Results 24,441-24,460 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (30 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The building project to which the Deputy refers is currently at construction stage. The school issued the Letter of Acceptance to the contractor on 28th March 2018. The expected delivery date is Quarter 1 of 2019.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (30 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 107 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not hold information in relation to the number of schools in County Kildare that have prefabs on their school sites, as the school authorities may have provided prefabs from their own funds. However, I am in a position to advise the Deputy that my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Placement (30 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that in relation to the ongoing review of school planning areas generally, my Department is currently reviewing the position in relation to primary school provision for the school planning area in question and my officials are currently engaging directly with the primary schools in the area. In relation to school admissions, parents can choose which school to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaeltacht Policy (30 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: In budget 2018, the Government doubled the investment being made in Gaeltacht education. A budgetary allocation of €2.3m was provided for the implementation of the Policy on Gaeltacht Education in 2018. The estimated expenditure in 2018 on the Policy on Gaeltacht Education 2017-2022 is largely in line with projections. The 2019 budget will be determined through the usual estimates...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (30 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department is currently working with the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht on a 5 year Action plan for Irish 2018 – 2022 as part of the implementation of the 20 year Strategy for the Irish Language. The Plan will include an Education Chapter outlining a range of actions across a number of sections within my Department including the Curriculum & Assessment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (30 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application from the school referred to for additional accommodation including the provision of ASD accommodation. My Department has been liaising with the school authority in this matter and a decision will issue to the school shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Career Breaks (30 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The person to whom the Deputy refers returned to teaching following the enactment of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004. The Act changed the superannuation terms of new entrants to the public service appointed on or after 1 April 2004. In broad general terms the Act defines a new entrant as a person who (i) commences public service employment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Placement (30 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department provides for a range of placement options and supports for schools, which have enrolled students with special educational needs, including those with Autism, in order to ensure that wherever a child is enrolled, s/he will have access to an appropriate education.  Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of...

Questions on Promised Legislation (31 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: This year is the first time that we have made the allocation of SNAs known to the schools in mid-May. This has been welcomed by schools and by Fórsa, the union representing SNAs, as significant progress in giving greater certainty. We have provided 840 additional SNAs for this coming September, which will bring the figure for additional SNAs in the last three years close to 3,000. We...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Retirements (31 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: On 5 December 2017, the Government announced changes in respect of the retirement ages of public service staff recruited prior to 1April 2004.  In effect, this advised that the compulsory retirement age for public servants recruited before this date would be increased to 70 years. My Department issued circular 27/2018 on 5 April 2018 to set out the interim measures to apply...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Centre Network (31 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: There are 21 full time Education Centres.  Their principal activity is to facilitate the local delivery of national programmes of teacher professional development on behalf of my Department. They also organise a varied local programme of activities for teachers, school management and parents in response to demand.  Each Centre has a Management Committee which is elected...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Secondment (31 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: Education Centres are statutory bodies recognised under Section 37 of the Education Act (1998) and are managed by local voluntary Management Committees which are elected annually. My Department arranges for the secondment of teachers from their teaching posts for the purpose of developing and providing CPD for teachers and for the appointment as Directors of Education Support Centres...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Centre Network (31 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: There are 21 full time and 9 part time Education Centres.  The Education Centre network provides a national infrastructure for the delivery of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for teachers and Centres.  Every centre has a locally elected Management Committee and a Director appointed on secondment.  My Department is the main funder of Education Centres through...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Centre Network (31 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that my Department allocates €120,000 per annum to Limerick Education Centre to rent accommodation from Limerick and Clare ETB (LCETB). Separately, my Department provides funding to LCETB for the pay of certain ETB staff (including teachers), funding for the day-to-day running of schools, specific grants (e.g. book grant, transition year programme),...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Eligibility (31 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: 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.  This model is applied uniformly across every school in the country.  The key data sources used in the DEIS identification process...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Eligibility (31 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: 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.  This model is applied uniformly across every school in the country.  Therefore, my Department does not engage in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (31 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 sets out the long-term vision for the development of the higher education sector in Ireland. The strategy recognises that a diverse range of strong, autonomous higher education institutions (HEIs) is essential to respond effectively to evolving economic and societal needs. The strategy includes the retention of institutional diversity as well...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (31 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 10 - External Environment Works. The Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is a multi-annual Scheme.  Over 1,650 schools, nearly 50% of schools, applied for inclusion under the current round of the scheme which reflects a very high demand. Over 700 applications in Categories...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (31 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware my Department requested an Inspector to visit the school to consider the schools accommodation needs for special education and to prepare a report in this regard. My Department will be in further contact with the school authority when the report in the matter has been received and considered.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pension Fund Fees (31 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The person referred to by the Deputy is a member of the Superannuation (Education) Pension Scheme, a pension scheme for special needs assistants (SNA), and is in receipt of pension benefits since 2012. Each year declaration forms are issued to a cohort of persons in receipt of pension benefits from my Department in order to verify the details of the person concerned and confirm their...