Results 7,321-7,340 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Educational Reform (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am willing to talk to the teachers but they have told me that they object in principle to school-based assessment, and school-based assessment is part of the proposal. If they are not willing to come back to the table and engage in any way in respect of school-based assessment with participation by class teachers, then they have not moved at all. As I said already, in any negotiation there...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: A number of sections of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act have been commenced, including those establishing the National Council for Special Education and those promoting an inclusive approach to education of children. The NCSE had suggested that additional investment over a period of years of up to €235m per annum, across the education and health...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Industrial Disputes (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I have recently met with all Unions representing construction workers involved in the delivery of my Department's school building programme including officials from UNITE. These meetings have allowed me to provide valuable policy updates to the Union representatives including an update on the progress of the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2014...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Costs (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am aware of the survey in question and would firstly like to clarify that it found that about half of the 502 schools surveyed request voluntary contributions from parents and that, of those schools which request contributions, about 76% request less than €100 per family. Further the survey found that on average about two thirds of parents pay a voluntary contribution. The Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The number of one teacher primary schools has increased from 11 in September 2011 and September 2012 to 29 in September 2013 and 44 in September 2014. Given that the last of the Budget 2012 phased increases in pupil thresholds has been implemented the overall number of one teacher schools should now start to stabilise. In relation to the 44 schools in the current school year, 6 of those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Restoration (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I announced the 2014/2015 Minor Works Grant on 25 November. The grant, amounting to €28 million in total, will issue over the coming weeks to all primary schools with permanent recognition. Funding under the grant will continue at existing levels with schools receiving a basic grant of €5,500 plus €18.50 per mainstream pupil and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The qualifying criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant in the 2014/15 academic year as specified under the 2014 student grant scheme is as follows: 1. The student must qualify for the standard rate of grant; 2. Total reckonable income, after income disregards and Child Dependant Increase(s) are excluded, must not exceed €22,703; 3. As at 31st December, 2013, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: English Language Training Organisations (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: On 2nd September last, I announced robust regulatory reforms to the International education sector together with the Minister for Justice and Equality. The purpose of these reforms is to protect the educational and consumer interests of genuine international students, to tackle abuse of the labour market and the immigration regime and to safeguard the strong international reputation of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Despite continuing financial challenges, this Government has remained committed to protecting frontline education services as far as possible. This priority commitment was most recently demonstrated in Budget 2015, where my priority was to provide funding to maintain class sizes and to ensure that the education system could recruit more teachers. As a result, almost 1,400 additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department provides annual funding to the National Braille Production Centre, located on the ChildVision campus, to transcribe educational materials to formats accessible to children with visual impairment. My Department also supports St Joseph's primary and Pobalscoil Rosmini post-primary school which provide services on the ChildVision campus for children with visual impairment....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Administration (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The proposal referred to was submitted to the Higher Education Authority as part of the consultation process for the new National Plan for Equity of Access 2014 – 2017. The Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) online grant application process for 2014/15 opened on May 8th 2014, earlier than previous years. In consultation with my Department, an earlier opening date for 2015/16...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelscoileanna Issues (27 Nov 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: There are limited alleviation arrangements in place for schools that are acutely affected by the impact of the moratorium at Assistant Principal level. These arrangements are mainly focused at post-primary level. However, I think it is fair to say that before the moratorium, notwithstanding the fact that one out of every two teachers held a management allowance the workload issue and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am reviewing the findings and recommendations contained in the report of the value for money review of small primary schools along with my Government colleagues. It is my intention to publish the report as soon as those considerations have been finalised. I also intend to outline my response to the report at that time.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Review (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Our current configuration of small primary schools has been examined by my Department in a value for money review which I am considering in consultation with my Government colleagues. The terms of reference of the review acknowledge the important role that primary schools play in their local communities and Government is conscious of this. Government will take into account the impact of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under my Department's Prefab Replacement Initiative approval was given to 209 primary schools and 8 post primary schools to replace 614 prefab units with permanent accommodation. In excess of €57m was allocated of which €44.3m has been paid to date. Of the total 217 approved school projects, 155 projects have been completed and a further 21 projects are on site. Details of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Reviews (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have met with the Teacher Unions five times since my appointment as Minister. Three of these meetings were solely to deal with issues relating to implementation of reforms to the Junior Cycle. I agreed to Dr Pauric Travers chairing negotiations between the Department and the Unions, and I also agreed to both the timeframe and terms of reference for those talks which were proposed by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Following the suspension of the merger with IT Carlow by Waterford Institute of Technology, I have established a new process to reinvigorate the technological university of the South East project. I have appointed Michael Kelly to lead a process of consultation with the governing bodies, staff and students in the two institutes and with other stakeholders in the region in order to explore...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff Remuneration (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department has established an Expert Group, chaired by a Senior Counsel, to consider and report on the level of fixed-term and part-time employment in lecturing, having regard to the importance of employment stability and security and taking account of system and institution needs. The Group comprises representatives from the Department, employer management bodies and trade unions. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Industrial Disputes (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I have recently met with all Unions representing construction workers involved in the delivery of my Department's school building programme including officials from UNITE. These meeting have allowed me to provide valuable policy updates to the Union representatives including an update on the progress of the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2014...