for garda vetting of teaching and non-teaching school staff were introduced in September 2006. In late 2010, my Department issued Circular 0063/2010 which updated and clarified the requirements for Garda vetting as part of recruitment procedures for all teaching and non-teaching positions. This circular also set out the vetting requirements of non-employees such as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (17 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: 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 Scheme are applied nationally on the same basis to both employed and self-employed applicants. Gross income before the deduction of income tax or universal social charge, is assessed with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: English Language Training Organisations (17 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy will be aware that MEC (Modern Educational Centre) ceased trading with effect from 1st May 2015. A number of measures have been implemented to assist genuine students affected by the closure. The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of the Department of Justice and Equality acted swiftly to assure the immigration status of affected students. All current...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (17 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The name of the Skillnets networks are the TechNorthWest Skillnet and the IIE Manufacturing Skillnet. I have attached a spreadsheet of training that has been delivered earlier in the year with costs, trainee numbers and company details. At present, I understand that neither network plan to run the programmes again in 2015, but could do so if there was a demand and interested parties should...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (17 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy is aware that the Teaching Council have been asked to examine and advise on entry requirements to courses of initial teacher education including the Gaeltacht entry scheme to the Bachelor of Education. As you know, it is proposed in the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language that up to 20% of places in Colleges of Education will be retained for students educated through Irish in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (17 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to inform the Deputy that a final reply to the correspondence in question has now been issued by my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legal Costs (17 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The European Court of Human Rights awarded the applicant €30,000 in respect of pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage and €85,000 in costs and expenses, plus any tax chargeable. A total amount of €134,550 in respect of these amounts together with Valued Added Tax of €19,550, was paid to the applicant's solicitor in February 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Abuse (17 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 208 to 210, inclusive, together. The Government agreed that out of court settlements be offered in those cases of school child sexual abuse being brought against the State where the cases come within the terms of the ECHR judgment and satisfy the Statute of Limitations. The State Claims Agency is engaging with plaintiffs' solicitors to clarify the position...

Topical Issue Debate: Primary School Literacy Programme (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have met with some Reading Recovery teachers and certainly their dedication and commitment to the programme is evident when one speaks to them. I am pleased to have been given the opportunity by the Deputy to clarify the position on literacy supports for primary schools. My Department's policy in this area is outlined in Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life - The National Strategy...

Topical Issue Debate: Primary School Literacy Programme (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I again assert my commitment to this. I have been to a lot of primary schools where I have seen children in a variety of programmes, including Reading Recovery, that are focused on small groups of children - I know that in this case, it is one to one - and that ensure they have the opportunity at that very early and crucial stage to learn how to read. I agree with the Deputy that it is a...

Topical Issue Debate: Educational Disadvantage (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl for raising this issue. On a point of clarification, it was long before 2011 that schools were no longer allowed enter the DEIS scheme. In fact, very few were admitted after 2005. There was a very small number admitted up to 2009. After that, the scheme has not reopened for new schools.

Topical Issue Debate: Educational Disadvantage (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The aim of the DEIS programme is to ensure the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities are prioritised and effectively addressed. As the Deputy may be aware, last month saw the publication of a report, Learning from the Evaluation of DEIS, which was commissioned by my Department from the ESRI. This report assesses the main findings of research and...

Topical Issue Debate: Educational Disadvantage (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I remind Deputy Ó Fearghaíl again that after the DEIS scheme was set up in 2005, a handful of schools got in up to 2009. After 2009, no schools got in. The kinds of schools the Deputy is talking about, which were amalgamated and so on, could not get in either from 2009.

Topical Issue Debate: Educational Disadvantage (16 Jun 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: That is precisely why I have decided to change it. We have to produce figures to determine which should be in and which should be out.