Results 16,901-16,920 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Order of Business. (12 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: With regard to secondary legislation under the Residential Institutions Redress Act, is it intended to publish a further schedule of institutions in time for the deadline in December? In addition, although it might not be possible to do it under a schedule, will proper information be provided to claimants to clarify that their lawyers are already paid by the State and they should not have to...

Order of Business. (12 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: Will there be a further increase before the deadline?

Written Answers — School Transport: School Transport (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: Question 82: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will set up a commission to review catchment boundaries for school transport in view of the huge demographic changes that have taken place since these boundaries were put in place in the 1960s; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27648/05]

Written Answers — Multi-Denominational Schools: Multi-Denominational Schools (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: Question 448: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will increase the core funding for Educate Together to reflect the growth in the work carried out by the organisation in developing and managing multi-denominational schools on behalf of the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27815/05]

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: Question 267: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if persons participating in community employment schemes, including the back to education scheme, are allowed to continue to receive the rent allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27813/05]

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: Question 360: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of gardaí serving in the Limerick division for each year since 1997 and to date in 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27730/05]

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: Question 392: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when proposals to address educational disadvantage will be announced; if these proposals will include more provision for early childhood education in areas where disadvantage is prevalent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28017/05]

Special Educational Needs. (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: While I was campaigning for an hour in my city last Saturday, two school principals approached me and told me they were having serious problems. Both principals, who are based in rural villages, had lost the special needs assistant and resource teaching support they had the previous year. These people felt they had been doing a good job looking after children with special needs. However,...

School Curriculum. (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: Schools were asked to use their physical education halls as classrooms under the building programme over recent years when they needed extra classrooms. Has that practice stopped? If not, will the Minister stop it? Jamie Oliver was on the airwaves earlier. When will meals be provided in schools as a matter of course, similar to Britain?

School Attendance. (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: I support Deputy Enright in her call for more funding for the National Educational Welfare Board, which is under stress to carry out its statutory duty. I am somewhat surprised that the Minister does not have up-to-date information. Under the Education (Welfare) Act, the National Educational Welfare Board should have such information available. If this is not the case is it because the board...

Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: The average OECD class size is 21.4 while in Ireland it is 24. We are still above the OECD average. The Minister quoted statistics from 1997, which is the date that is always picked.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: However, more of our GDP was being spent on primary and second level education at that time. It has fallen from 5.3% in 1995 to 4.2% of GDP now. Statistics can be used in different ways but that is a worrying figure. In what timeframe will the Minister be able to implement the noble aspiration in the programme for Government regarding class sizes of 21 or fewer for children under nine years old?

Pupil-Teacher Ratio. (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is the aspiration aspect that we do not like.

Educational Disadvantage. (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: I welcome the Minister's reply but I was hoping for more detail about what will happen in the schools. Will there be a band of schools that will be considered particularly disadvantaged and will they get more resources than the other disadvantaged schools? All Members are aware of schools that have a high level of disadvantage and are struggling to cope with the social problems that exist in...

Educational Disadvantage. (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: Some have lost what they had last year.

School Discipline. (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: Does the Minister intend to implement the final report when it becomes available at the end of this year? Does she envisage implications for resources with regard to its implementation? The problem of particularly disruptive students has been identified in the interim report. There is a need to provide facilities for pupils who genuinely are unable to settle in regular schools. I refer to a...

School Transport. (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: Question 2: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will establish a commission to review catchment boundaries for school transport in view of the huge demographic changes that have taken place since these boundaries were put in place in the 1960s; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28018/05]

School Transport. (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: I am disappointed the Minister of State has refused to carry out a full catchment boundary review in view of the fact that boundaries were established in the 1960s and that significant demographic changes have subsequently taken place. There is neither rhyme nor reason to many of the catchment boundaries currently in existence. In terms of population, some areas have grown enormously since...

School Transport. (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: To return to the question of ad hoc provision, I will give an example from my area. Many of the children coming from areas outside the Limerick city catchment have bus tickets. The same must be true in other parts of the country. The transport liaison officer in each county makes these decisions in which many parents see no logic. They do not know why one child receives a ticket and another...

School Transport. (11 Oct 2005)

Jan O'Sullivan: That is not true.