Results 5,561-5,580 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: EU Court Rulings (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Settlement discussions are being offered in cases coming within the terms of the European Court of Human Rights decision which satisfy the Statute of Limitations. In pursuing these settlements, the State Claims Agency will consider cases where there was a prior complaint about the teacher concerned. This is because these are the circumstances on which the decision was based. The cap...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: EU Court Rulings (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I reiterate my words of regret and my admiration for Louise O'Keeffe and the way in which she has consistently pursued the issues surrounding the abuse she and others suffered. With regard to the Deputy's specific question on discontinued cases, in other words, those involving individuals who received letters and subsequently withdrew from or discontinued their cases, we have asked the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Council for Special Education (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The National Council for Special Education is currently at an advanced stage in the preparation of policy advice on the education of children with autism. I expect that the NCSE final report, which is due to be delivered in the coming months, will reflect the broadest possible range of views, both National and International, and will provide recommendations which will assist the development...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Reviews (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have accepted Dr. Paraic Travers's revised and clarified proposal of 23rd February as the basis for agreement on the implementation of Junior Cycle reform. It addresses previous principal concerns expressed by the union side while retaining many of the important benefits for learners. My acceptance of the proposal required further compromise and movement from me, which I considered to be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the building project to host the proposed amalgamation of the two schools in Monasterevin is at an early stage of the architectural planning process. Following the Pre Stage 1 meeting held last November, both Boards of Management and their Design Team are working on finalising the Stage 1 report for submission to my Department. These reports have not yet...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: EU Court Rulings (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Settlement discussions are being offered in cases coming within the terms of the European Court of Human Rights Decision which satisfy the Statute of Limitations. In pursuing these settlements, the State Claims Agency will consider cases where there was a prior complaint about the teacher concerned. This is because these are the circumstances on which the Decision was based. The cap reflects...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is not aware of and has not received any proposal from the Patron or school authority in respect of a proposed amalgamation of the two schools concerned. The decision making authority for any amalgamation proposal belongs to the Patron of a school, subject to the approval of the Minister for Education and Skills. The initiative for an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department's policy in this area is underpinned by the Action Plan on Bullying. Guidelines to assist schools in developing an Anti-Bullying Policy were issued to all schools in 2013. Schools may choose from a number of programmes available to them in order to deal with the particular issues they have identified and my Department does not endorse any one particular programme. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: On 5th February last, I announced that seven new primary schools are to be established in the next two years to meet demographic needs in different areas of the country. While my announcement did not include a new school for the Dún Laoghaire area, it did include a new school in the adjoining area of Goatstown/Stillorgan which is to open in September 2016. My announcement followed a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Details on overall third level funding for the years requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. According to the Higher Education System Performance Report by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), core expenditure per student by higher education institutions (excluding research expenditure) has declined by 15% in the five years to 2013 with the bulk of this decline accounted...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As I replied in Priority PQ 15671/15, the ESRI publication "Learning from the Evaluation of DEIS" provides an opportunity to commence an assessment of the DEIS programme. The Report assesses the main findings of research conducted by the Educational Research Centre and the Inspectorate of my Department and provides advice to inform future policy direction in relation to educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Contracts (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am aware that the situation has arisen where over 30% of post-primary teachers and 10% of primary teachers are on fixed-term or part-time contracts. In my view this is detrimental to teachers and to the quality of teaching. The Haddington Road Agreement provided for the establishment of an expert group to examine this issue in teaching. The chairperson of the group issued his report in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the building project to host the proposed amalgamation of the two schools in Monasterevin is at an early stage of the architectural planning process. Following the Pre Stage 1 meeting held last November, both Boards of Management and their Design Team are working on finalising the Stage 1 report for submission to my Department. Upon satisfactory completion of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Measures (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Following on from the Apprenticeship Review, an implementation plan was published last year. The plan sets out a phased approach, recognising the need to first progress work on existing apprenticeships, determine demand from new enterprise sectors, develop the new apprenticeships and then embed new governance arrangements in legislation. Curricular content is not covered in current...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Proposed Legislation (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I recently published the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill. The Bill is on the Government's legislative programme for enactment in this session. The Bill will provide an over-arching framework to ensure that how schools decide on who is enrolled and who is refused a place in schools is more structured, fair and transparent. The Bill will clarify the power of the Minister to make...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Functions (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Strategy for Science, Technology & Innovation 2006 to 2013 (SSTI) was a broad based strategy which covered funding for research and innovation across all disciplines and across the full continuum of research from basic to applied, as well as commercialisation of research. The Government remains committed to the further development of our research ecosystem given the key role that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund, supports survivors of residential institutional child abuse in the areas of health, education and housing in particular. Eligibility for assistance is confined to those who received awards from the Redress Board or equivalent Court awards or settlements. Eligibility is confined to former residents because of the limited funds...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Reviews (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have accepted Dr. Paraic Travers's revised and clarified proposal of 23rd February as the basis for agreement on the implementation of Junior Cycle reform.It addresses previous principal concerns expressed by the union side while retaining many of the important benefits for learners. My acceptance of the proposal required further compromise and movement from me, which I considered to be in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Institutions (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I would like to assure the Deputy that the matters identified by the Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) in their Special Report on Accountability and Governance at the National College of Art and Design (NCAD), which was published in December last year, are of serious concern to my Department and my officials have been working with the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Remuneration (22 Apr 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The inclusion of children with additional needs at all levels of the education system is an integral element of government policy. 'Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures', the Children and Young People's Policy Framework, contains a commitment to develop a plan for the inclusion of children with a disability in mainstream pre-school and early years settings. The Department of Children and...