Results 20,301-20,320 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA designated higher education institutions. The HEA allocates this funding as a block grant to the institutions. As autonomous bodies, the internal disbursement of this funding, along with any funding it receives from private sources, is a matter for the individual...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware of the Action Plan for Education commitment to increase financial supports for postgraduate students with a particular focus on those from low income households. In response to this commitment, I secured additional funding of €4 million in Budget 2017 to facilitate the reinstatement of full maintenance grants, from September 2017, for the most...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that Budget 2011 provided for a number of student grant measures which came into effect for the 2011/12 academic year, including the change in the assessment of the qualifying distance criterion for the non-adjacent rate of grant from 24 kilometres to 45 kilometres. The 24km distance criterion was originally set in 1968 and had not been updated in more than 40...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The 2017 scheme and regulations were published in late March. The 2017 scheme includes an amendment to the income threshold for the special rate of grant which has increased from €22,703 to €23,000. This change reflects the recent budget increases to the Old Age Contributory Pension and ensures that qualifying families dependent on welfare, will continue to qualify for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The decision to stop the Gaeltacht placement grants was taken during the economic crisis when, unfortunately, very difficult decisions had to be made to stabilise the nation's finances. Priority was given to protecting resources for front line education services as far as possible, which remains particularly challenging with rising numbers of school-going children. The Deputy should note...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Charges (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: Based on the number of students that qualified for free fees funding in the academic year 2014/15, and taking into account overall expected increases in student numbers, it is estimated that the net cost to my Department of reducing the Student Contribution by €250 would be €17m. This figures takes into account the resulting reduction to my Department's Student Grant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department’s current priority, within the limited funding available, is the provision of essential classroom accommodation in areas where significant demographic need has been established to ensure that each child will have access to a physical school place. The Deputy will therefore appreciate that all applications for capital funding must be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Exchange Scheme (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The provisions of the teacher exchange scheme are set out in Circular Letter 0017/2015 the contents of which were agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council. The Teachers Conciliation Council is part of the scheme of Conciliation and Arbitration for Teachers and was set up to deal with claims and proposals relating to the Terms and Conditions of employment of...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: Perhaps I can be helpful. I intend to bring forward an amendment on Report Stage that deals with the issue that Deputy Byrne and other Deputies have raised. It would provide that the National Council for Special Education could advise the Minister on the requirement to open a special class in schools. I will bring forward a Report Stage amendment on that specific topic. I shall bring...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: Technically, the amendments are not necessary because equal status legislation already contains a definition. The NCSE is already defined in the relevant section. I clarify once again that I will be bringing forward a provision on Report Stage to allow the NCSE recommend that a school provide a unit. I will ultimately have power to compel in that regard. It will be exercised by the...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I will be working as quickly as I can. It is only a month since we completed the work of the forum on the issue. I have now formulated what I believe is the best way forward. Obviously, I must have legislation drafted that will satisfy the Attorney General. That will be tricky. I recognise that Deputy Joan Burton who has just left has a Bill that will be passed on Second Stage at the end...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I regret I am not in a position to support this amendment. Under the Constitution, children have a right to attend school without attending religious instruction, as well as having the right to opt out. Every school is obliged to honour this. The approach we are taking on this issue in the Bill is that we are requiring a denominational school to make absolutely clear what provisions it...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: Schools make all sorts of different provision. What we want is to make a progressive improvement. I do not believe we can make a one-size-fits-all regulation when they all face different situations. Some schools allow children go to the library or resource rooms under supervision. Some pupils go to a classroom where they can participate in other lessons. Some schools are able to stagger...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I absolutely recognise change. The census is very clear. The proportion of Catholics is down six points from 84% in 2011 to 78% in 2016. The proportion of those with no religion is up from 6% to 10%. Among parents between 20 and 40 who have children going to school, the non-religious proportion is 60% higher than that 10%. We are talking about one in five or even more across the country...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I move amendment No. 3:In page 4, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: “Appeals 7. (1) The Act of 1998 is amended by the substitution of the following section for section 29:"Appeals 29. (1) Where a board or a person acting on behalf of a board—(a) permanently excludes a student from a school, (b) suspends a student from attendance at a school for a period or...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I move amendment No. 5:In page 5, between lines 1 and 2, to insert the following:" 'annual admission notice’ has the meaning assigned to it by section 63;". These amendments all relate to definitions, including definitions of annual admission notice, board, special class, the intake group, oversubscribed and so on.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I move amendment No. 6:In page 5, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following:" 'board’ includes a committee established under section 44(1) or 44(7) of the Education and Training Boards Act 2013;".

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I move amendment No. 7:In page 5, to delete line 16 and substitute the following:"year in a school, which in the case of a school with an early intervention class or an early start pre-school class specified in a list published by the Minister from time to time, does not include such class;".

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I move amendment No. 8:In page 5, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following:" 'oversubscribed’ means— (a) in relation to a school, that the number of students seeking admission to the school is greater than the number of places being made available by the school, and (b) in relation to a special class, that the number of students seeking admission to the special class...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I move amendment No. 9:In page 5, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following:" 'special class’ means a class that has been established by a school with the approval of the Minister to provide an education exclusively for students with a specified category or categories of special educational needs;".