Results 22,581-22,600 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 242, 243, 248, 249, 252, 253 and 256 together. The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. Through this process a 15-22% pay increase was negotiated for new teachers. The agreements to date have restored an estimated 75% of the difference in pay for more recently recruited teachers and deliver...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Private Partnerships (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The schools referred to by the Deputy form part of the current Schools Bundle 5 PPP programme. In respect of that programme, a contract exists between my Department and the Principal contractor, Inspiredspaces. Inspiredspaces is the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) responsible for the design, construction, finance, operation and maintenance of the programme. The company referred to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Private Partnerships (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: In respect of the Schools Bundle 5 PPP programme, a contract exists between my Department and the Principal contractor, Inspiredspaces. Inspiredspaces is the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) responsible for the design, construction, finance, operation and maintenance of the programme. Although one of the companies referred to by the Deputy, a 50% shareholder in this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Service Provision (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: Under the Schools Broadband Access Programme, my Department provides for the supply of Internet connectivity for recognised primary and post primary schools. All post-primary schools and some special schools are now included in the 100Mbps programme. Significant improvement has been made in recent years with the number of primary schools on broadband speeds of greater than...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Planning Framework (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department has had significant ongoing input into the national planning framework process. This has been principally through its participation in the cross-departmental steering group on the national planning framework, which is led by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. 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 Statistics...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Private Partnerships Data (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: To date, 25 post primary schools, two primary schools and two higher education projects, (National Maritime College of Ireland and the Cork School of Music) have been delivered by Public Private Partnership. The school PPP projects involve the delivery of a combination of new schools in rapidly developing areas, replacements for existing schools and new accommodation for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early School Leavers (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: I take it that the Deputy is referring to Action 88 of DEIS Plan 2017 - 'Review of current our of school and second-chance provision to inform future supports in this area, including those provided through TUSLA". Work on the implementation of this action has commenced with the establishment of a Working Group chaired by my Department and including representatives from Tusla and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Discipline (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: Decisions on the use of phones in schools are taken at a local level by the Board of Management of a school, who under the Education Act 1998, have responsibility for the direct governance of a school. In developing policies on such issues, including bring your own device and smart phone usage, Boards of Management should consult with the wider school community, including parents. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Discipline (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: Decisions on the use of phones in schools are taken at a local level by the Board of Management of a school, who under the Education Act 1998, have responsibility for the direct governance of a school. In developing policies on such issues, including bring your own device and smart phone usage, Boards of Management should consult with the wider school community, including parents....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Mental Health Services (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department is strongly supportive of the promotion of positive mental health awareness in schools. The Department adopts a holistic and integrated approach to supporting the work of schools in promoting positive mental health and to supporting those with the broad range of problems, behavioural emotional and social. The processes span the curriculum in schools, whole-school ethos,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Self-Harm Prevention (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department is strongly supportive of the promotion of positive mental health awareness in schools. The Department adopts a holistic and integrated approach to supporting the work of schools in promoting positive mental health and to supporting those with the broad range of problems, behavioural emotional and social. The processes span the curriculum in schools, whole-school ethos,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pension Provisions (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The person in question is a member of the staff of a primary school.  She is currently in pensionable service, however she has several years of earlier service which, while not pensionable when given, may reckon for pension purposes on payment of appropriate contributions at any time up to retirement. The amount of the contributions are determined based on salary rates...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Equality Legislation (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015, which commenced on 1 January 2016, provided for certain changes in the exclusion of discrimination on particular grounds in certain employments (i.e. educational or medical institutions maintained, in whole or in part, by monies provided by the Oireachtas) by amending Section 37 of the Employment Equality Act, 1998. The amended Section 37...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school referred to by Deputy submitted an application under my Department’s Emergency Works Scheme for car parking facilities and the reinstatement of a boundary wall.The provision of car parking facilities is outside the scope of the emergency works scheme.  It is open to the school to apply for these works under any future Summer Works Scheme. My Department is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Internet Safety (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The recommendations of the Internet Content Governance Advisory Group (ICGAG) report have been fully implemented by my Department.  Internet safety in schools is a key priority for my Department.  There are extensive training and curricular supports and resources available to assist schools in the development of policies and practices on the prevention of bullying and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Retirements (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department has no officials at Assistant Principal Officer level assigned to offices in the counties mentioned by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (31 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. I negotiated a 15-22% pay increase for new teachers. The agreements to date have restored an estimated 75% of the difference in pay for more recently recruited teachers and deliver full equality at later points in the scale. As a result of these changes and taking into account the new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (31 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a grant has been approved for the school to which he refers and the school authority has been informed of my Department's decision. 

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (31 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The enrolment of a child in a school is a matter, in the first instance, for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. 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...