Results 5,981-6,000 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Child Care Education (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I fully take on board the points made regarding investment in early childhood education and care (ECEC) and I, like other Cabinet members, would like to be in a position to increase our investment in ECEC to be in line with the OECD average but this is very much dependent on resource availability. Our options for future investment in ECEC are being analysed by an inter-Departmental group set...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 2015/16 school year are set out in Department Circular 0005/2015 which is available on my Department's website at www.education.gov.ie. The circular sets out the improvements to the staffing schedule for the 2015/16 school year for small schools. These improvements are improved retention thresholds for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th classroom...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Back to Education Allowance (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Following a Budget 2010 decision, all new applicants in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA), and the VTOS allowances for those pursuing PLC courses, are no longer eligible for maintenance support under the student grant scheme. Students who qualify for the BTEA may, however, be considered for support for the student contribution under the student grant scheme provided they...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA designated higher education institutions. The HEA allocates this funding to the institutions and the internal disbursement of funding is then a matter for the individual institution. In addition to this funding, the HEA also provides a separate subsidy to institutions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 797 and 819 together. The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing arrangements...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Speech and Language Therapy (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the provision of health supports, including Speech and Language Therapy services, is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive. The Health Service Executive is currently engaged in a major reconfiguration of its existing therapy resources for children with disabilities into geographically based multidisciplinary teams, as part of its National...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The compulsory school starting age in a National School is 6 years of age and the Rules for National Schools provide that a child must be at least 4 years of age before she/he may be enrolled in a National School. Although children are not obliged to attend school until the age of six, most children begin school in the September following their fourth birthday. The primary school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy the position of my Department in relation to the Assessment of Need process under the Disability Act 2005, is set out in my Departments Circular 0020/2011. This Circular notes that where a child under the age of 5 presents as having learning and or behavioural emotional or social difficulties in school, teachers should follow the approach to assessment and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department allocates significant resources to ensure that pupils with special educational needs can participate fully in education. My Department's policy is to promote a child-centred approach to education of children with special educational needs. Children should have access to a range of different approaches to meet their individual needs. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Board of Management of each school is responsible for the care and safety of all of the pupils in their school. Schools may seek advice from their local National Educational Psychological Services (NEPS) psychologist, from their National Council for Special Education (NCSE) Special Educational Needs Organiser, or from the National Behavioural Support...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Freedom of Information Data (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the provisions of freedom of information legislation, the decision-making and internal review functions of requests processed within my Department are formally delegated to departmental officials from Executive Officer to Assistant Secretary level. The Secretary General of my Department has no role in the clearing or approval of material for release for these requests.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 804 and 805 together. The staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 2015/16 school year are set out in Department Circular 0005/2015 which is available on my Department's website at www.education.gov.ie. The circular sets out the improvements to the staffing schedule for the 2015/16 school year for small schools. These improvements are improved...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not facilitate the dual enrolment of children in schools and that there has not there been any change of policy in this regard. National Council for Special Education (NCSE) Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENO's) can only allocate resources to schools in respect of those pupils enrolled in a school. However, dual placement...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to confirm that an application has been received by my Department for funding from the school, referred to by the Deputy, relating to the teaching of technology to the Leaving Certificate stage. On foot of this application, a Departmental inspector visited the school and discussed the school requirements with the Principal and relevant teachers. Following on from this visit, my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The building project referred to by the Deputy is included in the Five Year Construction Programme to proceed to Tender and Construction. The original design team appointed to the project had reached completion of Stage 1 of Architectural Planning. As part of that work and following an assessment of the current accommodation, it was agreed by the Department that extensive additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy will be aware that spending of more than €70 million was approved for the 2014 Summer Works Scheme to allow over 770 schools undertake improvement works. This allowed for the funding of applications received under categories 1-6. Schools which had applied under categories 7-10 as is the case in respect of the school to which the Deputy refers, were advised that their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy will be aware that the establishment of a network of autism-specific special classes in schools across the country to cater for children with autism has been a key educational priority in recent years. Children with autism have a number of placement options including mainstream placement with support, placement in a special class in a mainstream school or placement in a special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that the school building referred to by the Deputy and the lands attached to it are not in my ownership. The school availed of funding under the Summer Works Scheme from 2004 to 2011 for refurbishment of the school building. As the lands referred to are in the ownership of a third party, queries in relation to the proposed sale should be directed to the property owner in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Youth Justice Strategy (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that, on 13th December 2005, the Government approved youth justice reforms following a review carried out by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The rationale for these reforms is to provide leadership and restructuring of the delivery of the State's services in the area of youth justice, which up to 2007 were dealt with by a number of Departments...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (24 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The management authorities of the school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application in January 2015 for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme to replace underfloor heating at their school with standard radiators. As the scope of works for which funding is sought is outside the terms of the scheme they cannot be considered for funding. I understand that the school...