Results 8,061-8,080 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

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

Jan O'Sullivan: Sign language is already an option in the Leaving Certificate Applied. There is also an opportunity for students to learn sign language in the course of Transition Year. In addition, the Post-Primary Languages Initiative is developing a short course in sign language in the context of the new Junior Cycle. Furthermore, there are specific supports in place for students learning through...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the application of the student referred to by the Deputy is currently being assessed and the student will be notified directly by SUSI of the outcome in the coming days. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Provision (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 471 to 475, inclusive, together. The purpose of the Home Tuition Scheme is to provide a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school and therefore it is generally the case that the tuition is provided at the child's place of residence. In the majority of home tuition cases...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As higher education institutions, including universities and institutes of technology, are autonomous bodies under the relevant legislation, the management of their academic affairs, including admissions criteria, are matters for the individual institutions concerned. However, I understand third-level institutions can set aside a specific number of places in courses for individuals who wish...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has been in on-going contact with the school authority, in question, in relation to the school's accommodation issues. In that regard, I can confirm that the greenfield site assessment has been finalised and the overall accommodation brief for a replacement school was also recently completed and forwarded to the school. The school have made...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: The Student Assistance Fund is a component of the Third Level Access Measure which is managed on behalf of my Department by the Higher Education Authority and comprises two sub-priorities: the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities. The overall value of the measure for the 2013/14 academic year was €16.2m. The management of the Third Level Access Measure...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: One new post-primary school opened this year under the sole patronage of Educate Together in Dublin 15. A second new post-primary school opened in Lucan under a partnership model of patronage between Educate Together and the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board. Two further post-primary schools for Balbriggan and Ballinteer respectively are due to commence operation in...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: In Transition Year at present as well as the opportunity for work placement, students can take part in enterprise units and in student enterprise competitions such as the Student Enterprise award and the mini company "Get up and Go" competition. The latter is designed specifically for transition year students with an emphasis on team work. The mini-company involves students in research,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The expenditure allocation for my Department for 2015, including any adjustments in relation to the various expenditure subheads, will be determined in the context of the Estimates process which is ongoing. Expenditure information will be published when the Budget is announced on 14 October, and this information will inform the preparation of my Department's detailed Revised Estimates Volume...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Languages Programme (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 483 and 484 together. Teacher allocations are approved annually in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website. Reforms introduced in the 2012/13 school year created a single simplified allocation...

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 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: Student Data (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department, in conjunction with the Educational Research Centre, recently requested schools to complete a social context survey, to assist the development of an educational profile for schools which might support a proposed new model for allocating resource teachers to schools. Though recognising that all schools would not be able to have specific detail...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise that a site has been identified for the school building project referred to by the Deputy. The progression of the school project within architectural planning is currently underway. Planning permission for the school building project is currently the subject of a third party appeal to an Bord Pleanála.

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

Jan O'Sullivan: I wish to advise the Deputy that whilst the information requested is not available on an electoral or constituency area basis, the attached table provides details of the current development status of new schools in the Dublin South West area. Due to commercial sensitivities, it is not possible to provide further details in relation to the site acquisition position on particular projects....

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

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department plans to provide a new post-primary school at the site to which the Deputy refers. The school building project is included in my Department's five year building programme to proceed to Tender and Construction in 2015/16. This new school will operate under the patronage of the local Education and Training Board. The design team appointed were the winners of the post-primary...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: There are no plans at the moment to include the topic of farm safety in the primary school curriculum. Education and information about farm safety is provided by the Health and Safety Authority who have a specific area on their website (www.hsa.ie) that aims to promote safe practice in agriculture and forestry.

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

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department, working in conjunction with Cork County Council, has identified a suitable site for the new post primary school referred to by the Deputy. I can confirm that the acquisition of the site is being progressed, however due to the commercially sensitive nature of acquisitions generally I am not in a position to give further details at this time. Once the acquisition of the site is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (7 Oct 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the Action Plan for Educational Inclusion, was launched in 2005. DEIS is my Department's main policy initiative to tackle educational disadvantage. The aim of DEIS is to ensure that the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities are prioritised and effectively addressed. DEIS is the subject of ongoing...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy may be aware, approximately 15% of the entire budget of my Department – some €1.3 billion – was spent in support of children with Special Educational Needs in 2013/14 which shows that the overall level of funding for special education has been protected, and increased, despite the ongoing severe financial position. This provides for additional learning and...

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

Jan O'Sullivan: The delivery of major school projects to meet significant demographic demands nationally will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years. The Department's Five Year Construction Plan is focused on meeting those demographic needs and sets out details of the major school projects, both new schools and extensions, that are planned to proceed to construction over the...