Results 6,461-6,480 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The proposed building project to provide a new school for Clifden Community School has encountered a number of difficulties since it was authorised to proceed to tender in 2014. As a result of these difficulties, the Department has advised the school that the most expedient and effective means of progressing the project to construction is for the project to be re-tendered. The project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of a Major Capital Application for the provision of a PE hall for the school in question. As the Deputy will be aware, due to the competing demands on my Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the funding available for the provision of essential school classroom accommodation, it is not possible to provide an indicative...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Mental Health Awareness (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: While my Department arranges for the flying of the National Flag and EU Flag on its premises in accordance with protocol set out by the Department of An Taoiseach on designated days and on important State occasions, it is not the policy to fly flags in respect of individual charitable causes. In relation to the objectives of the programme in question, my Department is strongly supportive...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: This project to provide permanent accommodation for the two schools in Firhouse, Dublin 24 has commenced architectural planning and it is anticipated a planning application will be lodged in the coming months. It is envisaged that construction of the new permanent school buildings will commence towards the end of 2015, with a view to having accommodation in place for the academic year...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 221, 222 and 226 together. The Deputy will be aware that on Tuesday of this 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: School planning is carried out on the basis of school feeder areas. These are distinct geographical areas. New schools are set up specifically to meet the demographic needs presenting within a particular school feeder area and priority in a new school's enrolment policy will be required to be given to pupils from the area for this reason. Glencullen is in a different school feeder area. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Redeployment (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers to other schools that have vacancies. Thereafter, schools are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent vacancies from supplementary panels comprised of eligible fixed-term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers. The arrangements for panel access for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Article 42.1 of the Constitution acknowledges that the primary and natural educator of the child is the Family and guarantees to respect the right of parents in this regard. Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Programmes Recognition (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: FETAC was amalgamated with a number of other qualifications bodies in 2012 to form Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). FETAC is therefore no longer an awarding body. Awards previously granted by FETAC are included in the ten-level National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) for Ireland. FETAC awards fall into levels 1 – 6 of the NFQ. As National Vocational Qualifications...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (12 Feb 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: Further Education and Training Programmes Expenditure (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Following a number of years of decline, the number of registrations in the 27 existing apprenticeship trades - which are mainly in the construction, motor and engineering sectors- continues to rise as the employment and economic situation improves. This recovery in numbers is forecast to continue over the coming years. Reform of the Irish apprenticeship system through the renewal of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Grants (12 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take questions 230 to 232, inclusive, together. 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...

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Referral to Select Committee (11 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I move:That the Bill be referred to the Select Sub-committee on Education and Skills pursuant to Standing Orders 82A(3)(a) and (6)(a) and 126(1) of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business.

Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank the large number of Deputies who participated in the debate. I thank the Opposition parties for their indication that they will support the Bill. Amendments will be put forward, as indicated by Sinn Féin. I welcome the general support for the Bill. The title, the Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014, meant a wide range of issues were raised that are probably...

Topical Issue Debate: Technological Universities (11 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Deputy O'Brien stated that a claim has been lodged with the Labour Relations Commission. Therefore, I must be careful as to my engagement with the matter. None of us is happy to hear that there are concerns. The criteria for the various stages of the process were always very clear from the start, such as the bar that had to be reached in order to move from one stage to the next. I do not...

Topical Issue Debate: Technological Universities (11 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I will give it some thought as to what assistance the Department can give.

Topical Issue Debate: Technological Universities (11 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank both Deputies. The objectives of the technological sector reform are to raise standards, to deliver better quality outcomes for students and for other stakeholders in the region and to enhance the performance of institutes of technology. This should be the case whether they are seeking technological university status or remaining as stand-alone institutes. As part of the...

Topical Issue Debate: Educational Disadvantage (11 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Brendan Ryan. 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. As the Deputy stated, even in difficult times, both under my predecessor and in the recent budget, we protected the DEIS budget. The current focus of my Department is...

Topical Issue Debate: Educational Disadvantage (11 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: This report will certainly give us an opportunity to look at the whole programme, including whether there are areas left out. The allocation from my budget for 2014 was €96.5 million. There is also €26 million for the school completion programme, which comes from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and €36.7 million comes for the school meals programme from the...

Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (11 Feb 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Mitchell for raising this important issue. I will outline the current position. The Deputy will be aware that the Government is committed to ensuring that all children with special educational needs, including 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...