Results 20,141-20,160 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Fees (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: Apart from those recognised fee-charging second level schools, recognised primary and post primary schools are precluded from charging school fees. No charge may be made, in respect of instruction in any subject of the school curriculum or for recreation or other activities where all pupils are expected to take part. However, it is permissible for a school to seek payments in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill was published on 6 July 2016 and will shortly proceed to Committee Stage. Publication of the Bill reflects the commitment in the Programme for Government to publish new School Admissions legislation taking account of current draft proposals and addressing issues including publication of school enrolment policies, an end to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are provided to assist recognised schools to cater for pupils with disabilities, who have additional and significant care needs, in an educational context and where the nature of these care needs have been outlined in medical and other professional reports as being so significant that a pupil will require additional adult assistance in order to be able to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2b - Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of Tender Documents. All statutory approvals have been obtained. My Department issued comments to the Board of Management on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that DES Circular 0013/2017 for primary schools and 0014/2017 for post primary schools were published on 7th March 2017. These Circulars set out the details of the new model for allocating special education teachers to schools. The revised allocation process replaces the generalised allocation process at primary and post primary school level for learning...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 592 and 593 together. The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). In accordance with my Department’s Circular 31/2011, each person appointed to a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: At Leaving Certificate level, students may undertake Physics, Chemistry or a combined Physics & Chemistry  subject.The Physics & Chemistry syllabus is a discrete syllabus and students presenting for this subject in the Leaving Certificate examination may not present for either of the individual syllabuses, Leaving Certificate Physics or Leaving Certificate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: Development of the Primary Mathematics curriculum which includes computational thinking, creative thinking skills and coding, for Junior Infants to 2ndClass, is underway by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA).  Consultation on the draft curriculum is due to take place in autumn 2017 with a finalised curriculum expected to be received in my Department in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Teaching Council was asked to provide advice to my Department on a number of matters relating to entry to initial teacher education (ITE), including the minimum leaving certificate grades required for entry to primary ITE programmes. The Council engaged in a consultation process with stakeholders. Many of the issues identified were complex and the ESRI was subsequently...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The promotion of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) within our education system is a key priority for my and is reflected in multiple strategy documents, such as the Action Plan for Education, the National Skills Strategy and the Digital Strategy for Schools.   My Department is already actively engaged in promoting STEM across the education system, for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: English Language Training Organisations (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The majority of English language schools in Ireland are privately run.  The relationship between teachers and private providers of education is based on a private contract, and issues relating to working conditions are a matter between the two parties and do not come under the remit of my Department.  If teachers working in the English language sector have a concern about their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Remuneration (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 599 and 601 together. All Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are paid on the SNA salary scale which is set by the Minister for Education and Skills in conjunction with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. SNAs who are employed in a regular part-time capacity are paid a pro-rata amount dependent upon their level of hours of employment. Part-time SNAs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Contracts (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The contract for Special Needs Assistants in the post primary sector (link below) specifically requires that SNAs are required to work the month of June on examinations and work appropriate to the grade including training. This was agreed with the Unions representing SNAs (IMPACT and SIPTU) when the contract was devised in 2005. This condition of service places a clear onus and obligation on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: This Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 604 to 606, inclusive, and 608 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that a permanent accommodation solution for the school to which he refers, has been identified. My Department will be in contact with the school authority in this regard in due course. Due to the sensitivity of the position, my Department is unable to comment further at this time. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department maintains about 120,000 files in its payroll section. Following a thorough search by the section I can confirm that the file referred to has now been located and copies of the relevant documents have been forwarded to the person referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Bodies Code of Conduct (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: My officials are in the process of collating the data sought by the Deputy and will respond to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application to my Department for capital funding for additional accommodation. The application will be considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Guidance Counsellors (20 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The measures announced by my Department as part of Budget 2016 and 2017 mean that 400 guidance posts, or two thirds of the Guidance allocation that was withdrawn in Budget 2012, will be restored to schools from September 2017. It has been made clear that all these 400 posts are allocated separately and transparently on the schedule of posts.  It is also clearly outlined in the...