Results 7,161-7,180 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Some teachers are employed on short-term contracts, and the aim is to get them into contracts of indefinite duration as quickly as possible. Many teachers begin on temporary contracts, and that is an issue in the teaching profession. An expert group was set up by my predecessor to address the issue of permanency for teachers and I hope to implement its recommendations by the start of the...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: We do not want that to happen and it is something we are trying to eradicate from the system.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: There are now redeployment panels that supply teachers for available posts.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Retired teachers are not supposed to be brought back.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Department has a good idea of what is happening in terms of panels and so on. The rehiring of retired teachers is discouraged because we want to create opportunities for young teachers, as many feel insecure in their positions. This is why the group I mentioned was formed and requested to make recommendations. We monitor the practices of schools to ensure they recruit younger teachers...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank members of the select sub-committee for this opportunity to discuss my Department’s requirement for a Supplementary Estimate of €103 million for 2014. As stated by the Chairman, a briefing in this regard has been circulated to members, and I therefore propose to keep this opening statement brief. The Supplementary Estimate sought will increase my Department’s...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: What happened is that the moneys were lodged into the banks in 2013 but were not available to teachers and pensioners until 2014. The view then of the Comptroller and Auditor General was that the funding should more properly have been accounted for in 2014. It will have no knock-on effects. As I said earlier, taking the two years together, there will be zero effect.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: We are, in terms of what is being done now, correcting both.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I was not Minister for Education and Skills at the time, but my understanding is that a view was taken that because the money was paid into the banks in 2013 it could be accounted for in 2013. However, the Comptroller and Auditor General took a different view and felt it should be accounted for in 2014. I understand a similar problem arose in two other Departments. As the pay date was 2...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Employment Data (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am informed that 7,306 job-seekers undertook training with Skillnets in 2013. An independent evaluation by Indecon International Economic Consultants of all Skillnets programmes and activity in 2013 gave the following levels of progression into employment for Skillnets unemployed trainees: The Training Networks Programme (TNP) and Finuas Networks Programme (Finuas) - 42% progression rate:...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Tusla/EWS (and formerly NEWB) commissions an annual report on school attendance by the Educational Research Centre, Drumcondra, that provides national and county level data, but not school level data. Therefore it is not possible to provide information on individual schools. Schools complete an Annual Attendance Report after the end of each school year. These reports are sent by the Agency...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department is currently analysing the latest demographic data on a nationwide basis to determine where additional school accommodation might be needed at post-primary level in the coming years. This process includes an examination of the Ballymun area. When this exercise has been completed arrangements will be made to make additional accommodation available where it is needed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gender Balance (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 149 together. I understand from data released by the HEA that women represent 43% of academic staff in the universities and institutes of technology. 21% of professors and associate professors in Irish universities are female, with the national average at 19%. This is not a problem that is unique to Ireland. The European Commission's 2012 report,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Reviews (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: In my revised proposal for Junior Cycle, presented to the Teacher Unions on 10th November, I have set out a two pronged approach to assessment. It includes a combination of 60% of marks to be allocated to a final exam at the end of third year which will be set and marked by the SEC, alongside 40% of marks to be allocated for school based work such as portfolios and projects to be assessed by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Reviews (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 151, 154 and 155 together. I put a revised proposal on the table on 10th November which is significantly different from that originally proposed. This has not been accepted by the teacher unions. Reform will be introduced gradually over a period of time and will only be fully implemented in September 2019 (for terminal examination in June 2022). In 2015,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: A new dedicated continuing professional development (CPD) service for schools - Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) was established by my Department in 2013. Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) has been established by my Department to provide effective support to schools in the context of their implementation of the new Framework for Junior Cycle. Support is available from JCT to all post-primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Appeals (10 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: Education and Training Boards Administration (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Section 12 of the Education and Training Boards Act 2013, details the reserved functions of an Education and Training Board (ETB), to be performed by resolution of its members. Section 13 of the Education and Training Boards Act specifies that every function of an ETB that is not a reserved function shall be an executive function of the board and shall be performed by the Chief Executive of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Administration (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department issues circulars and directives on a wide range of issues. They may include matters which have a direct bearing on the operation of Education and Training Boards (ETB). At all times my Department seeks to provide clarity in respect of matters referred to in such circulars or directives and to avoid situations where differing interpretations can be taken, whether by a Chief...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (10 Dec 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: For student grants purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent mature student if he or she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course or of re-entry following a break in...