Results 23,981-24,000 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, I announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022). This announcement follows nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country and the 4-year horizon will enable increased lead-in times for planning and delivery of the necessary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process. My Department is currently awaiting the return of the supplementary tender report. Subject to no issues arising with the supplementary tender report the project is still on track to commence construction in the second quarter of 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategies (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: Demographic trends will have an impact across all areas of the education and training system, including special needs provision, administrative support and higher education. The IGEES paper "Budgetary Impact of Changing Demographics 2017 - 2027" outlines projected public expenditure implications across the education and training sector.  The paper is available online at:  With...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: An analysis of demographic cost pressures from 2017 to 2027 is set out in the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service staff paper ‘Budgetary Impact of Changing Demographics 2017 – 2027’ published in September 2016 by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.  This paper is available at: This paper is based on figures from Census 2016 and focuses on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am aware of the case referred to by the Deputy. The background to this case is that in October 2017, I announced changes to the minimum entry requirements into primary teacher training programmes, as follows: Entry 2018 - Irish: H5, English: H7/O5, Maths: H7/O6 Entry 2019 and entry 2020 - Irish: H4, English: H7/O4, Maths: H7/O4 The changes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The building to which the Deputy refers had been scheduled to open in September 2018.  However, a slight delay has been occasioned due to a High Court challenge to planning permission for elements of the project.  This was unforeseen given that the building was well under construction before the legal challenge was taken.   The project is devolved for delivery to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: General Data Protection Regulation (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department is considering how best to provide support to schools taking into account the views and assessment of the relevant school management bodies.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I understand from the details supplied by the Deputy that the property in question belongs to the parish. My Department, therefore, has no function relating to works the parish may wish to undertake outside of the vested school site and funding is not available from my Department for this purpose.

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects Status (15 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputies for raising this issue. We are very much aware of the frustration felt locally by parents, staff and pupils alike at the delay in completing the building projects at Coláiste an Chraoibhín in Fermoy and at Coláiste Cholmán in Midleton. We are acutely aware of the need for these extension projects to be completed as quickly as possible to improve...

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects Status (15 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputies for their contributions. It is an unfortunate situation. No one planned for an examinership. In this case the examinership has not been able to deliver on these projects. We will have to re-tender the work. I will seek to have this done as quickly as possible but tendering has to be robust. We are all aware of the obligations in that regard and that it protects all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pensions (15 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 was enacted by the Oireachtas and became law on 28 July 2012. The Act provides for aSingle Public Service Pension Schemefor the generality of new public servants including teachers. The Single Scheme was commenced with effect from 1 January 2013 by Order by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The Single...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Multidenominational Schools (15 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: ETB schools are multi-denominational schools and as such are required to serve their communities however composed. This includes providing for religious instruction according to the profile of the students who attend the school. In relation to religious instruction my Department recently published Circular letter 0013/2018 “Religious instruction and worship in certain second level...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (15 May 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: Departmental Budgets (15 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The following table lists the amount disclosed in my Department's Appropriation Accounts for contingent liabilities for the past 25 years as requested by the Deputy. Two categories of contingent liability have been disclosed in the accounts: those related to the Residential Institutions Redress Scheme and those related to the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse. The estimated liability...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts Data (15 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: In response to the Question posed by the Deputy and in relation to the company (details supplied), there were no payments processed on my Department's FMS System. Please note the contracts outlined relate to Hewlett-Packard Irl Ltd and not to the company details supplied by the Deputy. The value of payments by year to Hewlett-Packard Irl Ltd is provided in the following table: Supplier...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (15 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I recently received correspondence from the joint Patrons of the School in question indicating that the Board of Mangement has advised them that the School is no longer viable. I understand from my officials that the staffing of the school is a Principal plus three assistants and that two pupils will need to be facilitated to transfer to another school for the next school year. The school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (15 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department will provide circa €450m for measures to help people to access further and higher education in 2018. The principal support provided by my Department in financial terms is the Student Grant Scheme, which makes available means-tested financial assistance to students in further and higher education. The student grant scheme is administered by Student Universal Support...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Data (15 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department does not have any representatives on local and regional drug taskforces. However, local and regional drug task forces do contain representatives from Education and Training Boards (ETBs). I have requested the information sought from the ETBs regarding attendance at local and regional drugs taskforces and will forward it to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (15 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department provides for a range of services and supports to ensure that children of school going age with Special Educational Needs, including children with Dyspraxia, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs. These supports include additional teaching and care support, enhanced capitation, specialist school transport arrangements, assistive technology and/or specialist...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Redeployment (15 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: Redeployment schemes currently exist at post-primary level in school closure situations, where there are surplus teachers in a school/Education and Training Board in situations other than school closure, and to address mismatch between curricular needs and staffing resources in a school/ETB. A pilot voluntary redeployment scheme is also in operation this year. Voluntary redeployment...