Results 22,241-22,260 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: -----we can, of course, consider additional schools. That is exactly the issue. We were looking at the possibility of expanding this programme in the future. I hope I will have the Deputy's support for such an expansion.

Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: This was absolutely transparent at all times. These were documents which were prepared.

Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I have already answered this question. I assure the Deputy that no school was excluded. What happened this year was that we expanded the programme to bring in 79 additional schools. No school in the scheme was withdrawn; we have expanded the scheme. We have considered extending the scheme further in future years. This was the subject of the freedom of information request, and it was in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (13 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is the policy of my Department that all children with Special Educational Needs can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate educational interventions, delivered by fully...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme (13 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: There are significant demands placed on the education capital budget annually due to demographic pressures, and the imperative of ensuring a school place for every child. This year we will deliver nearly 19,000 permanent school places in state of the art facilities around the country.  This compares to 8,900 permanent school places provided in 2010. As part of our...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff Data (13 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: While currently the staff: student ratio across the University sector is 23:1, it is lower in the Institutes of Technology sector, with the current ratio at 19:1. Higher education is a key priority for this Government. This is evidenced in the fact that we will be investing €60 million in additional funding in 2018. Combined with the increase in funding in 2017, this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (13 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a total of seven schools in County Wexford are included on my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme. The current status of the building projects for these schools is as follows: Loreto Secondary School, Wexford - the new school building is under construction and is due to be completed within the coming weeks. St Joseph's Primary School, Gorey - an extension to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (13 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, my Department’s capital programme continues to address the challenge posed by a rapidly increasing school population. To meet this demographic challenge, my Department’s Capital Investment Programme (2016-2021), details the school projects that are being progressed through the architectural planning process towards tender and construction. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology Funding (13 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department remains supportive of the proposed acquisition by IT Carlow of a site in Wexford for the development of a new purpose-built campus . In that regard, we are committed to retaining an allocation for the acquisition of an appropriate site in our budget next year. We are working closely with the Higher Education Authority and IT Carlow on next steps.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Payments (13 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I indicated to the House last week that the Minor Works Grant 2018/2019 would issue during the 2018/2019 school year.  It is not possible to say at this stage if the payment will be made in late 2018, like this year, or early in 2019. I should point out that the payment of the Minor Works Grant is not confined to any particular date and can in fact, if paid, be issued during any...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (13 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department's total capital expenditure in 2016 amounted to €703.8m and the capital allocation for 2017 amounting to €693.4m is expected to be fully expended by year-end.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (13 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The policy of my Department is to ensure that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with Autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (13 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The National Strategy: Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life 2011-2020  set a clear vision, with targets, for raising standards in literacy and numeracy in early years, primary and post-primary settings by 2020. In March 2017, I published the Report from the Interim Review of the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy. The Interim Review involved consideration of research findings, both...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (13 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department has been, and remains, supportive of the proposed acquisition by IT Carlow of a site in Wexford for the development of a new purpose-built campus. We continue to work closely with the Higher Education Authority and IT Carlow in that respect. Given that options for progressing the IT Carlow campus in Wexford are still being considered, and given the commercial...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (13 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has recently submitted an application to my Department for significant additional accommodation.  To facilitate the assessment of the application my Department will be in contact shortly with the ETB for clarification both in relation to the projected increase in pupils numbers, from 863 pupils in school year 2017/18 to 919 pupils...

Seanad: Special Needs Assistants: Motion (13 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I would like to say how pleased I am to participate in this debate and how I strongly support the amendment moved by Senator Maria Byrne which deals with all the issues of concern. I hugely value the role of SNAs. In my period in government, we have seen the number of children with special needs who are supported by SNAs grow by 12,000. There has been an increase of 50% in the number of...

Questions on Promised Legislation (14 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: As Deputy Howlin well knows, the admissions Bill developed originally by his party's Minister and then published by the Government did not contain any provision to change the rules on admission on grounds of religion. Indeed, the Bill also did not contain any provision to allow the Department to designate schools which should open special autistic spectrum disorder, ASD, units. The...

Questions on Promised Legislation (14 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: In respect of the placement of any child, the special needs organiser will seek to assist a parent in finding access to a place. If the Deputy wants to provide me with the information, I will seek to have it followed up on her behalf.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Healthy Living Strategies (14 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department is supportive of the promotion of healthy lifestyles in schools and has issued circulars to support and strengthen schools’ efforts in developing in young people the skills and attitudes needed to make informed decisions about their health. Schools and the wider education sector in conjunction with parents and families have a crucial role to play in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (14 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school to which he refers is included in my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme.  The acquisition of a suitable site for the school's permanent accommodation has recently been completed.  Arrangements are now being made to finalise the project brief for the school concerned with the aim of progressing the project...