Results 21,421-21,440 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Remuneration (18 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The July Education Programme is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism that choose to extend their education services through the month of July. The programme is also available for pupils with a severe/profound general learning disability. Where a school chooses not to extend their services for July, all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Fee Refund Scheme (18 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Refund of Fees scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by Marino Institute of Education.  Officials in my Department have checked with Marino Institute and I can confirm that the teacher in question applied under the 2015/16 Refund of Fees scheme and their application was approved for payment.  They received payment in August 2017. As the Refund of Fees scheme is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (18 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Education Centre Network (18 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Senators for raising this. There is a good deal of misunderstanding in this area. These posts have always been on secondment. They were never designed to be permanent management posts and they were always renewed on a yearly basis. They have never been permanent positions and they are not management positions. The approach the Department has always taken is that it wants...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Education Centre Network (18 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: That policy has always been the policy but the statutory instrument and the regulations were not in place. It is also important to say that many hundreds of teachers have rotated out on this basis. There are some directors who do not want to rotate out but we believe it is the right policy. Where we have replaced the directors, we have obtained very good people and there has not been...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Education Centre Network (18 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: When this policy came in, other teachers who had been in the system for 15 years had to go back into the school room, and support was provided for the transition. Many of the directors have been in post for ten and sometimes 15 or 20 years. I do not think that is at all in accord with a secondment policy. Secondment is, by its nature, temporary. These are year-on-year renewals. We are...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Education Centre Network (18 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I have. That is not in the regulations, which provide for one five-year term. People can come back and apply for a second term but, as I understand it, that is after they have been back in the school environment. They can then have a second term on a second occasion.

Leaders' Questions (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: In the view of the Government, any failures by the banks should be ruthlessly pursued. We have no truck with behaviour that brings people to the state of frustration and dismay we have seen. The Taoiseach was very clear yesterday that any powers the Central Bank needs will be provided and that the Government will not be afraid to take other measures, including enhancing the bank levy which...

Leaders' Questions (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Central Bank has been very clear that the proposals made by the banks are totally inadequate and it has initiated enforcement investigations over some of the behaviour of individual banks. It has made clear that it is engaging with other statutory bodies, including the Garda Síochána, so there is no flinching from pursuing this. Some of the failures occurred before the...

Leaders' Questions (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is important to put this measure in context. The Deputy has shown some understanding of this. We have a strong commercial sector, but our housing sector is not meeting the needs of the people. Our intention in introducing this measure is to secure a switch in activity to the housing area, where it is badly needed. The Minister has provided for a relief that will apply to any sale of...

Leaders' Questions (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I entirely disagree with the Deputy. If the owner of a small business involved in some other activity wished to expand his or her business, it would be quite unjust if he or she were subject to a different tax regime from a farmer with a small holding who wished to expand.

Leaders' Questions (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy must recognise that the many small family businesses in this country need to be treated equitably. That is why this is designed as it is. There are certain reliefs for farmland because we want to see young people move into farming, we want to see consolidation and, in certain cases, we want to see farmland released for housing purposes. The concessions are designed to achieve...

Leaders' Questions (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: We are not introducing a blanket system in which small business and farms are treated on a completely different basis. The Deputy will acknowledge that it would not be equitable or fair to single out one group of small businesspeople in his constituency and treat it differently. Where there is a public purpose to be achieved, such as securing farmland for building, releasing land to young...

Leaders' Questions (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. It is an area in which the Government is very ambitious and, of course, it will take time to realise those ambitions. The publication of the Creative Ireland programme was a milestone. One of the lessons drawn from the very successful 1916 Rising celebrations was that we could celebrate and use our cultural heritage as a significant asset for the...

Leaders' Questions (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: It will be an investment in the long-term asset of the cultural base. On a year to year basis, as the Deputy knows, this has been a very difficult financial year. We did not have significant sums of money available to us. Nonetheless, the allocation to the Arts Council was increased by €9 million, while funding for the Irish Film Board was increased by 9%. Significant initiatives...

Leaders' Questions (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I am sure the Business Committee will be very happy to arrange a debate on the issue. There is no doubt that the Creative Ireland programme, the context for development in this area over a number of years, sets out very significant ambitions which will be reflected in the capital programme. They include the ambition to support new art centres, theatres, galleries, museums and heritage...

Leaders' Questions (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I understand the Commissioner is addressing the transport committee. I have no control over the agenda set by the committee. No doubt there are many issues of concern, not least about what will happen following Brexit and the impact it might have, as well as the safety of passengers. It is my understanding Ryanair flights were disrupted because the safety of passengers was the priority,...

Leaders' Questions (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: If the Deputy at any stage wants to raise questions with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport about legal changes, it is open to her to do that. We have robust labour law in this country to protect workers and robust aviation authorities to protect the safety of passengers. I have seen no evidence of failing on the part of those authorities. If there are failings the Deputy wants...

Leaders' Questions (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is part of what we do and part of our business is to hold these authorities to account. I do not do it. The Deputy has the same right and opportunity as everybody else to call in representatives of these authorities and hold them to account. She can put the points and let them answer.

Leaders' Questions (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is a robust system of accountability that should be used.