Results 6,421-6,440 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Service Provision (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the Schools Broadband Access programme the Department provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all recognised primary schools. A new framework was put in place in 2012 for the provision of this service, as a result of this the number of service providers has been expanded from 6 to 13 with the aim of ensuring that satisfactory solutions would be awarded to all schools. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staffing (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy will be aware that last week I 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 making this decision to retain the current model for allocating resource and learning support teachers for the coming year, I have been guided by the advice of the National Council for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teagasc na Gaeilge (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Déanann an Chigireacht monatóireacht ar cháilíocht teagaisc agus foghlama na Gaeilge i ngach bunscoil agus iar-bhunscoil mar chuid dá clár cigireachta bhliantúil. Úsáidtear réimse múnlaí cigireachta lena n-áirítear measúnuithe ar an scoil uile, cigireachtaí ábhair, cigireachtaí teagmhasacha agus...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (17 Feb 2015)

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

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department is working closely with the relevant Local Authority in relation to securing a suitable site for the school to which the Deputy refers. This process is ongoing at present. However, as I am sure the Deputy will appreciate, there are commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally and I am not in a position to comment further at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Design Team on the project to which the Deputy refers are currently finalising their stage 2A report for submission to my Department. Upon successful completion of Stage 2A and subject to no issues arising the project will then be authorised to complete Stage 2B, which includes the application for planning permission and other statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the Teaching Council Act 2001, the Teaching Council is, since March 2006, the regulator and standards body for the teaching profession. Accordingly, it holds authority and responsibility for registration of teachers in the State. As the question refers to an operational matter for the Teaching Council, I am referring it to the Council for early direct reply.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Jobs Data (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I recently provided to the Deputy the numbers of direct and indirect jobs supported by the school building programme for the years 2012 to 2015. These numbers are based on the Construction Industry Council norm which I also provided to the Deputy earlier this month. This is the methodology that the Department uses to calculate the numbers of direct and indirect jobs that are supported by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Budget 2015 included an increase in spending on education for the first time in recent years, amounting to additional funding of €60m during 2015. This funding will be used to provide 1,700 additional teachers and SNAs for our schools, as well as to fund prioritised reforms, such as implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategy, reform of junior cycle, and the introduction...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 444 and 445 together. The Deputy will be aware that last week I 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 making this decision to retain the current model for allocating resource and learning support teachers for the coming year, I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Participation (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Ballymun Initiative for Third Level Education (BITE) was established in 1989 and is an initiative based in Trinity Comprehensive School, Ballymun, with the goal of supporting young people attending that school to have an equal opportunity to progress to Third Level education. BITE runs a number of programmes including study groups, extra tuition and support for specific subjects, and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The nationwide demographic review at post-primary level is an extensive exercise which is on-going in my Department. It will be completed as quickly as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The nationality requirements for the student grant scheme are set out in section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011 and regulation 5 of the Student Support Regulations...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. 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 provide for a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Given the current economic climate and the target to reduce public expenditure, prioritising and maintaining resources for children at risk of educational disadvantage is a significant challenge. The need to maintain existing supports for schools catering for the most concentrated levels of educational disadvantage means that there is no capacity for additionality to the DEIS programme. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Eligibility (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Home Tuition scheme provides compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme also provides for children with special educational needs awaiting a suitable educational placement and for early intervention for children with autism. In line with the terms of the scheme, parents/guardians must...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provided a new 16 classroom school for the school in question in 2012 at a cost of approximately €3.5 million. As the Deputy will appreciate, the question of enrolment in individual schools, including the school in the area concerned, is the responsibility of the managerial authority of the school. There is a responsibility on schools to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is currently at an early stage of Architectural Planning. The Stage 1 report has been finalised by the relevant Education and Training Board and their Design Team and submitted to the Department for review. Following the technical review, and subject to no issues arising, the project will be authorised to proceed to Stage 2A, Develop...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (17 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The 2014 edition of the OECD's annual publication Education at a Glance reports that the ratio of academic staff to students in Irish higher education institutions is 1:19. The OECD average is 1:14 and the EU21 average is 1:16. This ratio, which was at the OECD average in 2008, has increased in recent years as a result of increasing student numbers and restrictions on staffing imposed under...