Results 6,301-6,320 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (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: The Deputy will be aware that this Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with autism, asperger's, ADD or ADHD, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. Many pupils with special educational needs will be able to attend a local...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school to which he refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for the replacement of a school gymnasium with a new facility. As the Deputy will be aware, the school's request must be considered in the context of the financial constraints imposed by the need, as outlined in my Department's Five Year Capital investment programme,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. The enrolment policy must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. This Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 517 and 521 together. My Department's over-riding objective is to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to cope with increasing pupil numbers. To ensure that this is achieved, the delivery of major school projects to meet significant demographic demands nationally will be the main focus for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelscoileanna Issues (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department is currently examining the extent and location of additional post-primary places that will be needed on a nationwide basis from 2017 onwards. This will include an examination of the north Kildare area. A submission recently received from An Foras Patrúntáchta in relation to all-Irish provision in north Kildare will be taken into consideration as part of this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: There is no requirement on schools to report bullying incidents to my Department. The Deputy will be aware that my Department published new anti-bullying procedures for all primary and post primary schools at the beginning of the 2013/14 school year. These procedures are designed to give direction and guidance to school authorities and school personnel in preventing and tackling...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Remit (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can inform the Deputy that 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department recently met the Patron's representative relating to the matters in question. It is my Department's intention to liaise further with the Patron's office in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 523 and 525 to 528, inclusive, together. The Deputy will be aware that my Department's Five Year Construction Plan announced in March 2012, together with the schools announced in June 2013 under the Government's "Investment in Infrastructure & Jobs" package and the schools included in the 2015 construction programme, details the major school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 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 range...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Aid (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The project referred to by the Deputy was completed in 2009. However, my Department has no record of ever receiving an application for the grant.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the Teaching Council Act, 2001, the Teaching Council is the body with statutory regulatory authority to review and accredit initial teacher education programmes. As such, it is the Teaching Council, and not the Minister, which sets out the programme criteria. With regard to implementation, the Council established a Gaeltacht Placement Working Group and published a report in May 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The decision on eligibility for a student grant, and the rate applicable, is a matter for the grant awarding authority. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to the awarding authority. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Protection (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The information supplied by the Deputy appears to relate to how the State authorities and a school employer dealt with a child protection case in the 1990s and the lessons to be learnt re same. At the outset, I wish to make clear that my Department has no role in assessing or investigating child protection concerns. Its role is to refer any allegations it receives to the appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reports (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Report concerned, which I will make available on receipt, is currently being finalised. Any delay, I understand, is due to more up to date school demographic information being incorporated into the Report. As the Deputy may be aware, my Department is currently undertaking a nationwide demographic exercise to determine where additional post-primary...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I recently announced that I am not proposing to change the way teachers are allocated to schools to support children with Special Educational Needs for the coming school year. In taking this decision, I have been guided by the advice of the NCSE Working Group report, which recommended sufficient time be allowed for consultation before the new model is implemented. Through consultations,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (3 Mar 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 535 and 536 together. 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. However, students who qualify for the BTEA may be considered for support for the student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (26 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs, including children with autism should be included where possible and appropriate in mainstream placements with additional supports provided. In circumstances where children with special educational needs require more specialised interventions, special school or special class places are also available. Special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Programmes Expenditure (26 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The matter is under examination in my Department with a view to compiling the information requested by the Deputy.