Results 7,341-7,360 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

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

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government recognises that small schools are an important part of the social fabric of rural communities. They will continue to be a feature of our education landscape. However, this must be achieved in the context that all public servants are being asked to deliver our public services on a reduced level of resources and teachers in small schools cannot be immune from this requirement. ...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is currently considering potential revisions to the system of allocating Resource Teaching and Learning Support to schools. This is on foot of recommendations set out in the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) Policy Advice on "Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs in Schools (May 2013) and the recommendations of the NCSE...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: When the moratorium on the filling of posts of responsibility was introduced in 2009, the Government exempted Principal and Deputy Principal posts in all primary and post-primary schools. These posts continue to be replaced in the normal manner. The impact of the moratorium was therefore limited to the Assistant Principal and Special Duties posts of responsibility.The alleviation arrangements...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department is currently analysing the latest demographic data on a nationwide basis to determine where further school accommodation might be needed from 2015 onwards. When this exercise has been completed, I will announce details of any new schools that are being provided. The Deputy may be aware that a new 8 classroom primary school commenced operation in the Knocknacarra area of...

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 earlier this week the payment of the Minor Works Grant 2014/2015. The grant will issue to all primary schools with permanent recognition next week.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government's focus in recent years has been on operating a budgetary programme that is designed to return the Government finances to a sustainable basis. My main priority for any additional resources for the foreseeable future will be to cater for the continuing increase in demographics at all levels in the education system. We have a growing population of young people in this country...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Service Provision (27 Nov 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy may be aware, the school in question did not participate in a 2005 identification process to select schools for inclusion in DEIS, or in a later appeals process open to schools which had not qualified for inclusion in DEIS. Many representations have been made to my Department and to my predecessors, by and on behalf of the school, seeking its inclusion in DEIS. These...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: A number of reforms which I announced together with the Minister for Justice and Equality on 2nd September are currently being implemented to strengthen the regulation of international education in Ireland. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government's approach to restoring the economy has helped Ireland to return to a position where we are seeing economic growth. It is a continuing improvement in our economic growth over a sustained period that will enable us to move to a point where we can look again at providing for additional teacher resources in schools which could bring about an improvement in PTR, class size and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: A key focus of the Government's education policy is to prioritise investment in favour of those most at risk and to optimise access, participation and outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in those circumstances. DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) the Action Plan for Educational Inclusion, which focuses on addressing and prioritising the educational needs of children and...

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 earlier this week the payment of the Minor Works Grant 2014/2015. The grant will issue to all primary schools with permanent recognition next week.

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

Jan O'Sullivan: Prior to September 2014, there were 9 post-primary schools in the Dublin 15 area. As a result of increasing demographics my Department sanctioned two new post-primary schools to meet increasing demand. In September 2014, these two new post-primary schools opened in Dublin 15, namely Hansfield Educate Together Secondary School and Le Chéile Secondary School, Mulhuddart. Both of these...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Changes to the structure and content of the Gaeltacht Placement arose from the Teaching Council's accreditation criteria, published in June 2011 (Initial Teacher Education: Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers) which provide, inter alia, for "an extended and reconceptualised Gaeltacht residency which will now form part of the overall programme and be under the direct jurisdiction...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I am currently reviewing the Value for Money Report for small schools along with my Government Colleagues. I intend 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: University Status Applications (27 Nov 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I have made it very clear that there is no avenue for an institute of technology to become a university other than that which has been established through the four stage process and criteria to become a technological university. The legislative framework for this process is being put in place through the Technological Universities Bill. I have now established a new process to reinvigorate...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: When the moratorium on the filling of posts of responsibility was introduced in 2009, the Government exempted Principal and Deputy Principal posts in all primary and post-primary schools. These posts continue to be replaced in the normal manner. The impact of the moratorium was therefore limited to the Assistant Principal and Special Duties posts of responsibility.The alleviation arrangements...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: This matter is currently under consideration by my Department. A decision will be relayed to schools in the coming weeks.

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

Jan O'Sullivan: The information provided to the Deputy on 1 July 2014 in the most recent information available in my Department. Information relating to the period April to June 2014 should be available in my Department in mid December. I will arrange for the information to be forwarded to the Deputy at that time. The policy of my Department is to ensure, as far as possible, that the managerial...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has recently acquired a site for the school to which he refers. It is my Department's intention to provide a permanent building for the school on the site and my Department will be in contact directly with the school in this regard.