Results 8,041-8,060 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: There is no requirement on schools to report bullying incidents to my Department. The School Principal under the anti-bullying procedures for all schools is required to report regularly to the Board of Management on the overall number of bullying cases and provide confirmation that these are being dealt with in accordance with the procedures. The Board is required to undertake an annual...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: In order to qualify as a craftsperson, an apprentice must be employed by a SOLAS approved employer and complete all seven alternating on-the-job and off-the-job training phases of their apprenticeship as well as achieving the qualifying standard throughout their apprenticeship. The minimum duration of four years (208 weeks) is from the date of registration and must include a minimum of 12...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that under the model of education provision which is currently in place in Ireland, resources and supports are allocated to schools to provide for the education and care of children enrolled in those schools. Resources are not allocated directly to pupils. All schools have been allocated additional teaching resources to provide for children with special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Closures (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise that when the proposed sale of the property referred to by the Deputy was brought to the attention of the Department, my officials met with the Rosminians (Institute of Charity). I can advise the Deputy that my Department has sought and has been provided with assurances from the Rosminians (Institute of Charity) in relation to the future use of the campus and securing the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department is currently finalising the accommodation brief for the proposed building project at the school referred to by the Deputy. The next stage involves the commencement of the architectural planning process to progress the project. In the meantime, my Department is in ongoing contact with the school in relation to its interim accommodation needs.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Section 22 (1) of the Education Act 1998 states the primacy of the teacher in the education and personal development of students in schools. The classroom teacher is responsible for educating all pupils in his/her class, including any pupil with a special educational need. SNAs are recruited specifically to assist in the care needs of pupils with disabilities in an educational context. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that some €1.3 billion will be spent in support of children with Special Educational Needs this year, which represents approximately 15% of my Department's budget This provision is in line with expenditure in recent years and shows that despite the current economic difficulties, funding for special education has not been cut. This Government has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Service Provision (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the Schools Broadband Access Programme the Department provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all recognised primary schools. A new framework was put in place in 2012 for the provision of this service, as a result of this the number of service providers has been expanded from 6 to 13 with the aim of ensuring that satisfactory solutions would be awarded to all schools. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I understand the Deputy is referring to a cohabiting independent mature student and how they are assessed under the Student Grant Scheme. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Remuneration (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Public Service Stability Agreement 2013 – 2016 (Haddington Road Agreement) provides that revised salary scales shall be prepared for same grade entrants to the public service (including for example both teachers and special needs assistants) to incorporate the revision of salary scales introduced in 2011, in order to address the imbalance between those who entered the Public...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The school referred to by the Deputy recently submitted additional information in support of their request for additional funding. This additional information is currently being assessed and the school authorities will be notified of the outcome as quickly as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Supervision and Substitution Scheme Staffing (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The terms of the supervision and substitution arrangements for primary and second level schools were revised under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013-2016 (Haddington Road Agreement). Under the terms with effect from the beginning of the 2013/14 school year, each teacher is required to provide 43 hours supervision and substitution per annum. This includes providing substitution...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: This is an operational matter for the City of Dublin Education and Training Board and I have asked them to contact the Deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The staffing schedule at primary level operates on the basis of 1 classroom teacher for an average of every 28 pupils. More favourable ratios operate in DEIS schools. Each one point adjustment to the current 28.1 schedule at primary level is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Fee Paying Schools (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The net indicative cost to teacher salaries in Kilkenny College which transferred to the free education scheme in 2013/14 is in the order of €430,000. This had reduced to approx. €340,000 in the current school year due to the increase in pupil enrolments. It is expected that any further increase in enrolments in the following years will further offset the issue of the extra...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The main building project for the first school to which the Deputy refers is included in my Department's five year construction programme to proceed to Tender and Construction in 2015/16. All statutory approvals have been received and the Design Team are currently working on the Stage 2b (Detailed design) tender documents for submission to the Department for review and approval. When the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 464 and 518 together. Under the Teaching Council Act, 2001, the Teaching Council is the body with statutory regulatory authority to review and accredit initial teacher education programmes. As such it is the Council, not the Minister, that sets out the programme criteria. Changes to the structure and content of the Gaeltacht Placement arose from the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Expenditure (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: There was no change in Budget 2014 to any of the student grant rates including the non-adjacent or adjacent rates of grant or the higher special rate of grant for the 2014 financial year. The aim of the student maintenance grant scheme has always been to make a contribution to the cost of going to college; covering the full cost has never been a feasible option. The Student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 466, 467 and 476 together. The decision to increase the Student Contribution, which stands at €2,750 for the current academic year, to €3,000 by 2015/16 has already been signalled by the previous Minister. It should be noted that some 50% of students who qualify for free fees have the Student Contribution paid on their behalf by the Exchequer...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The rent-a-room scheme was introduced in the Finance Act 2001 as an incentive to encourage individuals to let rooms in their sole or main residence. Further information on the rent-a-room scheme is available from the Revenue Commissioners who provide a guidance note in the "Leaflets" section of their website, www.revenue.ie. I have no proposals to promote the rent-a-room scheme as it does...