Results 6,221-6,240 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: One of the issues that emerged for me from those meetings is that while the general allocation model may have been designed to support children who have a mild disability of any kind, parents feel that it is not addressing the needs of their children. That is why it is under active consideration.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I recently announced that I am not proposing to change the way teachers are allocated to schools for children with special educational needs for the coming school year. In the consultations, there was a broad welcome for the proposed new model from parents, disability groups, schools and stakeholders. However, there has not been sufficient time to address all of the concerns which have been...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: We have done some initial work in that regard because when we were considering whether to introduce the new model we needed to estimate how much it would cost and how it would impact schools. I do not have specific figures for the Deputy, however. One of the purposes of the pilot is to gather information about how the model would affect schools. I accept the Deputy's point that if a school...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the existing allocation system, all pupils with Down's syndrome, including those with mild general learning difficulties, are entitled to receive additional teaching support. Support is provided from a school's general allocation model hours, or from an allocation of additional resource teacher hours allocated to schools by the National Council for Special Education, NCSE. In the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: On the question of children who are diagnosed as having mild intellectual disabilities in the context of the Down's syndrome spectrum, the position in this regard was clearly explained to me by the parents of those children. They also outlined the fact that their children need supports and greater certainty regarding the supports they obtain in school. On when a decision will be made, I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Child Care Education (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I agree that early years education is vitally important to children, particularly those whose homes may not offer the kind of support other homes do in terms of books, vocabulary and the things that make a difference to a child in being ready to benefit from the education system. That is why I made the area a particular priority when I became the Minister for Education and Skills. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Child Care Education (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: One of the problems is that many of the providers are private companies and individuals that are paying people working in the sector. In turn, the parents are providing funding. We are coming from a low base in this area and there has been practically no progress for many years compared to that made in other countries. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy James Reilly, told...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I repeat that they were considered to be on the trajectory when they were assessed in the earlier stages. The governing bodies of the institutions and the institutions are responsible for driving and moving forward this initiative.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Interested parties in any part of the country could have applied for this status. They knew exactly what was expected of them to reach the final point. They chose to engage in the process. The HEA is the intermediary in assisting them to reach that target. It is engaged in ongoing consultations with all of the consortiums. I would not be pessimistic about it as there is a determination...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Early Child Care Education (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Before I start reading my reply, I remind the Deputy that one of the first things I said when I was appointed as Minister was that I considered the area of early childhood care and education to be very important. I have put a number of measures in place in my capacity as the Minister responsible for the educational content of early childhood provision. The Minister for Children and Youth...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy O'Brien for the question. In regard to the technological university process, detailed plans were submitted to the Higher Education Authority, HEA, early last year by two consortiums of institutes of technology in Munster and in Dublin. Plans have been assessed by an international expert panel appointed by the HEA to be on a clear trajectory to meet the performance and quality...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: In terms of them moving forward, as the Deputy knows, the assessment was carried out by an international independent panel. It said they were on a clear trajectory to meet the very robust performance and quality criteria set down and was of the view at that stage of the process that they were on the trajectory to reach the final step. In regard to the financing of the proposals, the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Examinations Reviews (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is regrettable that I must proceed without the full agreement of the teaching unions but they are not the only partners in education. The other partners want us to proceed with these reforms. Some of those engaged with the media yesterday. Dr. Travers stated that he intended his proposals to be the basis for agreement, not further negotiation. It is the teaching unions that have...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Examinations Reviews (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wonder what the Fianna Fáil approach to reform is. A former Fianna Fáil Minister has joined the fray and suggested that I completely roll over and accept what the teaching unions are saying. However, they are not the only partners in education. It is not true to say that further CPD for English teachers has not been offered. It is available and our people are ready to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: State Examinations Reviews (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The full text of Dr. Travers' proposal document is available on my Department's website. Both sides were asked to confirm whether they accepted or rejected this as a basis for agreement. While the proposal put forward by Dr. Travers requires significant further compromise on my part, I indicated to Dr Travers that I am prepared to accept it as a basis for agreement. In doing so, I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department's policy is to promote a child-centred approach to education of all children with special educational needs including those with autism. This approach is based on advice received from international experts on autism, NEPS, the Inspectorate and the report of the Irish Task Force on Autism. The National Council Special Education (NCSE) is currently at an advanced stage in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Momentum Programme (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The awarding of travel allowances to participants on the Momentum Programme was discussed between my Department, the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform when the programme was being designed. However, in order to ensure the greatest provision of much needed places on the programme with the available financial resources, it was decided that no...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: 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 school year my Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Mental Health Strategies (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My department has provided guidelines to post-primary, and more recently to primary schools, offering practical assistance and advice on the development of structures to promote positive mental health in schools and in assisting pupils with mental health difficulties. The guidelines advise that in the event of pupils presenting with mental health difficulties which are above and beyond...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Following on from the Apprenticeship Review, an Apprenticeship Implementation Plan was published last year. The Implementation Plan sets out a phased approach, recognising the need to progress work on existing apprenticeships, determine demand from new enterprise sectors through a call for proposals, develop the new apprenticeships and then embed new governance arrangements in legislation....