Results 23,661-23,680 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

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

Richard Bruton: I understand the Deputies' frustration. Approximately 30 planning areas, from a total of 314 such areas, have been approved for new schools. In some cases, the need is being met by programmes that are already under way. In the area we are discussing, five school projects are already under way. In other cases, the need is being met through the potential expansion of existing schools. As...

Provision of Objective Sex Education Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputies Coppinger, Barry and Paul Murphy for tabling this Private Members' Bill. The Government will not be opposing the Bill. This is a very important area in which we need to make progress. I have asked the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, to undertake a review not just of the content of the curriculum but of how it is taught, and in particular how young...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a site to accommodate a permanent school building for the school to which he refers has been acquired. Officials from my Department will be in contact with the school shortly regarding the progression of the project.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Patron has advised my Department that the school in question has recently corresponded with parents offering junior infant enrolment places in September 2018. I understand that the Patron has also provided update directly to the Deputy during a meeting last week.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: The site for the school to which the Deputy refers was purchased by my Department in accordance with its standard site acquisition procedures with a view to achieving optimum value for money while ensuring the provision of suitable accommodation.  The Department has the support of the patron and management of the school in respect of the building project being provided on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (18 Apr 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 Construction Ltd and Carilllion AMBS Ltd.  Sammon Contracting Ireland Ltd (SCIL) was the sub-contractor to Carillion Construction Ltd on the Schools Bundle 5 PPP Project.  This encompasses five school buildings and one further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Grants (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: The estimated full year cost of increasing the rate of ancillary grant by €5 per pupil in primary schools is circa €2.8m. The ancillary grant at primary level is €163 per pupil. The ancillary grant was increased by €6 in 2016, €5 in 2017 and €5 in 2018, in order to enable primary schools to implement the arbitration salary increase for grant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Internet Safety (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Government will develop an Action Plan on Internet safety and my Department will work with the other Government Departments with responsibility in the area to develop those actions to be included in the new Action Plan. The recommendations from the recent Joint Oireachtas Committee Report on Cyber Security for Children and Young Adults are under...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (18 Apr 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 criteria for the appointment of an administrative principal to a school,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (18 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: Foirne Scoile (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: Is í an phríomh-shlat tomhais lena gcinntear leibhéal na n-acmhainní foirne a chuirtear ar fáil ag leibhéal scoile aonair ná an sceideal foirne don scoilbhliain ábhartha agus rollú na ndaltaí ar an 30 Meán Fómhair roimhe sin. Le buiséad 2018 fógraíodh go ndéanfaí feabhas pointe amháin ar an sceideal...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Status (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department has not been engaged in a consultation process with individual schools including the school referred to by the Deputy. The identification of schools for receipt of additional resources under the DEIS programme is informed by a scientific data based model which assesses levels of disadvantage in individual schools based on the pupil cohort of the school. It is important to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question submitted an application for additional accommodation. The application will be considered 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: Higher Education Authority (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: I meet the CEO of the HEA on an ongoing basis at various events and meetings.  The most recent meeting took place at the National Skills Council, which I chair and of which the CEO is a member, on 16 April 2018. The Minister of State for Higher Education in my Department is next due to meet with the Chief Executive Officer of the Higher Education Authority on Thursday 19 April.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: In the academic year 2015-16 there were 553,380 pupils in primary schools. There were 345,550 pupils enrolled in post-primary schools. Post-Leaving Certificate enrolments were 32,453. In 2016-17, there were 558,314 primary pupils and 352,257 in post-primary schools, and 31,969 in PLC.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Multidenominational Schools (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: It is the patron body of a school which determines the ethos or characteristic spirit of the school, in accordance with Section 15 of the Education Act 1998, which  provides that a board of management shall uphold, and be accountable to the patron for so upholding, the characteristic spirit of the school as determined by the cultural, educational, moral, religious, social, linguistic and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which he refers is included in my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme. In this regard, the proposed development is at project brief stage. The next step involves the commencement of the architectural planning process and my Department will be in further contact with the school in this context.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Interdepartmental Working Groups (18 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: The programme for Government provided that the Cassells report would be referred to the Oireachtas Education Committee, who would review its recommendations and outline a proposed funding plan for this sector, as part of the process for building political consensus around the most appropriate means of ensuring a sustainable funding model for the future. While I have awaited the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grants Data (19 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: The number of grant recipients for the academic years 2013/14 to 2017/18 is set out in the table. The data encompass students in receipt of a SUSI grant and grants from the other 66 awarding authorities who have continued to process renewal applications on a transitionary basis, pending the full transfer of all grants to SUSI. Grantholders - Academic Year 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (19 Apr 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am aware of the price increases for purpose built student accommodation in certain private developments.  The Interdepartmental Working Group on Student Accommodation has been asked to assess the impact of licence arrangements on residents of purpose built student accommodation.   Together with the Minister of State for Higher Education and the Minister of State for...