Results 24,061-24,080 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Questions on Promised Legislation (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I will revert to the Deputy on the matter.

Questions on Promised Legislation (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I made an undertaking. We changed the way the budgetary arrangements were made. Previously, Ministers had to go back to the Cabinet to seek an additional budgetary allocation. That was recognised by us and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform as a very unsatisfactory way in which to plan. We made budgetary provision for this year and I expect to announce the allocations within days.

Questions on Promised Legislation (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I will have to ask the Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Boxer Moran, to respond to the Deputy on this matter. He is a much better catcher of red herrings than I am.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The July Education Programme (or July Provision Grant Scheme) provides funding towards an extended school year for children with a severe or profound general learning disability and/or children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) enrolled in recognised schools. The eligibility criteria and the terms and conditions for the July Provision Grant Scheme 2018 are set out in the Information...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school. The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise that my Department has approved the provision of additional temporary accommodation, at the school referred to by the Deputy, to address the school's immediate accommodation requirements. The school has been advised of my Department's decision.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The level of funding provided to schools and the drivers of costs at school level are kept under review by my Department. Initiatives in order to assist with the reduction of costs at school level and management of finances are in place such as the services provided by the Schools Procurement Unit and the Financial Services Support Unit. I also recognise the need to improve capitation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Minor Works Grant was first introduced in 1997 and since then has issued to primary schools each school year with the exception of the school year 2012/2013. The grant most recently issued to all primary schools last December in respect of the school year 2017/2018. The payment of the Minor Works Grant is not confined to any particular date and can be issued during any month of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question applied for funding under the Summer Works Scheme, under Category 9 - Curricular Requirement Works. The Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is designed to allow schools to carry out small and medium sized building works that will improve and upgrade existing school buildings. As advised, the Summer Works Scheme is a multi-annual scheme in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Administration (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: Invitation to Tender documents for a replacement architect for the major building project at the school referred to by the Deputy were issued on 11May 2018. The latest date for the return of Tenders is 28 May 2018. The Assessment of the Tenders will then take place. Planning Permission for the major building project was received from Fingal County Council on 21 January 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Government is committed to the future sustainability of the Castlebar Campus of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT). This is the reason why I established the Working Group in March 2017 to develop a plan that would safeguard the future of the Castlebar campus. The Report of the Working Group was published in December 2017. It provides a wide-ranging assessment of the context...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Eligibility (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school to which the Deputy refers recently submitted an appeal to my Department requesting a review of its application for funding under the Emergency Works Grant Scheme to address roof issues. This review has been carried out and it has been decided that a member of my Department's Professional & Technical team should visit the school and report on the matter. The visit will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, a project for the school in question is included in my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme. I understand that the technical assessment process in respect of the project (to include the extension, refurbishment and prefab replacement) has been completed and the Project Brief is now being finalised. In that context, my Department will be in further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (16 May 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 Capital Programme. I wish to advise the Deputy that the Schedules of Accommodation for the proposed project have issued to the school and my Department is currently finalising the project brief with the aim of progressing the project into the architectural planning process at an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The conveyancing process in relation to a site for this school building project is currently underway. As is the case with any specific site acquisition, it would not be appropriate for my Department to provide detailed information on the conveyancing process.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Data (16 May 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 7 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 support and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department received an application, in recent weeks, from the school referred to for the provision of additional classroom and resource accommodation. The application is currently under consideration and my Department will be in direct contact with the school authorities when the assessment process has concluded.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (16 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: School Inspection Reports (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department’s Inspectorate carried out a Whole-School Evaluation in Scoil Eoin Báiste National School, Castletown, Dundalk, Co. Louth in October 2017 and this report was published on my Department’s website www.education.ie in January 2018. The report identified a number of recommendations for the school where improvement is required. Responsibility for implementing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The estimated cost of increasing the capitation grant at primary and secondary level by 5% is provided in the following table: Estimated full year cost of 5% increase in capitation funding School Amount Primary Schools €5.0m Post-Primary Schools €4.7m Budget 2018 marked the second year of major reinvestment in the education sector, as we continue to implement the Action Plan...