Results 8,481-8,500 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Participation (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Higher Education Authority's Key Facts and Figures report records 41,413 full-time undergraduate, new entrants, to 28 higher education institutions in 2012/13. Seventeen institutions allocate reserved places to students from disadvantaged backgrounds through the HEAR (Higher Education Access Route) scheme. Since 2010 this scheme has operated on a national basis, as part of the annual...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The project to which the Deputy refers, recently progressed to Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design which includes the application for planning permission and the preparation of tender documents. Due to competing demands on the Department's capital budget, imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department does not hold information on the numbers of pupils in individual schools who currently occupy prefabs; this depends on the organisation of class groups by schools within available accommodation and may vary from year to year. As the Deputy will appreciate, the overall policy goal of my Department is to ensure the highest standard of permanent accommodation for all schools. In...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Care Qualifications (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The minimum qualification requirement for early years practitioners is currently confined to those working in early years settings that are participating in the Early Years Care and Education (ECCE) scheme. The ECCE scheme is funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. Under the ECCE scheme payment of the standard capitation rate is currently contingent on the preschool leader...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The project to which the Deputy refers is included in my Department's five year building programme to proceed to Tender and Construction in 2015/16. The Design Team has been appointed and are working on the early stages of architectural planning. The design team appointed were the winners of the post-primary school design competition held in 2012.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Child Care Education (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department already has a curriculum framework in place for early childhood education. This framework, Aistear, is designed to work with the great variety of curriculum materials already in use in early childhood settings, e.g. Montessori, Steiner, Reggio Emilia. My Department will continue to support the Aistear Framework and at my Department's behest, the National Council for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Child Care Education (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: As the Deputy may be aware, the majority of support and funding for preschool provision is provided by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. My Department works closely with the D/CYA on improving educational outcomes for young children in preschool settings and that work has included the development of Aistear, the Curriculum Framework for Early Childhood Education. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Alcohol and Drug Awareness Programmes (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The programme for government, Government for National Recovery 2011-2016, requires that learners get ample opportunities to explore substance use issues, including those related to alcohol and drugs. Schools along with parents are concerned about the well-being of the young people and of raising awareness about drug and alcohol abuse. The provision of a Social, Personal and Health Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolment Policies (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy may be aware that Government gave approval in March of this year for drafting the Education (Admissions to Schools) Bill 2014 and drafting is currently underway. The objective of the Admissions to School Bill is to provide an over-arching framework to ensure that how schools decide on who is enrolled and who is refused a place in schools is more structured, fair and transparent....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Information and Communications Technology Issues (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The decision to use tablet devices is a matter for the Board of Management of a school. Where the introduction of new technology is planned, it is advisable that there should be consultation with members of the school community including parents. The cost and other implications must be fully considered by the Boards of Managements before a decision is made. An advice sheet on the adoption...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The student grant scheme does not extend to postgraduate courses pursued outside of Ireland. However, tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses in EU Member States and in non-EU countries. Further information on this tax relief...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take questions 1400 and 1433 together. The primary staffing schedule currently operates on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 28 pupils, with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools. Schools have autonomy in relation to the deployment of classroom teachers to individual classes. My Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Sep 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 is expected to be completed shortly. When completed, the brief will be forwarded...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Surveys (17 Sep 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: Schools Amalgamation (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: I can confirm for the Deputy that my Department has not received correspondence from the person in question relating to the proposed amalgamation of the school to which he refers. My Department is however aware that the Archdiocese has initiated a consultation process locally to help guide the proposed amalgamation process. My Department understands that arising from this process, the wishes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The NCCA has developed a short course on "Coding" which is available to schools for their Junior Cycle programme on an optional basis from this September. Through participation in this course it is expected that students will learn core computational concepts. All the key skills in the Framework for Junior Cycle highlight the use of digital technology right across their junior cycle. The use...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Eligibility (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under the terms of the Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Children who are eligible for school transport but for whom no service is available may, following an application process...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: Under my Department's student grant scheme, eligible students may receive funding towards maintenance provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution as defined in the scheme. In addition tax relief is available for tuition fees. Full details of this relief are available from the Revenue Commissioners. Following discussions with my Department, with support and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The eligibility criteria for student grants including the income thresholds is reviewed annually in my Department and approved by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The aim of the student 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. In recognition of the additional cost to families...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: NAMA Property Sales (17 Sep 2014)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Deputy may wish to note that Capital funding for higher education is targeted at delivering core educational facilities and my Department has no funding available for the provision of student accommodation in that context. Neither does my Department have any expertise or knowledge in relation to housing supply or housing policy in general. Therefore, my Department has not had any contact...