Results 23,001-23,020 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Cybersecurity for Children and Young Adults: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am very encouraged by the enthusiasm of the committee for some of the things we are doing in education but we wish to assure the committee that there is no complacency in our Department as to whether we are up to speed. I used to have responsibility for health and safety and it is not unlike that. One can set out laws and require public policy statements but it is also about how citizens...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (22 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, I have announced new plans aimed at accelerating the provision of multi-denominational and non-denominational schools across the country, in line with the choices of parents, families and school communities and the Programme for Government commitment to reach 400 such schools by 2030.  I would point out that the previous model of divestment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (22 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: Under the Student Grant Scheme grant aid for postgraduate study is limited to a maximum of four years in total. Account is taken of all previous attendance and attainment at postgraduate level when considering grant aid entitlement for postgraduate study, regardless of whether a person previously received a grant or not. I understand that the person to which the Deputy refers has utilised...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Data (22 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: One advisor and one official from the Department of Education and Skills travelled to the launch of the NDP and NPF in Sligo on 16 February.  The costs of same will be known once travel claims have been submitted and processed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Functions (22 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: There are approximately one hundred and thirty thousand staff paid on payrolls operated by my Department who will receive a P60 for 2017.  The Deputy will appreciate that there are a number of processes that must be completed prior to the issue of the P60s. My Department is making arrangements to have the P60s issued as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (22 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: Under the Constitution and in accordance with Section 30 of the Education Act 1998, parents have a right to have their children opt out of religion classes if they so wish. I believe that difficulties could be avoided if, from the outset, a school's arrangements for those students who do not wish to attend religious instruction are made clear to parents. In that regard, the Programme...

Order of Business (27 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputies for raising this issue on which I will revert to them with a full reply. My understanding is that a legal issue has arisen between the Chief State Solicitor representing the Department and the vendors of the site. However, I will find out whether we can expedite the matter. If legal issues have arisen, they may have to be worked through but perhaps we can find solutions.

Topical Issue Debate: School Patronage (27 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Shortall. The matter was raised last week but she did not get a chance to be here on that occasion. I am delighted to be able to respond today. The background to this is the 2012 report of the advisory group to the forum on patronage and pluralism in the primary sector, which recommended that demand for patronage diversity should be met in areas of stable population by...

Topical Issue Debate: School Patronage (27 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy is great at throwing around accusations, which she is entitled to do. I have heard it many a time in this Department. I know the Deputy would like me to be able to say that every parent has a right to get the school precisely of his or her choice. Unfortunately, the State has never been able to offer that. We have always had a situation that if one school is particularly...

Topical Issue Debate: School Patronage (27 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: -----the policy of the Department. It was not under my predecessors either. The reason is that we just do not have the capital funds to build precisely the schools that each parent wants. That is the difficulty. The former Minister, Mr. Ruairí Quinn's attempt was a genuine one to, as Deputy Shortall rightly said, get a school to close and amalgamate and to get a building released and...

Topical Issue Debate: School Patronage (27 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: -----and not looking for amalgamations and closures but moving-----

Topical Issue Debate: School Patronage (27 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: -----to a situation where we would get live transfers - in other words, the school would close under one patron and open simultaneously or further on under a different one.

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects Status (27 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputies for raising this again. This school site includes a therapy building and the Central Remedial Clinic, CRC, which is the patron, owns the building and intends to replace it. In that context, my Department had been engaging with the CRC seeking clarity on its plans for the therapy building. The CRC, in the latter part of January last, confirmed to the Department that it...

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects Status (27 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: To clarify, the six years refer to 2015 to 2021, the period during which the schools where we need to make investment were identified and this was prioritised. There is a new demographic operation taking place and some new schools will be identified from that. That will be the next piece. The next steps are the project brief, design, planning permission and so forth. There are also...

Topical Issue Debate: Foreign Conflicts (27 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: He is in Europe today. I will take the matter on his behalf.

Topical Issue Debate: Foreign Conflicts (27 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputies for raising this matter. I share their despondency with the situation in eastern Ghouta. The pictures that we are seeing are horrifying even by the standards of this conflict, which has been appalling throughout. On behalf of the Government, I condemn in the strongest terms the continued attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, including homes, hospitals and...

Topical Issue Debate: Foreign Conflicts (27 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I assure the Deputy the Russian authorities are in no doubt of Ireland's position but I will pass on his suggestion to the Minister. I share the Deputy's dismay. Over 13 million people have required humanitarian assistance in Syria alone and 5.5 million have fled to neighbouring countries. To be fair to the EU, to date it has mobilised more than €10.4 billion for humanitarian...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (27 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: Following enquiries made within my Department the Rules and Regulations for National Schools 1932 to 1964 are available from the National Library of Ireland which is located at Kildare St, Dublin 2. The contact details for the National Library are 01 – 6030200 or by email at info@nli.ie

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Childhood Care and Education (27 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I would like to advise the Deputy that eligibility for the ECCE scheme is a matter for my colleague in Government, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Freedom of Information Requests (27 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department received a total of 4,476 Freedom of Information requests in the period 2010 to 2017 inclusive.  The information requested by the Deputy for the eight year period in question is set out in the following tables. Number of Freedom of Information requests received 4,476 Number of internal reviews of decisions sought 163 Number of review decisions appealed to the Office of...