Results 21,741-21,760 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Topical Issue Debate: Student Grant Scheme Administration (9 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: I certainly sympathise with the case outlined by Deputy Fitzpatrick. The difficulty I have is that SUSI is a national statutory-based scheme and its allocation of student grants is based on an assessment of gross income. That assessment is applied uniformly in all cases. Where people have other outgoings, such as a mortgage or any other payment, they are not deducted. It is not a net...

Topical Issue Debate: Student Grant Scheme Administration (9 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: As I have outlined, there is no provision for ministerial discretion in this scheme. This is a statute-based scheme. SUSI was appointed to carry out the assessments, and it does so under the provisions of the scheme. It is not open to me or indeed to anyone else to, at the stroke of a pen, change the operation of that scheme. I draw the Deputy's attention to the student assistance fund,...

Topical Issue Debate: Teacher Recruitment (9 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is not correct to suggest that there is a massive crisis in primary teaching. As the Deputy knows, the Government has reduced the class size twice in the last three years, and last year we provided 1,093 additional teachers. This September an additional 1,160 teachers will start. That amounts to 2,250 additional teachers in the last two years. Those are permanent, full-time positions....

Topical Issue Debate: Teacher Recruitment (9 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department and I are always in discussion with the various stakeholders. I will examine the survey. I note that it was conducted over an eight week period and suggested that there was a difficulty filling the vacancies that had arisen in the previous eight weeks. We will examine that, get the data and see if a particular issue has arisen here. The difficulty is that where there is a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (9 Nov 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: Departmental Correspondence (9 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that my Department has received correspondence, including a report, from the group referred to by the Deputy and that a response has issued. As the Deputy may be aware, my Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. The GIS uses data from a range of sources, including the Central...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (9 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question applied for funding under the Summer Works Scheme, to provide a roof over each of the school's courtyards. The scheme is designed to address necessary and immediate works; funding is not made available for projects unless considered by the Department to be essential. In view of the scale of demand, nearly 50% of schools have applied...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (9 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that an additional mainstream classroom has recently been approved for the school in question and the school authority have been informed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (9 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: Officials in my Department have been working closely with officials from South Dublin County Council towards the acquisition of a permanent site to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. A number of potentially suitable sites were identified and my Department is currently engaging with landowners in respect of preferred site options. Due to commercial sensitivities it is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Facilities (9 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 87 together. I would like to clarify for the Deputy that the fields at the school in question are owned by the Congregation of Christian Brothers. The decision by the Congregation of Christian Brothers to dispose of land owned by the Congregation is a matter for the Brothers. In July 2017, the Congregation advised my Department in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Contracts (9 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: The number of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) employed in a school depends on the allocation given to the school by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), based on its assessment of the special educational needs of pupils in the school. My Department has no control over the allocation process to schools and is not in a position to influence the allocation process in light of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (9 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: The school referred to by the Deputy is currently located in temporary accommodation across two sites. My Department is working in close co-operation with the patron body, Educate Together, and Cork County Council regarding the arrangements for temporary accommodation for the 2018/19 school year. My Department, in consultation with the local authority, is currently exploring the feasibility...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (9 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Department has identified a suitable permanent site for the school to which the Deputy refers and agreement in principle in respect of this proposed acquisition, subject to satisfactory conveyancing, was reached in February 2017. This Department requested draft contracts at that time. The site in question is currently not accessible and aspects of the design and delivery of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Medical Aids and Appliances Provision (9 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the decision to install a defibrillator is made at local school level and is a matter for the board of management of each individual school. The question of the need for defibrillators to be made available in places, such as schools, and any training needs arising is primarily a public health matter and would therefore be a matter for the Department of Health.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Exchange Scheme (9 Nov 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. In 2016 the scheme was reviewed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council and to facilitate this review the maximum period for which an exchange may occur was extended to allow applicants a sixth...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Centre Network (9 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: Section 37 of the Education Act 1998 provides the statutory basis for Education Support Centres and outlines the policy framework underpinning their recognition and functions, funding, staffing and governance. The Act empowers me as Minister to make regulations relating to the operation of centres including the appointment and remuneration of staff which includes the post of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Contracts (9 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: When an employer has an SNA vacancy to fill, they must undertake the recruitment process in accordance with the provisions outlined in Circular 0042/2017 “Recruitment of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) –Supplementary Assignment Arrangements for the 2017/18 School Year” - The supplementary assignment arrangements for Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) were established on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Springboard Programme (9 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: Springboard+ which incorporates the ICT skills conversion programme, is a specific initiative which provides free part-time and full-time courses aimed at addressing the current skills needs of employers and supporting jobseekers to return to employment.  Springboard+ courses are at Level 6 (Certificate) to Level 9 (Masters) on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) and are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (14 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department is continuing to liaise with officials in Fingal County Council in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable permanent site for this school.  As with other site acquisitions in the area, due to the scarcity of suitable sites, this process has proven to be quite challenging and in that context has taken...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (14 Nov 2017)

Richard Bruton: I understand that the students to which the Deputy refers, have exhausted their statutory based appeals within SUSI and to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board. The Deputy will appreciate that it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the outcome of individual cases within this statutory appeals process. With regard to the general issue of assessment of income under the Student...