Results 21,341-21,360 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (10 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I understand that the Deputy has clarified that she is referring to the number of early intervention classes for children with autism in County Kildare. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the body responsible for organising and planning provision for children with Special Educational Needs, including establishing ASD early intervention classes and special classes in...

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

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that my Department received an application from the school referred to by the Deputy for a General Purpose room. Due to the competing demands on the Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise available funding towards the provision of essential school classroom accommodation, it is not possible at this point to provide an indicative timeframe for the...

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

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that my Department received a major capital application from the school to which the Deputy refers for the development of a new school building. A project for the school has not been included in my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme and it is, therefore, not possible to provide an indicative timeframe for the delivery of a major project...

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

Richard Bruton: As outlined in the Report on the Review of DEIS published by my Department in February ongoing research has shown that there is a clear distinction between urban and rural disadvantage. While socio-economic disadvantage exists in rural areas, these studies have shown it does not have the same impact on educational outcomes as it does in urban areas. Consideration of the rural/urban context...

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

Richard Bruton: DEIS is my Departments main policy initiative aimed at tackling educational disadvantage and provides funding and supports for schools identified as having the highest concentrations of pupils at greatest risk of educational disadvantage.  DEIS is provided in both Primary and Post Primary schools with DEIS Primary Schools broken down into three different categories: - Urban Band 1 -...

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

Richard Bruton: The list of schools that have DEIS status including those requested by the Deputy is available on my Department’s website at the following link: .

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (10 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: Student grant applications are means tested on gross income from all sources earned inside and outside the State within a specified reference period. The means test arrangements of the Student Grant Scheme are applied nationally. The assessment of income from the same starting point is deemed to be fair and reasonable because this approach eliminates any distortion which might arise from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Employment Rights (10 Oct 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. Issues relating to employment contracts and working conditions are a matter between the two parties and do not come under the remit of my Department.  There is an extensive range of legislation in Ireland which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Direct Provision System (11 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: For those in the protection process and of school going age the provision of education is organised and delivered though mainstream education providers, which include primary and post-primary schools. Adults may avail of English language classes provided by Education and Training Boards (ETBs).  These classes are open to all adults resident in the State, including those in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Grants (11 Oct 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.  My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included in my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme. The preparatory work required to initiate the architectural planning process for this building project is currently underway and as part of this process, my Department recently met with the Local Authority. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (11 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is an independent statutory agency, is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school.  The NCSE...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (11 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: Longford and Westmeath ETB (LWETB) was formed on 1stJuly 2013 when Longford VEC and Westmeath VEC were dissolved. It was designated at that time by the then Minister that the Head Office for the ETB would be in Mullingar. No sub-office was designated however a second administrative office in which a number of LWETB staff are based operates in Longford town. I understand that there are no...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Design Team for this project has commenced the Pre-qualification process and the closing date for the e-tenders advertisement was the 6th October 2017.  The Pre-qualification of contractors involves the compiling of a shortlist of contractors to ensure that there are a number of appropriate and suitable candidates who can undertake the works successfully.  This process when...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: A major school building project to provide new accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy has recently been authorised by my Department to proceed to tender for the appointment of a Building Contractor. Assuming no significant issues arise during the tender process, my Department expects that the project will progress to site early in 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (11 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Department’s policy is that children with special educational needs should be included in mainstream placements with additional supports provided, unless such a placement would not be in their best interests or in the interests of the children with whom they are to be educated, as is provided for under Section 2 of the Education of Persons with Special Needs Act 2004.  Some...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff Appeals Mechanism (11 Oct 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: Digital Strategy for Schools (11 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 Enhancing Teaching Learning and Assessment, sets out my Department's vision for embedding ICT in teaching, learning and assessment in primary and post-primary schools.  The Strategy recognises the issues schools face in relation to ICT infrastructure, and funding of €210m is committed to address these requirements over the period of...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Teachers' Professional Development (11 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I have received similar correspondence to that which he has raised with me. I think he knows the backdrop to this issue better than I do in that there is a compulsory Gaeltacht placement element of the course and that it arose when teacher education courses were reconfigured in line with the recommendations of my Department's literacy and numeracy...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Teachers' Professional Development (11 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The position is that one has to set priorities. I have clearly set priorities to get teachers back into the classroom. In September 2016 and 2017 I provided 5,000 extra teachers, plus 2,000 special needs assistants, SNAs. For the coming September I have added another 1,280 teachers and a further 1,000 SNAs. We are providing for 1,400 extra apprenticeships, 1,400 extra traineeships, 1,000...