Results 6,841-6,860 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Seanad: Improving the Quality of Early Years Education: Statements (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Department of Children and Youth Affairs is developing the strategy, but in conjunction with my Department and other Departments. There is a twin-track economic argument involving, obviously, allowing women to go back to work, which was a point made by Senator Zappone, but also in terms of the child's development. If children miss out in the early years - this point was made towards...

Seanad: Improving the Quality of Early Years Education: Statements (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is interesting that they have identified that as an economic need, not only as something we think would be good. I thank everybody who contributed. I will feed back what I have heard here into the work of the advisory group and the cross-departmental work. It will be important that we ensure there is co-ordination, that there is no duplication and that we work with the sector because...

Seanad: Improving the Quality of Early Years Education: Statements (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Early Start, as Senator Power will be aware, is effective but has not been developed over the years since it was set up by the former Minister, Ms Niamh Bhreatnach. It is something that we will incorporate into the work of the advisory group. I suppose the question is that, while there are a lot of different types of provision in the early years, obviously there is a lot of private...

Seanad: Improving the Quality of Early Years Education: Statements (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank all the Senators who contributed to the debate. There was cross-party and Independent support on the vital importance of the early years in any child's life and on what I am trying to do as Minister for Education and Skills. I deliberately highlighted this area because it is crucial. I am delighted to see that there is so much understanding, experience and support in this House....

Seanad: Improving the Quality of Early Years Education: Statements (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank the Acting Chairman and Members of the Seanad for providing me with the opportunity to update the House on my plans for strengthening the quality of early years education. I realise I am speaking following a very historic debate because that very important Bill is initiated in the Seanad. At the outset, I wish to recognise the contribution that early years practitioners are making...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Qualification allowances were abolished with effect from 1 February 2012 following a Government Decision. Qualifications details of teachers are now held by the Teaching Council which is the statutory body with responsibility for registering teachers. Projected costs of reinstating teaching qualification allowances for new beneficiaries are not readily available in my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 191 to 194, inclusive, together. In 2012 a public service-wide review of allowances was carried out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. As a result of the review, qualification allowances were abolished with effect from 1st February 2012. Department of Education and Skills Circular 0008/2013 outlines the effect of this decision on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Surveys (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) published its Report on a Proposed New Model for Allocating Teachers for Students with Special Educational Needs on 18th June 2014. The report recommends that a new allocation model should be developed, based on a school's educational profile, while providing a baseline allocation to every mainstream school to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the matter of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the patron/managerial authority of those schools. I also wish to clarify for the Deputy that the school in question is recognised by my Department as a two-stream national school i.e. its annual intake comprises two junior infant classes and grows incrementally each year. As a once...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: In 2012 a public service-wide review of allowances was carried out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. As a result of the review, qualification allowances were abolished with effect from 1 February 2012. Department of Education and Skills Circular 0008/2013 outlines the effect of this decision on teachers. In Paragraph 12 of Circular 0008/2013 an exception is made in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The major building project for the schools referred to by the Deputy, is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The project has been authorised to proceed to Stage 2B of Architectural Planning, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of Tender Documents. It is not possible to progress all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department's student grant scheme provides maintenance grants to undergraduate students pursuing approved third level courses in the State or in other E.U. Member States. Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (21 Jan 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: Special Educational Needs Staff Remuneration (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: The details of the Haddington Road Agreement for special need assistants are outlined in my Department Circular 34/2013. My Department operates the largest payroll in the State, with approximately 98,000 school employees and pensioners paid every fortnight. These payrolls have become increasingly complex over the past five years, due to the following: - Introduction of two salary scales,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: In 2012 a public service-wide review of allowances was carried out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. As a result of the review, qualification allowances were abolished with effect from 1st February 2012. Department of Education and Skills Circular 0008/2013 outlines the effect of this decision on teachers. In Paragraph 12 of Circular 0008/2013 an exception is made in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments Data (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 203 and 204 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the patron/managerial authority of those schools and my Department does not hold information on this matter. The Statistics Section of my Department's website at www.education.iecontains extensive data relating to schools at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 206 together. Nationwide, the Department expects that it will be required to provide some 152,000 extra primary and post-primary school places in the coming years. The Department's capital budget will be focused on providing those place to ensure that every child will have access to a physical school place. My Department uses a Geographical...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments Data (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am arranging to have the requested data for north Kildare supplied directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (21 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: Due to the worsening economic circumstances, the Government reduced the salaries and allowances payable of all new entrants to public service recruitment grades (including teachers) by 10% with effect from 1 January 2011 and required that such new entrants would start on the first point of the applicable salary scale. Subsequently, arising from the public service-wide review of allowances...

Junior Cycle Reform: Motion [Private Members] (20 Jan 2015)

Jan O'Sullivan: It was in conjunction with the teachers. The teachers were involved.