Results 21,441-21,460 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I assure the Deputy that I have the latest reports, although most of this is in the public domain. Power restoration means the numbers without public water are down to 25,000. The number affected by electricity outages is down to 75,000. As Mr. Sean Hogan stated on the radio this morning, the process is now becoming more difficult and time-consuming as we are getting to individual items....

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I do not have access to the detailed planning on the development of the ambulance service. I will have to get the appropriate Minister to respond to the Deputy.

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The RSA is an independent operator, but the Deputy could table a parliamentary question to the Minister and he would deal with the issue.

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy is raising a very important concern. I understand the Bill in question is in the Seanad so it will be in the House shortly for consideration. I will alert the Minister in the meantime to the Deputy's specific concern, which may be outside-----

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The national mitigation plan and the national adaptation plan are the subject of a public consultation at present. It is ongoing, and there is an opportunity for everyone to become involved. We recognise, as the Deputy does, that this will require a major cultural change in our attitude to some parts of our activity. As a first measure there were significant announcements in the budget...

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: This was raised by the Deputy earlier in the week and there was an indication from the Taoiseach as to the capacity of local authorities to plan work in this area. There could not be more effort being put into restoring power at the moment, but as Seán Hogan indicated this morning, some of these breakages involving going to each pole and identifying the fault. That can take greater...

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department is working very actively on this with the local authority. We believe that is the best way in which this project can be progressed. There is no effort being spared in finding a solution to this by the people who are expert in land issues. I am confident that every effort is being put in, and in that context I do not see that a meeting would serve any purpose. Every effort is...

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: Huge progress is being made. Sligo has probably lead the field in that the Sligo Institute of Technology introduced an online delivery of apprenticeships for people working in the insurance sector. It shows what can be done in the area of apprenticeships. It is a level 8 apprenticeship. We are on track to achieve those targets. There will be 1,400 additional apprenticeships this year,...

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I understand that Bill is a priority for publication. I do not have a specific date but I think people are conscious of its urgency.

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Government and the Minister for Health in particular share the Deputy's concern and this was highlighted by the fact that the Minister for Finance indicated in his budget speech that efforts would be made to agree a contract. We regard this as crucial to the proper development of the primary sector as an alternative to our reliance on hospital treatment and to see that fulfilled by...

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I think that is going for pre-legislative scrutiny this session.

Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I have to admit that I am not in a position to answer that. I will have to ask the appropriate Minister to respond.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is reviewing the matter to which he refers and my officials will be in contact with the school in question shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to confirm that my Department has received correspondence from the group referred to by the Deputy which includes a report as well as a request to meet with the group. A reply will issue shortly to the group in relation to this correspondence. As the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Supervision and Substitution Scheme (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: Where a teacher in a primary or post primary school is an elected member of a local authority, paid absence of up to ten school days in a school year may be availed of in order to attend council meetings, but only where such meetings are held during school opening hours. Prior approval must be obtained from the Board of Management of the School, who, in approving such leave, must take into...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Administration (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: Audit committees in Education and Training Boards (ETBs) are established and operate in accordance with the Education and Training Boards Act 2013 and the framework for risk management, accountability, internal control and internal audit as set out in the 2015 Code of Governance for the ETBs.  The Code provides detailed terms of reference for audit committees including...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Administration (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The publication of board minutes is a matter for each ETB. I have arranged for an official from my Department to contact Tipperary ETB so that copies of board minutes, which are not currently available on-line for 2013 and 2014, can be provided to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Administration (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 83 together. On the establishment of the ETBs, there was not a sufficient number of posts at the grade of Chief Executive to accommodate all of the existing Chief Executive Officers of the former VECs who had been appointed in a permanent capacity. A redeployment scheme was used to determine the appointment of Chief Executives to the new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Administration (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 77 together. Internal audit for the ETB sector is provided on a shared service basis by the Internal Audit Unit for the ETBs (IAU-ETBs).  The IAU-ETBs is housed for administration purposes in Cavan and Monaghan ETB. However, it is guided in its work, and reports to, a central steering committee which is comprised of external...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Data (19 Oct 2017)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the Deputy is dealt with at ETB level. I have arranged for an official from my Department to contact Tipperary ETB in relation to the requested information so that it can be provided to the Deputy.