Results 23,641-23,660 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

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

Richard Bruton: Ensuring every child is supported and given the opportunity to reach their full potential is a key priority for this Government. The Department is committed to improving educational outcomes for members of the Traveller and Roma communities.  St. Thomas’s Clonshaugh is a school with Special School designation dating from a period when separate education provision for members of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that provision has already been made for the use of the majority of the funds realised from the sale of the property in question.  The further utilisation of the balance of the funds involved remains under consideration and the body will be advised when possible.

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

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that an application for additional accommodation was submitted by the school referred to by the Deputy to provide accommodation to facilitate children with special educational needs. Approval in principle has been sanctioned for a devolved grant under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme.  The site development is complex and, in that regard, a project brief is...

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

Richard Bruton: The building project to which the Deputy refers is continuing to progress to schedule.  My Department and the local ETB, to whom the project has been devolved for delivery, are closely monitoring the project in the context of the main contractor recently entering examinership.

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

Richard Bruton: Under the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school.  The welfare and safety of pupils is of paramount importance and schools have a duty of care to the pupils under their control.  School management should, therefore, take whatever measures are necessary to ensure that no pupil or staff member...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: A site has been identified to accommodate a permanent school building for the school to which the Deputy refers. The site is being acquired by my Department and the acquisition is at an advanced stage.

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

Richard Bruton: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2b (Detailed Design), which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured. The Stage 2(b) submission has been reviewed by my Department and a letter recently issued to the school and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (17 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: Funding has been approved for the works at the school to which the Deputy refers. The school has been notified of my Department's decision.

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

Richard Bruton: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for organising and planning provision for children with Special Educational Needs, including the establishment of special classes in mainstream primary and post primary schools. Special classes offer a supportive learning environment to students with ASD who are unable to access the curriculum in a mainstream class, even with...

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

Richard Bruton: 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. Budget 2018 announced a one point improvement to the primary staffing schedule, which reduced the average pupil teacher ratio to 26:1. The improved staffing schedule has been implemented for...

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

Richard Bruton: 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. Budget 2018 announced a one point improvement to the primary staffing schedule, which reduced the average pupil teacher ratio to 26:1. The improved staffing schedule has been implemented for...

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

Richard Bruton: The school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process. The school was recently authorized to issue the Letter of Intent to the preferred tenderer. Subject to no issues arising the project is still on track to commence construction in the second quarter of 2018.

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

Richard Bruton: My Department approved funding for the provision of 2 additional classrooms at the school in question together with a contribution towards the conversion of existing accommodation to a multi-purpose room.  An updated Stage 2a submission (detailed design) and an updated cost plan for the project was received in February, 2018 and my Department has...

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

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which he refers is included on the 6-year Construction Programme. In this regard, my Department has carried out a site visit to the school. The project is currently at project brief stage and this process is currently in train. My Department will be engaging with the school authority relating to...

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

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, the project to which he refers has been devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board (ETB). The ETB is currently pre-qualifying contractors for the project. When this process has been completed, the project will proceed to tender and construction.

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

Richard Bruton: Under the Constitution and in accordance with section 30 of the Education Act, 1998 parents have the right to have their children opt out of religion classes if they so wish. In relation to religious instruction in certain second level schools my Department recently published Circular letter 0013/2018 “Religious instruction and worship in certain second level schools in the context...

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: There are restrictions on access to courses by persons who have lived outside the EU for a considerable period. The difficulty we face in arranging rules of access is that any such rule must apply to all EU citizens equally. The restriction that is in place has strictures which are uniformly applied. I will consider the case raised by Deputy Healy-Rae but there are difficulties in regard...

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: There is a massive expansion in the resources being put into supporting children with special needs. We have increased the resources by more than 50% since 2011 in terms of teaching and special needs assistants, SNAs. We have more than doubled the number of special units in schools. Last September we opened approximately 150 and we will open another 150 next year. We are providing funding...

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, in the mid-term review, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform trebled the money available for higher education investment over the next three years. It was at an extremely low level. While I am not up to speed on this application, I will get an update for the Deputy. We are in a phase of expansion of investment in higher education after many years when none...

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputies for raising this issue. I can understand their concerns. I assure Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin that decisions on the location of schools are not political. Such decisions are not made by Ministers but by the Department. Every one of the 314 planning areas is treated in the same fashion. Areas are evaluated fairly against the demographic profiles available which are based...