Results 8,221-8,240 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I forgot to say that I will get back to Deputy McConalogue on the issue he raised about the Gaeltacht.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: We will get back to the committee on that question too.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy O'Brien for his comments. This is an issue that will be dealt with during the budgetary process. All public representatives recognise the value of these schemes for schools and understand only too well the amount of work that can be done under them. Unfortunately I cannot give the Deputy any definite undertaking on it at the moment because we have not begun the detailed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Further education colleges can apply to the Department directly in some cases. I will provide more information on that to the committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: All members will be familiar with the current programme and we will continue rolling that out next year. We will start working on a new programme early next year and it would be good to have a conversation with this committee about that. I am already receiving a lot of representations concerning schools that were not included in the current five-year programme. We want to continue with the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Well, as it happens, I held the planning brief before becoming Minister for Education and Skills and I know that the new Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government will be bringing forward proposals specifically aimed at speeding up the whole planning process. Hopefully that will assist in the context of school buildings too.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I agree and we will be making that argument. We still have the issue of whether such expenditure should be on or off the State balance sheet but I certainly intend to push the buttons Senator Power has identified and would be delighted to get support for that from across the political spectrum.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Most of the new schools are being built to cater for changing demographics but there are a number of existing schools that are in need of replacement. There are a number that are in need of replacement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I might deal with that issue first, as it was initially raised by Senator Power and everyone else mentioned it when referring to grants. Down the years, the Chairman has conducted a great deal of analysis of Professor Patrick Clancy's reports on who attends college. Since the methodology used in the most recent one was slightly different, I do not know whether it is comparable. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: It has not been raised with me specifically. There will be a roll-out of a programme of action jointly involving our Department and the Department of Justice and Equality for language schools. It will be rolled out on 1 January next year. Schools will have to reach certain standards if they are to be included. An international education mark will be coming on-stream later in the year....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: It has been brought to the Government by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. There are a number of European funding programmes, including this one. The deadline for the submission of the preliminary application to the European Union was in July. That target was reached and there are ongoing discussions. The intention is that we will receive the funding required.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I support what the Minister of State said. We must value all of the routes people can take. The establishment of the new apprenticeship council is part of this, whereby we wish to broaden apprenticeships beyond the traditional construction area. There are many areas such as hospitality and IT in which apprenticeships are appropriate and we are anxious to include these sectors. I agree...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I will examine what can be done about voluntary contributions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I do not know whether I can prohibit them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Voluntary contributions by parents are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear that there is no compulsion to pay and that in making a contribution parents are doing so of their own volition. That is the policy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Members have made strong and fair points on this issue. We will examine whether the voluntary contribution system is being administered correctly in schools.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: It depends on the type of school involved. Schools are obliged to keep accounts setting out certain information-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: It depends on whether the Deputy is referring to fee-paying schools or non-fee-paying schools.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: We have a certain amount of information-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Vote 26 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I will find out that information for the Deputy.