Results 23,101-23,120 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Applications (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that DES Circular 0013/2017 for primary schools and 0014/2017 for post primary schools were published on 7th March 2017.  These Circulars set out the details of the new model for allocating special education teachers to schools. The revised allocation process replaces the generalised allocation process at primary and post primary school level for learning...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 76, 77 and 83 together. The building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2b – Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been obtained. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff Appeals Mechanism (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: Arising from budgetary considerations and the Comprehensive Expenditure Review carried out in 2011, it was decided that this grant would cease for new entrants - both at undergraduate and postgraduate level - from the 2012/13 academic year. The decision to stop the Gaeltacht placement grants was taken during the economic crisis when, unfortunately, very difficult decisions had to be made...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I’ve been advised that the SUSI appeal to which the Deputy refers was recently received by the statutory independent Student Grants Appeals Board. Under the Student Support Act 2011, the Board has 60 days from the making of an appeal, to make a determination. I understand that the 60 day appeal period will end on 19 April 2018. Subject to no issues arising, the student can expect a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that my Department recently received an application for an ASD Unit from the school referred to by the Deputy. The application will be assessed and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department is in the process of acquiring a site at the property to which the Deputy refers in order to construct a new school. My Department's officials are currently involved in ongoing engagement with the Chief State Solicitor’s Office and the vendor’s solicitors, in order to finalise this legal transaction.  Every effort is being made to expedite the process.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department is in the process of acquiring a site at the property to which the Deputy refers, in order to construct the new school. My Department's officials are currently involved in ongoing engagement with the Chief State Solicitor’s Office and the vendor’s solicitors, in order to finalise this legal transaction.  Every effort is being made to expedite the process.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Health Promotion (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Healthy Ireland Smart Start programme is funded by the HSE for use in pre-schools.  I understand that a range of materials are already available to pre-schools in this regard.  The use of materials as part of the programmes is a matter for the HSE. My Department is working with DCYA and the NCCA to implement the National Síolta Aistear Initiative, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that it is open to the school authority in question to submit an application to my Department.  An application form may be accessed on my Department's websitewww.education.ie.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Advertising Campaigns (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Government approved a number of priority information campaigns which included the Action Plan for Education 2018. In launching the Action Plan for Education, a special pull-out was produced by a national daily newspaper in partnership with the government. While the cost was not met by my Department, I understand it amounted to €8,600 excluding vat. The material produced in the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Education Policy (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. This is an area in which I have a great interest. When I was Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation during the previous Government's period, I introduced a national strategy for entrepreneurship in Ireland.This was the first time it had ever been done. This amazed me because, following the difficult period in our history between 2009 and...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Accommodation Provision (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I apologise to him if the Department wrote to him with false information, as he indicated. There is, of course, an application from the school that was made originally in December 2016. At the time it was made the teacher complement was three mainstream teachers and one special education teacher. At that stage it was determined that there was...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Accommodation Provision (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: To be fair, in dealing with these issues the Department's building unit operates fair criteria and applies the same rules to every school. I will ask for the application to be reviewed in the light of what has been said-----

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Accommodation Provision (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: -----but I cannot give in advance the outcome of a process that is still under way within the Department.I hear what the Senator is saying about the urgency and the prospect that there may be additional enrolment in the school in the future as a result of the new centre being opened. I will bring that to the attention of those conducting the review.

Topical Issue Debate: Medical Products (8 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Sherlock for raising this issue. I extend my sympathies to Adam and his family for the difficulties he is experiencing. I understand that his case was considered at today's fortnightly meeting, but I do not have information on the outcome of it. As I understand it and as the Deputy described, new priorities can disrupt a ranking on a waiting list and I can understand how...

Topical Issue Debate: Medical Products (8 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can sympathise with the Deputy saying that waiting lists are inappropriate. In many ways, they are. Every day in this House a new procedure or application is highlighted that could be funded and there is a debate about the allocating of resources to it. We all feel the need to prioritise those cases. Waiting lists appear to be an inevitable part of health services across the globe. I...

Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Special Educational Needs (8 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Funchion for raising this matter. As I did not get notice of the details on the individual child, I can only respond to the Deputy in a general way. However, I will undertake to get the Department to make contact with the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, to advise on the case. It is not the case that people like me can make decisions about the best placement for...

Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Special Educational Needs (8 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The NCSE is an independent body that has been given the power to make decisions in this area. It is not my Department that makes these calls. The NCSE has the power to allocate resource teachers and SNA. We have massively expanded the number of SNAs by 1,000 per year and have provided 1,800 additional resource teachers by means of the past three budgets. We are greatly expanding provision...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pay (8 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. I negotiated together with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, 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...