Results 23,521-23,540 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (29 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process. The school was recently authorised to issue the Letter of Intent to the preferred tenderer. Subject to no issues arising it is anticipated that construction will commence in the second quarter of 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (29 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The schools referred to by the Deputy form part of Schools Bundle 5, the PPP project which has been impacted by the liquidation of Carillion.  The Dutch Infrastructure Fund (DIF), representing the PPP Company responsible for delivery of Schools Bundle 5, is currently implementing a rectification plan to secure service commencement on the five school buildings...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (29 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, the schools to which the Deputy refers to were opened under the Patronage Divestment process and a case was submitted by the patron body of the schools in relation to enrolment levels. In this regard, my Department wrote to the patron body on 23rd March last, indicating that these schools can be facilitated to develop over time with enrolment in each school to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Process (29 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016 was published in July 2016. The Bill which passed Committee Stage on 28 June 2017 and will shortly proceed to Report Stage, is an important piece of legislation which strives to create a new more parent-friendly, equitable and consistent approach to how school admissions policy operates for the almost 4,000 primary and...

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter which I know is of concern to many Deputies. He is right that there has been a difficult development process for this project. The original decision was devolved to the ETB to run the project. A service level agreement was put in place. A planning application was submitted and granted in April 2014 but that was appealed to An Bord Pleanála...

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: I understand what the Deputy is saying and I have indicated in my reply that this is regarded as a priority project. We recognise the difficulties, such as the planning appeal, the lay out of the road and so on. Equally, the Deputy will understand that I cannot compromise a tender process. This is a commercially confidential process and there are very strict procedures for the award of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Foirne Scoile (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: Foilsítear na critéir a bhaineann le leithdháileadh poist mhúinteoireachta go bliantúil ar shuíomh gréasáin na Roinne. Úsáidtear an sceideal foirne don scoilbhliain ábhartha agus rolluithe na ndaltaí ar an 30 Meán Fómhair roimhe sin mar eochairthoisc chun na hacmhainní foirne a chuirtear ar fáil i ngach scoil faoi...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Expenditure (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to HEA designated higher education institutions. The HEA allocates this funding as a block grant to the institutions. As autonomous bodies, the internal disbursement of this funding, including the funding of student services, is a matter for the individual institution. Details of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oireachtas Members' Remuneration (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: Details of the payments made to individual teacher members of the Houses of the Oireachtas who availed of the special leave and pay arrangement scheme that existed prior to September 2009 are personal to the individual. The following table contains the aggregate payments made in the period July 2003 to December 2008 and the number of individual members who received payments under the terms of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Court Judgments (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: In earlier PQs, I explained to the Deputy that because the type of abuse suffered by an individual is personal to that individual, the information cannot be disclosed by any State body or organisation holding that data.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (17 Apr 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.  In relation to the school to which the Deputy refers, my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy may be aware, the project to which he refers has been devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board (LMETB). The project is currently at stage 2 B of the architectural planning process and a revised stage 2 B cost plan, to include some necessary additional works, has been submitted to my Department for consideration.  The project will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, additional investment has allowed the successful recruitment of over 5,000 additional teachers in the last two years.  Since 2012/2013, there are 8,900 more teachers in our schools. No other part of the public service has seen growth on this scale, which is testament to the Government’s commitment to, and the importance of education in, fulfilling our...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: I understand that the Deputy’s question refers to recognition of additional post-graduate qualifications which a candidate may already have before applying for a post-primary Professional Masters in Education (PME), in such a way that the overall duration of the PME would be reduced for that candidate. The introduction of changes to the duration and content of post-graduate initial...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: The building project at St. Conleth’s Junior & Senior National Schools is an extension refurbishment project, which includes an extension to each School, a new build General Purpose Hall and a Special Needs Unit. The project is currently at Stage 2B of Architectural Planning - Detailed Design Stage, which includes applications for all statutory consents, including Planning...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 326, 340 and 348 together. The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. I, together with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 327 and 405 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Status (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: Schools are not required to make an application for inclusion in the DEIS programme as all schools are assessed using a new uniform identification model. We have, for the first time, introduced an objective, statistics based model for deciding which schools merit inclusion in the DEIS Programme, so that all stakeholders can have confidence that we are targeting extra resources at those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 329, 331, 332, 334 and 335 together. My Department’s policy is that children with special educational needs including those with Autism, should be included in mainstream placements with additional supports provided, unless such a placement would not be in their best interests or in the interests of the children with whom they are to be educated, as is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that it is not mandatory that schools make provision for special needs including autism, in order to qualify for capital funding, including Summer Works Scheme funding. The provision of special education facilities is dependent on the demand and existing provision in an area. Where additional accommodation is required, it is open to all schools to submit an...