Results 6,081-6,100 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Protection (11 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I re-iterate that if the Deputy, or any other person, has a child protection concern regarding a school it should be reported to the Child and Family Agency. The Deputy's question is based on an individual case. The identities of the relevant persons concerned and of the school authorities involved have not been disclosed to me, and so in the particular circumstances the Deputy will...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: National Schools Amalgamation (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Gabhaim buíochas don Seanadóir as ucht seans a thabhairt dom an cheist seo a phlé agus a bheith níos soiléire on the position of the amalgamation of three national schools in Greenhills - St. Paul's senior girls, St. Paul's junior girls and St. Peter's boys. In January 2014, the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of St. Paul the Apostle transferred the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: National Schools Amalgamation (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Certainly. Is the Senator asking about the sensory rooms in the special units or the accommodation in general?

Seanad: Commencement Matters: National Schools Amalgamation (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I will come back to the Senator.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Universities Governance (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil imní ar an Seanadóir faoin cheist seo. Níl sé sásta leis an tascfhórsa atá curtha ar bun ag Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh.I am satisfied NUI Galway is being proactive in responding to the recent decision of the Equality Tribunal on gender discrimination, and is at the forefront of the universities sector in this respect....

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Universities Governance (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I stated I am satisfied it is being proactive. It is a matter for it specifically, rather than for me, to establish the task force which it has done. It would probably argue this is not specifically an industrial relations matter. The Senator made the point the trade unions are not represented. I want to see proactive engagement on behalf of the higher education sector generally on these...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing Appeals Mechanism (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: 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 also include an appeals mechanism for schools to submit...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million, pledged by the religious congregations, to support the needs of survivors of institutional child abuse. The processing of individual applications is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Engagement with the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) is ongoing between officials in my Department and a number of other Government Departments and Agencies to discuss the challenges raised by the CIF in relation to apprentices in the Construction Sector, particularly in the so-called 'wet trades'. My Department and SOLAS are committed to meeting the off the job training costs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Services for People with Disabilities (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that under the existing allocation system, all pupils with Down syndrome, including pupils with mild general learning difficulties, are entitled to receive additional teaching support. Support is provided from a school's General Allocation Model (GAM) hours, or from an allocation of additional resource teacher hours allocated to schools by the NCSE. In the current...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 466 and 469 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for approving special classes/units. In that regard, I understand that the school in question has consulted with the NCSE and it is currently reviewing special needs provision in schools in the area concerned. Should the NCSE approve...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: While my Department has no plans at the moment to acquire the school in question, it is currently engaged in a nationwide demographic exercise to determine where additional post-primary school accommodation may be needed from 2016 onwards. The area where the school is located is included in this review. When this exercise has been completed, arrangements will be made to make additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: A set of proposals for a public service agreement were put forward by the Labour Relations Commission which now form the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013-2016 (the Haddington Road Agreement). One aspect of this Agreement relates to supplementary assignment arrangements for Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) and as both Unions that represent SNAs namely, SIPTU and IMPACT, have signed up...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy will be aware that this Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: 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 also include an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I understand that in any particular academic year SOLAS advises the Higher Education Authority (HEA) of the requirement for Phase 4 and 6 apprenticeship training provision. The HEA then apportions this requirement to the relevant Institutes of Technology. Currently eleven Institutes of Technology provide the capacity to deliver Phase 4 and Phase 6 apprenticeship training. SOLAS is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. It is important that the school management authority requests parents to ensure that the school is made aware of any medical condition suffered by any pupil attending. Where the school is aware of potential difficulties that may arise as a consequence of a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to confirm for the Deputy that the school to which she refers submitted a proposal to my Department relating to its existing accommodation. I understand that my Department has written to the school's Patron on two occasions seeking further information and that a response is awaited. The proposal can be considered further following receipt of the Patron's response.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Designation (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the decision making authority for a change of status belongs to the Patron of a school, and this is subject to the approval of the Minister for Education and Skills. Any such proposal must first involve consultation with all of the relevant stakeholders. Following the consultation process, a decision taken at local level will follow. In that regard, any...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (10 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has received an application from the school to which he refers for a permanent mainstream classroom. The application is currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as this process has been completed. I also wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has already approved a resource room for the...