Results 7,021-7,040 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (18 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 502 and 503 together. In addition to expenditure on IT consultancy services, the IT unit of my Department engages contract staff and external service providers to provide specialist technical support and deliver specific projects where needed. The total spend on external staff (consultancy, contractors and external service providers) was as follows: Year...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Appointments to State Boards (18 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The information requested in relation to appointments to State boards under the aegis of the Department, which have been made from March 2011 to date, is outlined in the table. The Deputy should note that board appointments are not in all cases made at my sole discretion as individuals may be nominated for appointment by various organisations as specified in the relevant statute of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (18 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The annual letter of determination sets out the grants provided by my Department to a VEC (ETB from 1 July 2013) for a given year under the various programme headings. The final letter is issued early in the year after the year of issue of the grants. For 2011, 2012 and 2013 the letters were sent on 5th March 2012, 4th March 2013 and 28th February 2014 respectively. It is intended that the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Vocational Education Committees Amalgamation (18 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Co Dublin VEC was dissolved on the establishment day of the Education and Training Boards (ETBs), 1st July 2013. Officials of my Department have contacted the Chief Executive of Dublin and Dun Laoghaire ETB regarding the matter raised by the Deputy. I will arrange for a reply to the Deputy as soon as his response is received.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Freedom of Information Data (18 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The attached table gives details of FOI requests from 2009 to date received by my Department. The total number of FOI requests for each of the years includes requests that were withdrawn, handled outside FOI or transferred to another public body. Department of Education and SkillsFreedom of Information Requests - 1st January 2009 - 15 December 2014 Year Total Received* Requests Requests...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reports (18 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Details in relation to consultants engaged by my department are compiled annually in respect of the previous year and in this regard I attach details in respect of the years 2011 to 2013 inclusive. Details in respect of consultants engaged in 2014 will not be compiled until January 2015. Year 2011 Consultants, Experts, Advisors Start date Completion date Status of Report...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Service Provision (18 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The expenditure details sought by the Deputy are set out in the attached table. Travel and subsistence payments made to Department staff are subject to regular internal and external audit. Issues arising regarding payments of this type, including matters such as those highlighted by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, are taken into account by my Department when reviewing its travel and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Legal Costs (18 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The total legal costs incurred by my Department for legal services procured by it during the years in question are as follows: Year Amount 2011 €21,039.83 2012 €1,414.50 2013 €25,009.14 It is not yet possible to provide a figure for legal costs for 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Service Provision (18 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I appreciate that quality internet connectivity is essential for good teaching and learning using ICT. While great progress has been made at post primary where every school will shortly have a high speed connection, I am aware that improvement at primary is slower and is dependent upon market and technological developments. Under the Schools Broadband Access Programme, my Department provides...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Expenditure (18 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Minor Works Grant 2014/2015 was lodged in the bank account of all primary schools with permanent recognition last week. While data in respect of specific areas is not available, all schools received a basic grant of €5,500 plus €18.50 per mainstream pupil and €74 per special needs pupil attending a special school or attending a special class attached to a mainstream...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelscoileanna Issues (18 Dec 2014)

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...

Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): School Accommodation (17 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Breen for raising this issue. His particular concern is the replacement of the prefabs but, as he stated, Ennistymon CBS secondary school is one of three post-primary schools in Ennistymon that have agreed to amalgamate on delivery of a new school building. This building project will require a suitable site for it to be progressed. As the Deputy has noted, the Department...

Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): School Accommodation (17 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Again, I assure Deputy Breen that I will ensure that the officials in my Department receive a copy of the report he has given to me and that my Department will follow it up as quickly as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (17 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The curricula for the current apprenticeship trades are reviewed regularly to ensure they meet the requirements of the relevant sectors. With regard to apprenticeships in new areas, it should be noted that following on from the recent Review of Apprenticeship, an Implementation Plan was published by my Department on the 30th June 2014. As part of this plan a new Apprenticeship Council...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (17 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Guidance Counsellors (17 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 210, 222 and 223 together. Since September 2012 guidance provision is now being organised by school management from within the staffing schedule allocation. In this way principals have discretion to balance guidance needs with the pressures to provide subject choice. My Department helped shelter the impact for DEIS post-primary schools by improving their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Domestic Violence Policy (17 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department is represented on the National Steering Committee on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence. This Committee is chaired by COSC, the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence, which is an executive office of the Department of Justice and Equality. My Department is also implementing the commitments in the National Strategy on Domestic,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Health and Safety (17 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. It is important that the school management authority requests parents to ensure that the school is made aware of any medical condition suffered by any pupil attending. Where the school is aware of potential difficulties that may arise as a consequence of a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools (17 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 and 214 together. The Action Plan on Bullying, which was published in January 2013, sets out my Department's approach to tackling bullying in schools. These actions focus on support for schools, teacher training, research and awareness raising and aim to ensure that all forms of bullying, including cyberbullying, are addressed. As part of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Programme (17 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Government gave approval in March of this year for drafting the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2014 and the bill is currently at an advanced stage of drafting. The Bill is on the Government legislative programme for publication early in the Spring/Summer session. The objective of the Admissions to School Bill is to provide an over-arching framework to ensure that how schools decide on...