Results 21,261-21,280 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Fire Safety Regulations (4 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Principal and the Board of Management for the school to which the Deputy refers have not raised any concerns with my Department with regard to fire safety in its existing accommodation. The Deputy will also be aware that a major school building project to provide completely new accommodation for the school is at an advanced stage of the architectural planning process. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (4 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The building project referred to by the Deputy has been devolved to Cork Education and Training Board (ETB) for delivery. I understand there are some difficulties with the project on site but these are being dealt with by the ETB within the terms and conditions of the Public Works Contract with a view to having the building project completed as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (4 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The service history of the person referred to by the Deputy has been reviewed by my Department. She is entitled to progress to Point 9 on the salary scale w.e.f. 22nd June, 2017. Salary will be adjusted for the pay issue of 19th October, 2017 and arrears due will be paid.  All other salary adjustments have been applied previously.  A letter outlining the full...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (4 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum is mandatory at primary level and up to junior cycle at post-primary level. Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) is embedded within SPHE at Junior Cycle level. A framework for Senior Cycle SPHE is also available to schools. The SPHE curriculum aims to provide a range of diverse and inclusive skills such as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Fire Safety (4 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that on 26thSeptember my Department announced that it will be putting in a place a comprehensive package of measures to ensure fire safety measures in schools meet best practice.  Ensuring the safety of all those who work and learn in our schools is a main priority of the Department of Education and Skills. These measures are being undertaken as an added...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (4 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I recognise the need to improve capitation funding for primary schools having regard to the reductions that were necessary over recent years. It is difficult to make precise comparisons between the levels of grants paid and the actual costs of running schools at primary and post-primary levels.  However it is self-evident that the maintenance and running costs for second level...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil Data Collection (4 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: For school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 geographic areas known as school planning areas which facilitates the orderly planning of school provision and accommodation needs.  In the Navan school planning area, there are 20 primary schools with a total enrolment for the 2016/17 school year of 6,184 primary pupils and 5 post-primary...

Seanad: Well-being in Schools: Statements (4 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: Yes.

Seanad: Well-being in Schools: Statements (4 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is a very imposing Chamber. I am delighted the Seanad has chosen to debate this subject. Knowing that the Seanad is composed of many people who gave their lives to education before they entered the House, I do not need to tell them how important well-being is as a subject for concern in our education system. It is the key to young people realising their potential and being able to take...

Seanad: Well-being in Schools: Statements (4 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Senators who contributed to the debate, which was really worthwhile. I will try to respond in the short time I have available. Senator Robbie Gallagher welcomed the well-being initiative and the wider well-being strategy but asked how we can expect teachers to implement it. Since I became Minister, we have put 5,000 additional teachers into classrooms and provided 2,000 special...

Financial Resolution No. 2: Stamp Duties (10 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I move:(1) THAT for the purposes of stamp duty charged by virtue of the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999 (No. 31 of 1999) Schedule 1 to that Act be amended--(a) in the Heading “CONVEYANCE or TRANSFER on sale of any property other than stocks or marketable securities or a policy of insurance or a policy of life insurance.”--(i) in paragraph (4), by substituting “6 per...

Financial Resolution No. 2: Stamp Duties (10 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputies for their contributions to the debate. To make the sort of change which Deputy Fitzmaurice is proposing would require state aid approval. Setting a new effective date of 31 December would also create a very substantial disturbance in the housing market. This is something which is coming in tonight and on which we are voting tonight in order that the market can be clear...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cúrsaí Gaeilge (10 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: Glacadh an cinneadh chun deireadh a chur le deontais chun tréimhse a chaitheamh sa Ghaeltacht le linn na géarchéime eacnamaíochta nuair a bhí cinntí an-deacra le déanamh, ar an drochuair, chun cúrsaí airgeadais an náisiúin a chobhsú. Tugadh tosaíocht do chosaint acmhainní le haghaidh seirbhísí tosaigh oideachais...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Grants (10 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91, 98, 102, 108, 109, 111 and 130 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (10 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 147 together. Budget 2016 provided for an improvement in the staffing schedule in primary schools by 1 point, from 1 teacher for every 28 pupils to 1 teacher for every 27 pupils for the 2016/17 school year and it should be noted that the current staffing schedule of 27:1 for primary schools has restored it to the position it was at prior to the fiscal...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (10 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: Budget 2017 provided for a new package of support for school leadership, including middle management posts for primary and post primary schools. My department recently issued circular 0063/2017 Leadership and Management in Primary schools which sets out a framework for posts in recognised primary schools. The commencement of restoration of middle management posts as part of an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (10 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I recognise the need to improve capitation funding for primary and post-primary schools having regard to the reductions that were necessary over recent years. The Action Plan for Education aimed at making the Irish education and training service the best in Europe by 2026 outlines hundreds of actions to be implemented over the 3 year period 2016 to 2019 which include restoring capitation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Expenditure (10 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: DEIS, Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools is the main policy initiative of my Department to address educational disadvantage which was updated earlier this year with the publication of DEIS Plan 2017. I wish to point out that the resourcing of DEIS schools has and will continue to be maintained. In fact, for the first time in ten years I extended the DEIS programme of supports to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (10 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: A value for money review of the Supply Teacher Scheme was published in July 2006. The review found that only approx. 60% of supply teachers' time was used to cover sick leave absences. This reflects the unpredictable nature of sick leave absences. While there are benefits for schools in having these teachers it is considered more cost effective to use the normal substitution arrangements...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pay (10 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: As a consequence of the financial crisis, there was a need to enact a number of measures to reduce public expenditure so as to stabilise the country’s public finances. A previous Government reduced the salaries and allowances payable to all new entrants to public service recruitment grades by 10% with effect from 1 January 2011. This decision also required that such new entrants would...